In 1998 I was escorted out of Arlington National Cemetery. I had a VERY nice D-VHS video camera, with interchangeable lenses and a great "shotgun" microphone (that's just what it's called). The DC Gestapo accosted me at JFK's tomb, and told me I had to leave. When I asked why, they told me my camera was "illegal". I was escorted by three armed officers to the security office where I was officially thrown out of a national park.
I demanded to know why I was being barred from the cemetery, and a "supervisor" told me it was againt the law for me to have a camera "of that capacity" in DC without a permit. I asked him to define "capacity", and I got the standard bureaucrat, slack-jawed, blank stare. I told them to show me the satute that says I can't posses a nice camera, and they refused. They then told me if I didn't leave immediately, or if I tried to re-enter the cemetary I would be placed under arrest.
That camera had travelled all over the world with me, in 8 different countries, including commie China, and the ONLY place where it drew any attention from any authority, is our nation's capital.
Ironic that the seat of US democracy is a place where democracy is not practiced.
I demanded to know why I was being barred from the cemetery, and a "supervisor" told me it was againt the law for me to have a camera "of that capacity" in DC without a permit. I asked him to define "capacity", and I got the standard bureaucrat, slack-jawed, blank stare. I told them to show me the satute that says I can't posses a nice camera, and they refused. They then told me if I didn't leave immediately, or if I tried to re-enter the cemetary I would be placed under arrest.
That camera had travelled all over the world with me, in 8 different countries, including commie China, and the ONLY place where it drew any attention from any authority, is our nation's capital.
Ironic that the seat of US democracy is a place where democracy is not practiced.
