I was so sad to hear about the killing of Bijan Ebrahimi by his neighbors……… his only crime making some photographs out of his window …….. this in the minds of his neighbors constituted pedophilia …………. in Britain many people assume photography is abuse……… these neighbors incredibly felt justified in calling this innocent man a pedophile and killing him by burning him to death because he had pointed a camera at young people ……… basically because they saw him make photographs of youths that were vandalizing his garden ……….. They acted as if making photographs is just accepted as pedophilia full stop …………. as if people deserve to die for owning and using a camera near children or youth ……………
The fact that this man was Iranian, the fact that this man was disabled…….. may have contributed to this appalling hate crime……… but the thing that actually triggered them to kill him was his use of a camera ………. It is shocking and depressing…….. So pointless and vile……. So sad.
The whole sad business reminded me of The Though for The Day on Radio 4 last year by Rev Giles Fraser ………….. he used his few minutes for religious thought to label all photography as abuse. I had this exchange with him at the time:
Hey Giles, I guess maybe these days its easy enough to defend quite popular previously outcast people like occupy protestors who really do have a fair few supporters ……… in my view it might take a bit more guts and understanding to try and protect people who really are right now a vilified total minority ……. but I see you just wanted to join in the kicking.
I wrote this in response to your thoughtlessness of the day………
http://www.jezblog.com/index.php?showimage=1820
Cheers Jez X
On Sep 20, 2012, at 8:43 AM, Giles Fraser wrote:
I read it earlier. Are you really casting paparazzi photographers as a persecuted minority. Do me a favour.
You are casting all photographers as all stealers of peoples souls ……. That really is do me a favor time …….. I think the line which comes to
mind is …… Which artists would Jesus persecute?
Cheers Jez X
Giles Fraser wrote:
I didn’t say all.
Sent from my iPhone
You were referring to cameras ………….. You did not say I am only referring only to paparazzi photographers …….. You did not even use the
word paparazzo once …….. You referred only to ‘the camera’ …….. Anyone with a camera including yourself ……… thats all of us without
distinction………… all photographers.
You are contributing to a moral panic about photography in Britain that means the gentle but important right and freedom to make photographs
in the UK is being completely eroded.
I was thrown out of an empty Cathedral four days ago in Birmingham for the crime of using a camera. http://www.jezblog.com/index.php?
showimage=1818
Yours was a clear attack on photography. In the end this change in the intellectual climate leads to bans on photography and actual physical
attacks on photographers………. as well as the erosion of everyones democratic rights in Britain.
Cheers Jez X
I genuinely belive people like the Reverend are moving the received intellectual ground to label all photography as abuse. On the streets this
‘All photography is abuse’ mindset emboldens ignorance and means that photographers face violence in the UK, in the case of Bijan Ebrahimi
even death.
Cheers Jez XXX
[ 8 ] comments
That is so sad 🙁
Carol Anne @ October 29, 2013, 8:55 pm
Yes I felt sick to hear this had happened in The UK it’s barbaric and holds a shocking ignorance….. It’s just plain medieval it is tragic
that people can act like this in a 21st century first world country….
Jezblog @ October 30, 2013, 12:17 pm
It’s funny how people have become so wedded to their smartphones, taking pictures of their lunch etc etc the whole time, whilst
simultaneously regarding anyone with an SLR as some kind of threat to their kids..weird weird world of hypocrisy we seem to be living
in..
Phu Quoc Phil xx @ October 31, 2013, 3:37 am
Yes the same goes for security types……. if you need to make a quick once over with your phone to plan a terror attack thats
fine……. but if you want to make a decent picture to create mighty art………. that is a security threat of the highest order………
SLR’s tools of the devil himself :/
:))))
XXXXX
Cheers Jez XXXXXXXXXXX
jezblog :))
XXX @ October 31, 2013, 11:16 am
It goes without saying..that most security types..aren’t the brightest tools in the box…and probably wouldn’t actually recognize
a real terrorist till it was too late..still you gotta pick on someone..it’s well know that most terrorists like to make use of subtle,
easily concealed cameras…like the Eos5 with battery pack and 300mm lens etc etc.. morons.. God help us!!
Sean Flynn xx @ October 31, 2013, 1:02 pm
No self respecting terrorist would want naff ordinary digital images surely they would have a Sinar P 5×4 format……. or at
least an RZ67 6×7 Format on film?? they would surely want very high quality artist images to make big for gallery
walls…….. they would give high priority to capturing the beauty of the light and the special ambiance of their target location
before destroying it and all the people there? Yeah at security school its the first thing they teach you. Any press
photographers and artists need to be treated harshly as if security is being enhanced……. terror types just subtly using
their camera phones they are of course left to get on with it……..
I’ll be Back :)))))))))
@ November 1, 2013, 11:19 am
Does anyone realize how much Jesus’s face looks like Pete Townshend’s here?
april @ December 22, 2013, 8:35 am
He has been caught half way through the windmill arm action here and he has injured himself with his guitar……… hang on…… I
won’t get fooled again!!!!!!!! :)))))))))
XXXXXX
Jezblog London :)))))
XXXXX @ January 6, 2014, 7:36 pm
