Sunday, February 13, 2005

Who will defend freedom? It's not illegal to take pictures of subways.

Shooter.net: Attack of the SF Muni Fare Inspectors

It's commonly believed that after 9/11 it became illegal to take pictures in subways and of public transit structures. This is an urban myth, but it's a myth accepted by many transit workers and some police. This post tells the story of a San Francisco photographer who persists in taking pictures and is first threatened by transit workers, then harassed by police.

This is how freedom goes away, one step at a time.

Once upon a time this story would have brought a mass of americans to the subway to snap pictures. I now fear that most of us lack the energy even for such a minor defense. I know many of my friends, post Nov 2nd, have withdrawn from the world of politics and discourse.

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