Videographer Cries Foul After Getting Temporarily Ousted From Van Jones Speech

 

We are living in the age of the attack blogger, a political ambusher armed with a camera who makes his way into public forums to unleash his political diatribe upon unsuspecting politicians.

Usually these events are held in private venues, but are open to the public. And for the most part, they are covered by the media or videotaped by the politician's staffers, making it hypocritical and asinine when staffers end up forbidding the blogger to videotape.

However, in many cases, the blogger comes across as unprofessional and disruptive, which leads to him getting thrown out, then whining about his First Amendment rights.

The latest incident come to us from St. Louis where a pair of bloggers from the site Sharp Elbows (motto: "a conservative blog for the A.D.D. generation") attempt to ask former Obama adviser Van Jones the "tough questions."

Since former "Green Czar" Van Jones was ousted from the White House he has yet to be challenged about his radical views and associations. From his admitted communism and 9-11 trutherism to his appearance on a radical anti-government rap album, no one has asked him the tough questions.

Now I don't know much about Jones except from the quick research I did on him this morning, but it appears the bloggers have an issue with Jones over his controversial opinions - which, of course, are protected under the First Amendment - while accusing Jones of clamping down on everybody else's First Amendment rights.

They seem to have a big issue with what Van Jones said on this rap song, beginning at 3:50 where he states his support for the Palestinian people.

It's the tired old position that you are entitled to say what you want as long as it doesn't piss them off.

After the initial confrontation, Jones simply ignores the blogger, walking away from him.

But some of his staffers get a little bent out of shape, including one woman who stupidly  says "we don't allow photographs, it's an intellectual/copyright thing," which prompts the blogger to point out several other cameras in the venue.

Then a Washington University police officer confronts him, saying "did I give you permission to record me?"

Eventually, they escort the two bloggers out of the venue, who are allowed back inside if they promise not to videotape.

And while they are inside, Jones notices one of them has a camera and states that he doesn't mind them videotaping.

So they start videotaping again and are even allowed to get within close proximity of Jones at the end of the speech where he is answering questions from others.

The blogger continues to pepper him with questions that are clearly meant to disrupt, which Jones ignores.

The blogger then escalates the disruption by asking the following question, which prompts Jones to point him out to police.

"Hey, I'm a big fan of your music, can you bust a freestyle about 9/11 truth?"

And as Jones walks away, the blogger shouts after him.

"No chance of you busting a free-style, then, Van? I'm a big fan of his rap."

So the mission was accomplished. They were able to gain access to ask the disruptive questions. And yet they still claim Jones used "police force to squash dissent."

There is no doubt there is a clear need for citizen journalism in this day and age, but people like these bloggers end up destroying credibility rather than building it up.

Even the blog's regular readers pointed this out to them.

Ok, yeah, I agree with your premise. I don't like what's going on either. But if you want to be taken seriously, please don't do the foolish stuff. Asking him to bust a rap. You went from a legitimate guy trying to film this, to a hack. It really gives them more credence and power to feel the way they do about their 'opposition'. Please, please --- I like your boldness, but just be even keeled ... serious at all times ... you'll be taken more seriously and put them on the defensive. You simply made yourself and the conservatives look bad in this excerpt.

And this.

I agree with the comment by Anonymous. I am a conservative, I identify with the Tea Party, I support the efforts of citizen journalists and Brietbart's efforts in that regard.

That said, I find the "ambush with questions" style of journalism, specifically ones that "taunt with questions" (i.e. "bust a rap") to be objectionable.

If we are to be a long term viable movement in the new media, we must police these types of embarrassing attacks. I encourage every citizen journalist to "record and respect" our fellow citizens whether we agree or disagree with their positions. Respectfully challenge an assertion, debate falsehoods with facts, and remain calm in the face of violent behavior. See Breibart's video confronting the SEIU protestors.

Thanks from all of us that support you.

So what do you guys think?

Comments

Having a camera (video or still) in your hand does not and should not protect you from being ejected if you are an arse hat.

This clearly falls in the arse hat category.

Hazza: I agree with your premise. The problem is that here, they used the "no photography" as their basis, instead of, "Hey, you're not engaging in either legitimate debate, or journalism, you're only interested in being disruptive, so you have to go."

His approach, however, works beautifully. This moron will act like an ass, get himself banned, then talk about how his opponents are smothering dissent. Of course, it's not dissent, these guys are never interested in talking about the issues, they're interested in sound bites, and disruption.

Just wish the whole "photography is not a crime" wouldn't get twisted in here by petty bureaucrats who can't just say, "ask pertinent questions in a reasonable way or leave."

If you want intelligent conversation, you should act like it. I've seen more professionalism with TMZ paps, and that says a lot.

Little bit different spin to this post than this post ->

http://www.pixiq.com/article/video-shows-millers-security-guards

Gee, I wonder why?

/It's OK when WE do it!

If you can't recognise the difference between a journo asking difficult questions and being an arse hat then maybe you fit in the later category.

Liberals pull this shit too, I think both sides are taking lessons from Stuttering John, formerly of the Stern show. The "bust a freestyle" nonsense turned the whole thing into a farce, having said that I doubt very much Van Jones would have answered any serious but tough questions.

Fred Sands hit the nail on the head. It's amazing to see Carlos writing with such bias in his blog. I totally stand by Carlos in his fight for freedom to photograph and in the ceasing of police harassment of photographers, but I often chuckle at the liberal bias to many of these posts.

The Miller vs Jones stories are astonishing examples.

But the notion that it's the conservatives or replublicans who are the groups famous for protesting is false. Take a look at the total of arrests at the past 4-5 democratic vs republican conventions, the amount of republican vs democratic disruptions of the State of the Union speech, the IMF protests, etc and it's pretty obvious which side of the political fence more often protests. Cindy Sheehan? Michael Moore? Those names ring a bell? Can anyone name equally famous conservative/repub protestors?

Recently the Tee Party has protested, but far from aggressively in 99.9% (look at the total arrests) and they do not represent an actual party (republican vs democrat).

Mike S

No one is discussing protests. I don't recall Cindy Sheehan or Michael Moore doing anything similar to the videographer here. If they did, I'm more than happy to condemn them also.

The Miller v. Jones stories are in fact great examples. Here, the videographer is given the same old BS line that no one can videotape by the PR person, but is allowed back in, even to ask his questions, and eventually to video the event. So, as Carlos points out, he shouldn't have been told that whole intellectual property bullshit, but it turns out to be a wash, since he is let in and allowed to tape. He's marginalized, and no one answers his questions, because he makes clear he has no real agenda beyond being disruptive.

Miller. Personal security guards actually detain a journalist.

"Security guards of Republican Senate candidate Joe Miller grabbed Tony Hopfinger, editor of the Alaska Dispatch, and handcuffed him, detaining him against his will in a hallway for 30 minutes.

Hopfinger said they also confiscated his camera and deleted footage from the scuffle.

The security guards told Hopfinger he was under arrest and threatened other reporters with arrest if they dared ask the detained reporter any questions.

Despite the threats, a reporter from the Alaska Daily News asked Hopfinger what had happened.

Hopfinger, who was holding a small video camera, said he was attempting to draw out a statement from Miller on why he was disciplined by the Fairbanks North Star Borough when Miller worked there as a part-time attorney. After Miller walked away, Hopfinger said, he was surrounded by Miller supporters and security guards and felt threatened, so he pushed one of them away."

The false equivalency of the two events is quite telling. You're clearly less interested in the assault on the rights of photographers, and more in the political agenda of the parties. Fair enough, but don't jump on Carlos for making a distinction in these two very different events.

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