Pixiq

” “Goddamn it, lady. This is history!,” he told her.”

I can’t think of a better response, and don’t know if I would have on the fly like that.

I’m not surprised that Towns was displaying such “moronic” behavior. After all, this type of nonsensical behavior is indicative of (most) lawmakers that display a “D” after their name. Before some of the liberals on this blog start foaming at the mouth, I have also seen plenty of Republican lawmakers showing their stupidity and lack of common sense as well.

Since it is quite clear (and has been for some time) that none of these politicians have the best interests of the people in mind, I say we fire all the bastards in November, Republican and Democrat alike.
Rance´s last blog ..BinaryGravy: @georgedonnelly Glad to hear you’re out of the clink! Keep up the good fight man, this country needs people like you!

Well, I wonder what photographers would think if they were out with their loved one and that person had some sort of medical issue. If people in say a restaurant started snapping photos, would the photographer get in a huff and demand people to stop?

I see both sides, but I don’t think photographers have any “Well, some medical incidents are public, but some are private.” Either they are all public events (if they happen in public areas), or they are all private events. This story reminds me of the case of Nikki Catsouras. However, in that case, the leaked police investigation photos were slammed by most people.

So what gives? Why is it OK to take and release photos of some folks dying, or dead, but not others?

I guess this goes to show why Tennessee is the most corrupt state in the union.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/1610/1/?redirectURL=http://www.th...
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Backwater fucktards…well said if I do say so myself.
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I think the line is same one drawn for “Is it news?”; a grey one.

A witness to news can only use the tools available to them, whether that be a camera or eyes, ears, and memory. Only later can it be determined if what that witness saw, was truly news.

To say that the witness is not able to take photographs of something, is the same as to say people should turn around and leave as soon as these things happen.

To go after a photographer should as absurd as chasing away everyone standing around and watching.

I think I would be more concerned about my loved one to care about any other photos. It is also comparing apples to oranges. Comparing a personal outing to a restaurant with the speaker of the legislature in session shows a remarkable lack of common sense.

Clarification: I meant comparing a personal outing to a restaurant of a nobody with the speaker of the legislature in session ……

I wrote to Rep. Towns today. I think we should all let him know that we think he is a schmuck.

Mr. Towns,

I am bewildered and angry how a Representative in the Tennessee Legislature could even consider introducing House Resolution 371 attempting to bar AP reporter Erik Schelzig from covering the Legislative session.

First, have you forgotten the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America? Perhaps a refresher is in order:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

How about Tennessee Constitution itself?

Section 19. That the printing press shall be free to every person to examine
the proceedings of the Legislature; or of any branch or officer of the government,
and no law shall ever be made to restrain the right thereof. The free
communication of thoughts and opinions, is one of the invaluable rights of man
and every citizen may freely speak, write, and print on any subject, being responsible
for the abuse of that liberty. But in prosecutions for the publication of
papers investigating the official conduct of officers, or men in public capacity,
the truth thereof may be given in evidence; and in all indictments for libel, the
jury shall have a right to determine the law and the facts, under the direction of
the court, as in other criminal cases.

What you have done and what you propose to do is prior restraint, the worst form of censorship. In case you are not familiar with this either it is defined as:

“A prior restraint is an official restriction of speech prior to publication. Prior restraints are viewed by the U.S. Supreme Court as “the most serious and the least tolerable infringement on First Amendment rights.”1 Since 1931, the Court repeatedly has found that such attempts to censor the media are presumed unconstitutional.”

And finally sir, you are a liar.

Video of the event clearly shows that Mr. Schelzig was in no way “needlessly hindering emergency medical personnel from providing necessary medical care” He was away from the area where Representative Williams had collapsed, and was in fact behind a glass partition. In addition, it appears that he was gone from the room before medical personnel even arrived.

It is unbelievable that a legislator, such as yourself, could either not know, or flagrantly disregard both the United States and Tennessee Constitutions and then lie about the circumstances. You should be ashamed.

You can reach him at:

301 6th Avenue North
Suite 36 Legislative Plaza
Nashville, TN 37243
Phone (615) 741-2189
Fax (615) 253-0201
rep.joe.towns@capitol.tn.gov

With your hypothetical you seem to imply that by taking picture you either interfere or withhold medical treatment. In this case in he was not interfering in an medical assistance. Also he was not needed to try to save the lawmaker.

It is always ok to take pictures in a public setting period. All medical incidents in the public are public. Releasing of pictures is a completely separate issue (things like FIA and copyright issues).

You seem to be wanting to make this more complicated than it actually is.

Neither political party has a monopoly on nonsensical behavior.

I didn’t say that they did. Read it again. I blame ALL politicians, whether they are Republican or Democrat. In this case, however, the representative (Towns) happens to be a democrat.

So why even bring it up?
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Well written, Tom. Careful reciting of fact and applicable law.
I’m willing to cut Rep Towns some slack re his behaviour at the scene. Even the wisest and most self disciplined sometimes err. The situation could involve intense personal concerns complicated by difficulties surrounding the whole issue of photogs (genuine need vs papparazi (sp?)).
But I cut Rep Towns no slack re his resolution to exclude the news photog.
We will know what sort of man he is by whether he comes to his senses and says, “Yeh. I blew it. I’m sorry.”

Why not? You should know that if it were a republican, someone would bring that up as well.

Because it makes zero sense either way.

“I’m not surprised they acted dumb because they’re an A! (but Bs are dumb too!)”

Is equally pointless no matter which is A or B.

If you want to say they act dumb because they’re politicians, just say it. Sheesh.
Michaelk42´s last blog ..Bike Summit tomorrow

Blah blah blah, something stupid.
Rance´s last blog ..BinaryGravy: @georgedonnelly Glad to hear you’re out of the clink! Keep up the good fight man, this country needs people like you!

Now you’re not even trying, man.
Michaelk42´s last blog ..Bike Summit tomorrow

Tenn. lawmaker withdraws proposal to ban reporter

By The Associated Press
05.18.10
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The House sponsor of a resolution that sought to ban an Associated Press reporter from the chamber withdrew the measure last night.

Democratic Rep. Joe Towns of Memphis said he decided to pull the resolution, H.R. 0371, after talking with House leaders.

The sergeant at arms and a state trooper ordered Erik Schelzig to leave the House floor last week after he began taking photos of a collapsed House Speaker Kent Williams, who had fainted as a result of low blood sugar. The Elizabethton independent got up minutes later and resumed presiding over the session about an hour later.

He said he didn’t eat breakfast and his blood sugar was low. He was back to work this week.

The resolution said Schelzig hindered “emergency medical personnel from providing necessary medical care” to Williams.

But video footage from a local television station showed Schelzig was actually behind a glass barrier where reporters are required to work.

He has been supported by news organizations and open-government advocates — all of whom said he was doing his job.

Laura Leslie, president of Capitolbeat, a national association of statehouse reporters and editors, wrote a letter to the speaker. She said if Schelzig was obstructing medical assistance, the sergeant at arms should have told him to move. But the video and the angle of Schelzig’s photo suggest that wasn’t the case, she said.

“It would set a very poor precedent if your chamber were to give this measure any consideration, let alone pass it,” she wrote. “No reporter should ever be threatened with the loss of credentials for reporting a story that those in power don’t like. That may be the norm in dictatorships, but a functional democracy requires zealous reporting about public officials within the limits of the law.”

The Tennessee Coalition for Open Government agreed Schelzig “did no harm” and that his action “violated no rules of the House of Representatives, including those that govern decorum.”

“Passage of this resolution would be inappropriate and unwarranted,” the group said in a statement. “It would send a chilling signal to the citizens of this state and jeopardize future coverage and the very freedoms citizens put in their constitution.”

Thanks for posting this. Called and emailed my two cents.

Schelzig now has a case for Prior Restraint.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prior_restraint