Fla: Making it Illegal to take farm pictures?

[granfire]

http://www.salon.com/news/agricultu.../15/illegal_florida_farm_photography_open2011

 

[Cryozombie]

That's pretty stupid.

But I have to wonder what sort of asshattery prompted that. Were photographers damaging property or trespassing illegally in the first place? Or did someone from an animal rights group do something to prompt complaints from farmers?

Here, we have a public shooting range we like to shoot at, and have always taken photos... some Anti-gun jerkwad went down there and staged a photoshoot with little kids and "assault rifles" and took pics of them engaged in "unspervised, unsafe acts" as a political tool, and now there is absoluley no photograpy allowed on the ranges.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

That's pretty stupid.

But I have to wonder what sort of asshattery prompted that. Were photographers damaging property or trespassing illegally in the first place? Or did someone from an animal rights group do something to prompt complaints from farmers?

Here, we have a public shooting range we like to shoot at, and have always taken photos... some Anti-gun jerkwad went down there and staged a photoshoot with little kids and "assault rifles" and took pics of them engaged in "unspervised, unsafe acts" as a political tool, and now there is absoluley no photograpy allowed on the ranges.

There is a difference, however, between a private business choosing to not allow photography on their premises, and a government making it illegal to take photographs. The gun range can kick me out if I take photos against their wishes whilst I am on their property. A government can pass a law putting me in prison if I take photos of restricted things (like farms? For God's sake) even from a public area.

Kind of not the same.

I suspect that these laws are response to the recent spate of investigative journalism that has put hidden cameras on people to investigate unsanitary and cruel conditions on various animal farms and whatnot. The farmers don't like, so they lobby the government.

 

[Cryozombie]

A government can pass a law putting me in prison if I take photos of restricted things (like farms? For God's sake) even from a public area.

Kind of not the same..

Yeah that's why I say it's pretty stupid.

I suspect that these laws are response to the recent spate of investigative journalism that has put hidden cameras on people to investigate unsanitary and cruel conditions on various animal farms and whatnot. The farmers don't like, so they lobby the government.

But I do expect something like this prompted it... it didn't come out of nowhere.

 

[granfire]

I had grabbed the link of a site for horse people.

The responses were interesting, to say the least.

One the one hand, if you don't do anything illegal why not have pictures taken.

However, there has been an increase of nut jobs trying to interfere with legal operations.


And then there are people who do not care for the idea that somebody else is making bank of their efforts to keep the property up and running (AKA taking pictures)

I find it about as sensical as allowing people to have their houses made unidentifyable on google earth. I mean, it's not like the truck drove up in their living room....

Interesting times we live in.

 

[MA-Caver]

If this keeps up pictures like THESE will be made illegal...

 

[granfire]

If this keeps up pictures like THESE will be made illegal...

As it should be! Exceeds maximum allowable cuteness...