In New Orleans, martial law and poor communication lead to tense situation for one reporter

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | September 8, 2005 | Peter Fimrite

[Maceman]

"Step out!" commanded the black-helmeted man in the middle of what appeared to be a tactical formation. He was pointing a laser-like flashlight attached to his machine gun at me.

"I'm a journalist working for The San Francisco Chronicle."

I can't help thinking of that scene in "Dumb and Dumber," where Jim Carrey goes running down the entrance ramp to the plane, and an attendant yells: "Stop. You can't go in there!"

Carrey whirls around, flashes his ID and says: "It's OK! I'm a limo driver!!"

Then he proceeds to run down the ramp, only to fall off onto the ground because the plane has already taken off.

[One Proud Dad]

The press always thinks they deserve open access to everything like battlefields, disaster areas, White House, etc...

I get tired of them being let in to places you and I as citizens are not allowed to go all in the name of the press.

Amazing how they spurn rules and pull out a press pass to get into somewhere but then want to military or police to protect them when things go bad and if not proteected accues the government of not protecting its citizens and the 1st amendment.

[Dominick]

Step out!

He's a reporter!

Shoot!

SHOOT!

[conserv13]

The press always thinks they deserve open access to everything like battlefields, disaster areas, White House, etc...

Open access can be a good thing sometimes.

[One Proud Dad]

Some but not all. They do not need to be standing on the beach in Florida as a CAT 4 comes ashore so we get the news, they do not need to be on teh fron tlines with our troops or behind enemy lines to get the story.