Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/11/19

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Subject: [Leica] Yet Another Sign of the Times
From: grduprey at rockwellcollins.com (grduprey@rockwellcollins.com)
Date: Fri Nov 19 09:49:24 2004

I have yet to come across this type of thing here in Cedar Rapids, or even 
in W's home state of Texas, or in any other state I have visited in the 
past several years.  I have for the past few weeks been taking photos of 
buildings all around town as something to take with me next month on our 
vacation to Germany and Poland to show people of what Cedar Rapids looks 
like.  I have shot city, county and federal buildings with no hassle what 
so ever, even with the police driving by.  I guess it just depends on 
where and what the local situation is.

gene


I was out in Kansas on a personal work
assignment (vacation)  and I got to meet the Patriot
Act face to face---three times! I was doing nothing
illegal and got hassled for the simple reason that I
had a camera in my hand. On the first occassion I was
walking from my car to my friends house in North
Kansas City, MO with my camera bag in my hand and a
few minutes later the police were at the door asking
all kinds of questions that were answered correctly.
The second time I was photographing a street scene in
Gypsum, KS in the middle of the day with my Leica and
a couple of box cameras. I left that area and went
over to photogrqaph a really great rundown flour mill
from the street and had to take time out to reload my
box cameras. The sheriff pulled up behind me lights
flashing. He walked up in all his badged glory and
asked me what I was doing? I had a front seat full of
cameras and told him I was loading my cameras. He got
a little cocky and asked for my ID which I complied
and stated that I was clean and he could run the car
to because it was clean. He came back a few minutes
later  and returned my ID and I gave him my business
card that states I am a photographer and it lists our
website. He wanted to know MORE about WHY I was there!
Told him I was working on my vacation and that seemed
to satisfy him and he left. The next time I was in
Wichita, KS with my friend and were were going around
photographing the wonderful regional architecture when
we were stopped AGAIN. This officer asked me what I
was doing? I told him that the building I was
photographing was an excellent piece of regional
architecture (it was!! really great!!) and that my
father inlaw was an architect, my wife was a portrait
artist.That seemed to do it for him. We were both run
through the computer, both clean. He was nice and then
directed us to some really beautiful buildings.

Folks I live in Upstate NY and have never had anything
like that happen in any of my travels down south where
I go to the State of Mississippi frequently,
interesting? I told a friend of mine that produces a
radio show and travels all around the US what happened
to me. He said you were a victim of the Patriot Act
E.J. Several of his friends have suffered the same
indignities just because they had cameras and were
doing NOTHING illegal! Again interesting?

Makes you wonder what is down the road for the people
that reside in the United States of America?

Peace and Harmony, E.J. Schlup

http://www.paintedblues.com/pages/562631/index.htm

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In reply to: Message from schlup13820 at yahoo.com (e.j. schlup) ([Leica] Yet Another Sign of the Times)