Government uses lawsuits for shield

If it were not for the First Amendment, comprehensive reporting, hardworking reporters, and the Freedom of Information Act, the public would be left to only what their leaders want them to believe.

It is not uncommon to be denied information and accordingly have to resort to the Freedom of Information Act to get it, which is a time consuming pain in the ass. This happens most often when information would make an official look stupid, hinder their reelection, or reveal they are dishonest.

The biggest pain in the butt is the time it takes to file and wait, and officials hope it is that which will make the reporter skip the details in order to meet deadline. However, some newspapers of smaller markets who are relentless in seeking public information are being told to back down or get sued – and sadly it is working. 

Odds are in the large newspaper’s favor because the U.S. Constitution is on their side, but a small and medium newspapers do not have the money or staff to endure a yearlong court battle.

As Danny Westneat of the Seattle Times points out in his article, “The government wants to do its business in secret, and increasingly there’s no press left to stop them.” Read about this happening to the Malheur Enterprise by clicking  > here <

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/free-press-state-hits-tiny-paper-with-lawsuit-after-it-seeks-public-records/

Comment or share an experience with others by sending me a message amosnews@yahoo.com

Singular they: Some say nay

In a March 24, 2017 op-ed in Texas Center for Community, Poynter Institute writer Kristin Hare peed herself over the AP Stylebook change allowing the use of “they” as a singular pronoun. Here is part of her rant:

“So AP plans to approve a singular ‘they.’ Why stop there? Let's do away with the difference between its and it's. And plurals and possessives. And equally outdated rules outlawing misspellings and comma splices.”

Godgod, Kristin! Why not do away with running your incomplete sentences together!

I knew about the AP Stylebook change a year ago, but apparently Hare just stumbled across it or lost an argument with a co-worker.

The “singular they,” as it is called, is using the word to describe one unknown person or one unnamed person, not knowing if it is a man or a woman. The argument is “they” is plural and the subject is singular. Here is an example:

“No teacher wants this to happen, but they don’t consider the consequence.” “No teacher” is singular and “they” is plural.

Most of us use singular they often and with no discomfort or bitter aftertaste.

AP style rightfully banned the use of “he/she” and “his/her” long ago because it sounds and looks annoying, such as, “The winning cook must show his/her original submission to the judges.” The correct line would be, "The winning cook must show their original submission to the judges."

By the way, in a op-ed published in the Texas Center for Community earlier this year a writer used “s/he” in place of a singular they. I think s/he needs to have h/her head examined.

People who believe written language should not evolve with common usage should use words like “thee,” “thine” and “thou,” and while their co-workers are avoiding them here is something else to make them angry: If you were to use “he/she” to refer to one person, well, “he” is one and “she” is another, and that makes two, which is plural. Right?

Send me your comments at amosnews@yahoo.com

My first photography mentor

I want to write about my most influential news photography mentor, Tom Beesley (1945 – 2007).  I miss Tom, and I will expand on that at the end of this post.

Tom Beesly

Tom was a longtime member of the Texas Press Association and earned a reputation in news photography to the point he was asked on occasions to speak at newspaper convention seminars. He is the only person I know personally who had a news photo picked up by the Associated Press and his professional career began as a field photographer for the US Army during the Vietnam War.

He won two Photographer of the Year awards, but was annoyed when I also won two and in consecutive years. "Well, whatever you say, Mr. Photographer of the Year," he once sniped after I offered a photography suggestion.

When he spoke about photography or a photo assignment he never spoke of f-stops,

shutter speed and settings. While a some photographers like to talk about their equipment, Tom loved to talk about how he took a picture, such as his thought process, how he talked with his subject, and what he did to get access or a perfect angle. He expected the same when he spoke with other photographers because even at his skill level, Tom wanted to learn.

We worked apart and at times together in two different newspapers.

At a press convention a photographer cornered Tom and began enthusiastically describing his impressive equipment collection thinking Tom would engage in conversation of the same. Tom looked past him and at me with one eyebrow raised and tilted head as if to say “Get me the heck out of here, please.”

Tom also disdained boring, common photographs and explored ways to make the ordinary interested.

Here is one of his favorite photo stories: He was assigned to take a picture of garden club members and went to the shoot with cool ideas. However, the women, dressed in their Sunday best and ready for their photo, insisted on standing side by side for a boring group photograph. Tom grudgingly took them outside and lined the women up when suddenly, “The photography gods smiled upon me,” Tom dramatically said. As he began shooting, the lawn sprinklers came on and amid screams and shrieks Tom rapid-fired a few shots while women dodged and pranced while clutching their hats.

Guess what picture he published.

Tom didn’t just think outside the box. He destroyed boxes.

It is because of Tom that I teach and share how and I find camera settings and equipment somewhat insignificant. It is because of him I completely believe a good photographer’s talent is in their head, not in their hands.

---------------

OK, I really miss Tom. He had a life-long love of sailing and motorcycle racing and his photographs appeared in various sport magazines. He crashed during a race and died a few days later.

A month after his death I attended our annual press convention and award ceremony. The judging team broke protocol and told our company ahead of time that Tom won an award. This was done to give us a chance to avoid an awkward situation when his name was called and also to allow his wife to be present. Mrs. Beesly asked me to go to the podium when it was time and say a few words about Tom.

 

When the award was announced, I accepted the award and being on the edge of crying all I could do is hold the plaque up and say, “For Tom,” and return to the tables to give the plaque to his widow.

When I cleaned out his desk I found a beautiful, happy photograph of a girl holding an American flag which he took at a city Fourth of July event. On the back of the frame was a hand written note, “You don’t stop playing because you get old, you get old because you stop playing.”

I have it on my wall.

You are welcome to share this post. I would like to share about your reporter or photographer mentor in this blog. Click here.

Jerk of the Week Award

April 8, 2016

So, who is the biggest jerk in politics this week? No, it isn't a loudmouth presidential candidate. It is David Gowan, Republican Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives.

David Gowan (Photo: Howard Fischer,
 Capitol Media Services)

Journalists have been printing dirt about the Speaker off and on since his election in 2009, but this week Gowan had enough of the pesky media reporting his misuse of public money for his own benefit and cutting public services. What does a jerk politician do? What else but ban reporters from public meetings.

Thanks, Phoenix Society of Professional Journalists and Arizona Capitol Times, for the surprising story about a bad politician. Go get ‘em!

Read the story HERE.

First Amendment – videos under fire

The camera phone is great for taking selfies and silliness or for turning any crime-conscious, concerned, or curious citizen into a news capturing machine and giving rise to a new term, “citizen journalist.”

On April 4, 2015 North Charleston Police Officer Michael Slager stopped Walter Scott for a supposed broken brake light. The officer made Scott exit his vehicle and pelt him with questions and threats of arrest. When Scott bolted and ran, Slager shot him multiple times in the back with his service revolver, reporting later that he shot Scott because Scott struggled to take his Taser and he "feared for his life." The incident would have ended there if not for a youth who captured the murder on camera phone.

I believe our police departments are making an effort to be more citizen-conscious. However, there are some police who are going to make mistakes under pressure and a much, and a fewer number who are outright rotten cops. But the camera phone is now pulling the veil off bogus “The suspect was resisting arrest” and “The suspect made an aggressive move toward me,” B.S.

It is legal, with some limitations, in all 50 states of the U.S. to video police activity and a Supreme Court ruling and the First Article of the Constitution fortifies that. Yet, there are still incidents of police baring citizen from videoing and even police threatening photographers with arrest.

Restrictions are increasing in some states. A strict right to privacy bill was passed in 2014 in Illinois preventing video or photograph police activity without prior consent of the person being arrested and the police officer. That bill was revised before it got to the Supreme Court.

There are currently bills in their infancy in some states, including my own of Texas, restricting video of police activity. Supporters of the bill reason for the safety of the camera operator and impeding police duties.

Here is a video of a U.S. Marshal going ape-shit berserk and smashing a woman's phone while she records an incident a few houses away. Fortunately, a neighbor across the street videoed the attack. Unfortunately, the California branch of the U.S. Marshal Department successfully kept the name of the attacker secret and did not report if anything became of their internal investigation.

Click here for much information from the American Civil Liberties Union about photography, covering protests, and what to do if you believe your rights have been violated. While you are there, donate to the work the ACLU does for us. I did, and I received a cool membership card I now carry with me.

If you want to share your thoughts, contact Christopher at amosnews@yahoo.com