A couple of late nights ago the "Colbert Report" issued a comic prod at Amtrak. A photographer had been challenged by Amtrak security and eventually charged with illegal trespass. The photographer publicly claimed foul as he was responding to Amtrak's Photo contest.
Okay the audience howled in outrage as Stephen Colbert went into his rant about what a bunch of idiots Amtrak were. I am paraphrasing but that is the jist of the rant. Once a semi-pro photographer I too was laughing and flabbergasted at the same time.
The next day I went to check further on the internet. In short, get more information. In the course, of investigating I went to the contest rules still available at Amtrak. I found that I was very wrong to take a clown like Colbert even seriously.
Here's what I found. Colbert's construction is totally without merit. Unfortunately the truth is less humorous than an idiot's fancy. The Amtrak Security was legally well within their right to challenge and charge him with trespass.
First. If any fault strayed into Amtrak's realm it was extreme laziness. The web page dealing with the photography contest was still posted despite the fact that the contest for photos for the 2009 calendar ended July 2008. The date was unequivocal.
Second. In the web page it details quite clearly that while photographers can photograph in most public areas of Amtrak, there were several stations and properties where advanced permission was required. If not given, the web page clearly and in very simple language stated that the photographer could be charged with trespass.
So here lies the real truth. The photographer cast as a hero by some, really failed to acquire permission from the station master or property manager in charge. The photographer lied with respect to the contest. There was no contest. The contest had expired.
Apologists would say the photographer was only getting ready for next year's contest supposing that this was going to happen. Yet this excuse exposes weakness because he still would have had to follow the conditions of the contest. He did not have permission to take photographs on their property. And since it would have been for next year's contest, he did have time to read the rules many times over.
1 comment:
Good work, Gord!
Maybe Amtrak will hire you for their PR department because their current crop of PR people obviously aren't very effective.
In defense of Colbert, even though I don't automatically believe anything I read on the Internet, I freely admit I have been fooled from time to time.
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