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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

www.jezblog.com

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