Judy asked me the size of this piece, and I wanted to let you know that the overall piece is cut 14 inches wide and 20 inches long.
I did not get to stitch tonight. A young friend of mine is a photo journalist who went to Minneapolis to take photos of the convention. As he was arriving Monday, people were protesting the war and he and his friends went to take pictures. He is in this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ktyEPQHbvM
He was arrested and charged with gross misdemeanor rioting. He is pictured at 1:20 on the video and it clearly shows he was loaded down with camera equipment and after the cops ran up, he is walking away with his hands up. Yet, he was struck in the head and leg, hand-cuffed and taken to jail along with a multitude of other reporters and photo journalists. He is the far left photographer on the brick wall at 3:08. There are many other clips on You Tube from the protest that detail how many others were treated the same.
He was not charged with anything for the first thirty-six hours, but held with all the others.
After 52 hours in jail, he was released tonight and we spent time with his father, and some other friends. We will all sleep well for the first time since Monday.
Having known this person since he was fourteen years old, knowing his work ethic and commitment to providing photographic images, not opinions, through his free-lance photography, I am appalled by the lengths that law enforcement went to during the protest. It is obvious that he was carrying about twenty pounds of camera equipment, and did have a gas mask on due to the tear gas released by law enforcement on the entire gathering. It is also obvious that he was only walking, and moved away as not to appear to be aggressive. His father has talked to him, just moments ago, and he was in fact, moving away and telling the officers he was a photographer.
Approximately 60 protesters did in fact cause malicious harm to property. I am not condoning that at all. They should have been arrested. The reporters and photographers that were recording the proceedings is another story. There was very little news coverage about the entire event, yet alone, the disclosure of the "round-up" of over 200 reporters/photo-journalists.
I normally do not soap box politics at all. Knowing the events, as they unfolded over the last days has left a very bad taste about what is really going on and how little we are actually allowed to know. I wonder what is happening to freedom of the press and our right to know both sides of a story.
One last note, he will be able to recover all of his equipment, after the convention is over.
I am very proud to know this young man and I encourage him to continue his capturing the moments of our lives, whether they are pretty or not. Enough said.
Back to stitching on Thursday.
4 comments:
I enjoyed your soap box this morning - and yes, having had four children in the military - the latest in anti-terrorist force in the Navy, and having served very dangerous time in that war - there is INDEED lots the people in this country are not allowed to know. Shame on those protesters and also the law enforcement, who can be terrorists themselves.
Hugs, Pat! It is a horrible experience but not that unusual. I have had friends who were union organizers and not nuts or aggressive folks at all beaten up by police when they were walking picket lines, minding their own business and trying to help folks get more money and better benefits. It happens, and more than we would like.
Let's just hope this doesn't happen again.
HUGS from CH,
Jane
If we knew all that the government and police have been doing and still doing every single day, we would be totally digusted and this is a real good example of it, and my feeling is that it is only getting worst and worst. They seem to think that they can do just about anything to people without consequences.
Idiots with bumper sticker mentality and not enough to do. Heaven forbid that someone should take pictures and record the truth.
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