Pro Photographer now on FBI Terror Watchlist for photo of Boston's Painted Gas Tank

<p>This is damaging to our hobby and profession and I am ticked off by this! </p>

<p>http://www.popphoto.com/news/2014/07/photographer-reportedly-lands-fbi-terrorism-watchlist-taking-photo-public-art?src=SOC&dom=fb</p>

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<p>We may have to carry with us some sort of a document....what photography in public space is about...and stamp of approval by the FBI. Somehow it has this sovietski aroma to it.</p>

<p>Les</p>

<p>We will need to be guerrilla photographers, sort of like Harry Tuttle, the heating services man in <em>Brazil ( ).</em></p>

<p>This sort of thing makes my blood boil. Do the powers-that-be think that a terrorist would take the trouble to set up a highly visible camera and take a photograph? No, they would discreetly use a smart phone and immediately transmit the picture to some other interested party and no-one would be any the wiser.<br>

I despair at the intellectual calibre of those who claim to protect us.</p>

 

<p>Oh good God......</p>

<p>Rick H.</p>

<p>Anybody--good guys and bad ones, can get free images from Google and Wikipedia.</p>

<p>Yeah the goverment should get real. One can look at the scene and remember the details and do a sketch if one is really a terrorist. I don't think the unibomber ever use a camera and yet he know how to deliver his bomb with precision. </p>

<p>There are too many people in authority positions who exercise little to no common sense. They follow 'no-tolerance' rules, which often punish the innocent as much as the guilty. But there are few things more frightening than a 76-year-old (at the time) photographing a structure clearly visible to anyone who should venture near it. Nearly as scary as a 4-year-old packing a pink squirt gun.</p>

<p>Maybe the FBI should have done an image search on "Rainbow Swash" before they questioned him. It would have either saved them time he wasn't a suspected terrorist or added more work questioning all the other photographers who took a photo of the same thing. When it comes to the post 9/11 fear of terrorists, I get the feeling law enforcement and common sense is an oxymoron.</p>

<p>If you don't know how to solve a complex problem (ie. to interdict terrorism) then, to appear to the public that you are "doing something" you look for some kind of measures that you can do, and then say "see, we are doing something to keep the public safe." </p>

<p>Interesting responses. Not very long ago, this sort of post would be met with several Kool-aid drinkers saying, "I don't mind. Something's got to be done about all the terrorists!"</p>

<p>Good grief. Sounds like lazy incompetent guys trying to look like they are doing their job when in reality they are wasting time and tax payer dollars with this chicken $H!+!</p>

<p>This photographer and followers should be on the horn with his Congressman and nip this in the bud. It's very easy to point your camera in any direction outside and have some thing that Barney Fife could consider a target.</p>

<p>Where is the Common Sense? This is still America and Americans need to stand up, use the their power, the Government is here to serve the people. If we have people in power doing chicken $#!+ stuff like this, they need to be canned and get jobs a security guards at the mall.</p>

<p>One quick look at this guy by any competent agent and they would see he is just a photographer doing nothing wrong and not public enemy number one.</p>

<p>Good grief!</p>