This is beyond stupid. I have never been more ashamed to be an American than right now. My wife and I considered a move to Canada, but they got wise to this around 2017.
I do hope this poor photographer can find good lawyers and educate the idiot who did this. The Karen owes him big time. The airline owes him big time. The security apparatus owes him very big time. I would shoot for at least 6 zeros. Even the young people, such as my son's friends, have watched movies and TV shows -- and know what a camera is. It takes a phenomenally stupid person to have done what was reported here....and yet more stupid people to make it much worse. I would quote the great movie "Spaceballs" here, but need to keep it clean.
I once attended a federal training about terrorism (actually more than once). I couldn't believe it when they repeated the myth about "cameras" such as DSLRs. Then proceded to explain to us how cell phones are the preferred tool most criminals use to recon vulnerabilities. Why? Because they are discreet and the images can be instantly shared to remote locations and even real-time analyses by remote criminals; and real-time communication with the person on the ground to direct what is photographed (and stored digitally in remote location). This makes it better for the criminal (terrorist) enterprise because if the person on the ground with cell phone is actually suspected and detained (unlikely), the images and their usefulness are already in the hands of the enterprise. Yet, a person with a large camera that takes film is much more dangerous -- everyone knows film is the preferred medium for scoping out potential targets. Right? This digital instant cloud sharing stuff is so....unprofessional.
I have been approached and questioned while photographing the historic post office in my town, with a Rolleiflex. The suspicion was thick from the moment she saw me and terrorist was the clear assumption. I feel so.....powerfully dangerous now. Watch out, I might take your portrait and have a print in....a week or so.
More recently, airport security held my Leica in the xray machine for about 20 minutes using the new 360 view to inspect, inspect, and inspect. After the 5th or 6th security genious arrived, it seemed all was OK and the belt moved on. I do hope they didn't damage my camera! That's a long time to sit under xrays. And, there's likely no recourse for damages. I was told that while you are in the "no man's land" of airport security, there is no liability for damages caused by security. Maybe someone here with a genuine legal education can elucidate or debunk that. Almost made me late for my flight and held up an already long line behind us.
