I just happened across a blog by a former Arizona Republic reporter, Carlos Miller, who was arrested for taking photos of a police arrest in a public setting.
What scares me is not so much his arrest, but some of the comments in the "About" section of his blog. It astounds me that people can be so casual to mail in their First Amendment rights - or those of others.
When I covered the cops beat, I did not go with the assumption that police were always the bad guys - or even that they were most of the time. I proceeded under the belief that they're everyday people doing a difficult jobs - that the stress could make them do the wrong thing, as could the possibility that they were the bad seeds that got through the screening process. No matter what, though, peace officers need to be held accountable.
Well-trained, principled and experienced journalists are essential in maintaining that accountability. I believe Carlos Miller falls well into that definition - I've seen his work, and I think he acted properly if his account his accurate.
Some of the comments insist that, though he was right, he should have backed down.
I can't believe the cowardice. Carlos chose the hard road, no doubt. He weighed his actions and decided, having determined what he was willing to lose and endure to do what he felt was right. These are the moments that set precedent, and let government entities know that people will stand up when they go to far.
By the way, a jury found him not guilty of disobeying a police officer and disorderly conduct. He is appealing the conviction of resisting arrest without violence. Notice how none of these had anything to do with being photographed in a public area? I hope that speaks volumes to those who think it's not a person's right to take photos in a public area, regardless of the wishes of those being photographed - especially when they are funded by your tax dollars.
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