Law & Society

The right to take photographs in the United States is being challenged more than ever. People are being stopped, harassed, and even intimidated into handing over their personal property simply because they were taking photographs of subjects that made other people uncomfortable. Recent examples have included photographing industrial plants, bridges, buildings, trains, and bus stations. For the most part, attempts to restrict photography are based on misguided fears about the supposed dangers that unrestricted photography presents to society.

Ironically, unrestricted photography by private citizens has played an integral role in protecting the freedom, security, and well-being of all Americans. Photography in the United States has an established history of contributing to improvements in civil rights, curbing abusive child labor practices, and providing important information to crime investigators. Photography has not contributed to a decline in public safety or economic vitality in the United States. When people think back on the acts of domestic terrorism that have occurred over the last twenty years, none have depended on or even involved photography. Restrictions on photography would not have prevented any of these acts. Furthermore, the increase in people carrying small digital and cell phone cameras has resulted in the prevention of crimes and the apprehension of criminals.

As the flyer states, there are not very many legal restrictions on what can be photographed when in public view. Most attempts at restricting photography are done by lower-level security and law enforcement officials acting way beyond their authority. Note that neither the Patriot Act nor the Homeland Security Act have any provisions that restrict photography. Similarly, some businesses have a history of abusing the rights of photographers under the guise of protecting their trade secrets. These claims are almost always meritless because entities are required to keep trade secrets from public view if they want to protect them.

In this world today the media television, newspapers and radio is the modern-day pulpit where the average person goes for their daily sermon. Some children in America watch up to six hours of television a day! This is where our children are learning about moral values, the future.

And what are they being taught?

A recent survey of the top 100 Hollywood producers those people who determine what is played on the televisions and in the movie houses of America and much of the world revealed these attitudes: 93% of these top executives say they seldom or never attend religious services. 75% describe themselves as left-of-center politically. 80% do not regard homosexual relations as wrong. More than half said they do not regard adultery as wrong.

Most importantly, two-thirds of these executives said they feel it is their job to promote these ideas their vision of the world through the media.

But there is one man, one couple, in the world which has taken on the power of the anti-values media. That is Reverend and Mrs. Moon.

The Washington Times promotes the values of family, virtue, world peace and reconciliation. It is a lone voice in a wilderness of violence, sex and immorality. The Washington Times has become the sole source of media power in the world's most powerful city defending those values which will lead the world out of darkness, panic and fear. And as a wife and mother I am deeply motivated to help fight this noble battle.

We are as a trumpet of truth in these days of confusion. Having worked at the heart of the media, I have learned that we must not be intimidated into cowardice by those who despise truth and deplore values. As women we must be bold in our commitment to defending traditional values and those things we hold sacred and dear in every aspect of life.

When I speak to women's groups there is one question I am asked most often. "How can I play a role?" they ask. Many women will tell me that they do not have confidence they can contribute. They tell me they have no Ph.D. no great career no experience in the work place.

I have a very simple answer. It is clear to me that what the world needs most urgently is not another business executive not another Ph.D. not another lawyer. These things may be important, but they alone will not bring us a world of peace in the next century.

What the world needs very simply are individuals with commitment and genuineness of heart. The world is starving for this heart! And as women of commitment we must have confidence that we can and will make a difference.

When I interview heads of state I often find them very weary. They see the troubles in the world and feel the suffering of those around them on their own hands. They are desperate for encouragement and help from those committed to the ideal of peace.

My grandmother is from the tiny village in France where the Catholic saint, Jeanne d'Arc, was born. I was raised as a young girl with the stories of this brave young farm girl. She was able to do what no man could do: move a weak and defeated king to take on his responsibility and finally fight the enemy. She saved her nation!

But there was one thing that always struck me about this story. Saint Joan had no formal education. She had no credentials. She had no friends in powerful places. She only had a simple faith in what was right and a simple faith in the power of God.