Posted on 08/10/2013 7:15:45 PM PDT by marktwain
With a .45 caliber legally strapped to his side, Jordan McManus decided to photograph the federal courthouse in Phoenix last night, realizing he would probably draw attention from police, especially after reading about Raymond Michael’s experience last May.
But he was still a little surprised when a police helicopter hovered over him with a spotlight as two patrol cars pulled up next to him and another two cops approached him on foot.
They immediately tried to disarm him, but he refused to let them do it as it is legal to open carry in Arizona.
Then they tried to pat him down, which didn’t make sense considering he was already showing a firearm. But he wouldn’t let them do that either.
“You’re carrying a firearm and taking a picture of a federal building,” the cop exclaimed, trying to justify the pat down.
Then they demanded to know who he was, but didn’t get anywhere with that either.
Here is a portion of the exchange:
“Am I being detained right now?” McManus asks.
“Absolutely you are, yes,” the cop responds.
“You have reasonable suspicion that I committed a crime, right?
“Well, I’m concerned …”
“You’re concerned. Are you detaining me?”
“I am,” he says weakly.
“Under the suspicion that I committed what crime?”
“I don’t know yet. You’re not giving us any information.”
And there you have the reason why police are always demanding to see people’s identification even though the people are not breaking the law. It gives them a hope that if they run your name through their system, they will find a bench warrant and have an excuse to arrest you.
(Excerpt) Read more at photographyisnotacrime.com ...
/johnny
I understand that in Arizona it is common to open carry on your hip. I don’t see how him having a camera makes it a bad thing.
Why?
I Carry a Firearm for Political Purposes
http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2013/02/i-carry-firearm-for-political-purposes.html
I agree with the principle. I wouldn’t necessarily agree with the method. There’s always another side to the story and maybe that’s all he could think of, so maybe we can cut him some slack. But I wouldn’t do it a second time in that manner. That’s all.
any = many, and
possible = possibly
above. Was typing fast, because article really annoys me.
What point was he trying to make? That he can take a picture of public property?
Well, I don’t set my clock by your method of doing things. I set it by God’s.
/johnny
When you realize that everything you have a right to do isn’t always the right thing to do.
If you protect the nervous nellies enough, you get the fiasco that happened in NY when the cops were called out because a single .22LR round was found in the street.
/johnny
I don’t understand why anyone thinks this is a big deal. A man took a picture of a public building. People do it all the time.
Rights are like muscles, if you don't use them they become flabby and weak.
Exercising your rights is good for you and the Republic. It's an excellent reminder to law enforcement.
So you think he's a jerk for exercising his rights. How sad.
Suspicion of suspiciousness. It’s in the code, somewhere....
////////////////////
Absolutely! /sarc
And you are also still a very rough edged person. Go look up the virtue that in Greek is referred to as “praus” (variously rendered meekness or gentleness in English).
/johnny
“And to take pics of a courthouse.”
OMG photography! Courts have ruled it a Constitutional right.
From the article:
“It quickly became evident that police seemed more concerned with him photographing the Sandra Day O’Connor United States Courthouse, a Richard Meier designed building that has been featured in countless architectural magazines, than they were about his gun.”
I will give them a some credit. We caught and let go an (almost certain) Al Quida operative in NYC, photographing the twin towers, just a short while before 911. I think it worthwhile that they questioned him, and that they let him go.
“So you think he’s a jerk for exercising his rights. How sad.”
If you agree with what this guy did then you have an infantile mind just like his. Two peas in a pod.
Good for him and great job on standing firm. If more Americans insisted on their rights, this would be a freer country.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.