No, I'm not a terrorist
I was waiting for my train, and I got sent to the Amtrak Police for taking pictures on the platform. The Amtrak Police were kinder than I expected and they sent me to passenger services. The lady at passenger services couldn't have been more rude, and she sent me back to the Amtrak police, where I learned that there is a rule (an unwritten homeland security rule) that prohibits any photography in the station. I mentioned my rights under the first amendment, but they didn't have much to say to that...Long story short I decided to abide by the "unwritten rule" and not cause any more trouble.
I wonder though, if I had kept taking pictures, what they would have charged me with? After all, the rule prohibiting photography is unwritten, if it IS a rule....
Comments and faves
Jim Frazier (63 months ago | reply)
Yay! You've been blogged by www.cooltrainpix.com/
By the way, it's not illegal to take photographs from public spaces. There is NO homeland security rule. I was at a conference over the weekend and there was a lawyer there who re-affirmed this rule (he specializes in this issue). He's spoken with HS and they said they have no such rule. It's just ignorance at the local level.
Nice photo. Love the red.
Jim Frazier and Christopher & Amy Cate / Eastern Rails Photography added this photo to their favorites.
Jer*ry (63 months ago | reply)
Yeah, but unfortunately ignorance at the local level can be a pretty significant form of hassling. The other unfortunate thing is when you think about some of the other ways in which our freedom to take photos has become curtailed. For instance, one recent day I saw a little kid playing in the dirt the way I used to, way back when. Great material for some pics. But I knew I'd better not -- someone would most likely be watching, the cops would be called. (Or, Big Daddy/Big Mama might just come out & beat me up!)
Where will it end??
BTW, your pic caught my eye too.
†JDAWG† (63 months ago | reply)
I'm glad homeland says nothing to me at the station by me. i almost got a ticket the other day by some railroad cops, but they left me alone when they found two homeless men to bother with.
Lampy [deleted] (63 months ago | reply)
I could of swore you were my contact already. I found this photo on a blog, then I came back here to make you a contact and leave a remark.
This just makes my blood BOIL, You do have a right to shoot, but with Bush in charge and the Nazi style run Government, I wouldn't test them. They grilled me real good two years ago and I have been with the RR for 39 years !!!!!
Lampy [deleted] (63 months ago | reply)
PS, Good shot....I'm still pissed.
slambo_42 (56 months ago | reply)
I made a bumper sticker with this sentiment from one of my photos...
"I'm not a terrorist. I'm a railfan!
jonmasters, All Glass Photo, NorthernVirginiaRefuse, and TheMBTADog added this photo to their favorites.