:: GussetBLOG ::

:: Wednesday, August 08, 2007 ::

Twister

Twister
Originally uploaded by Dave Gorman.


Dave Gorman posts an interesting story about police interference with his photography on his blog. Have a read. Incidentally, the previous story he refers to is here. It's ironic that just as the camera becomes ubiquitous and people everywhere are starting to document everything that happens to them, draconian protection measures kick in to prevent people doing so. I bet if a lone woman tried to photograph an empty fairground ride there wouldn't be a problem.

A few weeks ago Mrs P and I were on a flight home from visiting family in Germany. There was a call for an unaccompanied minor before anyone else boarded. We ended up sat in the back row and the loan child had the same row on the opposite side of the isle to himself. Mrs P asked the friendly and highly camp steward some general questions about how common it was for unaccompanied minors to travel, explaining that she is looking forward to our nephew being old enough to come a visit us. The steward explained how common it is and how the system works, with a member of staff keeping an eye on them at all times, them being handed over at one airport and to another adult at the other end, with paperwork to sign each time. He also explained that the child would never be sat next to a male adult. He felt the need to address me and explain that this practice was non-discriminatory, it was just, um, they didn't allow it. Now, I'm not arguing for a right to be able to sit next to kids on planes – keep the little bastards as far away from me as possible please – but how can they say it's not discriminatory? While you think about that bare in mind that the Word thesaurus offers the following alternative words: biased, prejudiced, unfair, bigoted and inequitable. Are we seeing a shift in the balance of power between the sexes? I thought it still hadn't swung to being entirely equal but maybe its about to jump the other way, with men always being treated with suspicion? I'm not coming down in judgement either way on that issue, although I'm sure there's a science-fiction story in it somewhere.

Labels: Flickr, Photography, Secuirty

:: Dan 8.8.07 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
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