Posted on 10/15/2015 1:35:18 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A man’s open letter to the woman who called the police to report a “creepy guy” in the park is gaining attention online.
David Updike says he was taking a walk in the park with his camera when a neighbor spotted him and feared he was taking pictures of children.
He says she took his picture and reported a “creepy guy” to police.
Updike says six police officers showed up and cornered him on the sidewalk where he was questioned for 20 minutes.
The man was upset by the accusations and decided to write an open letter to the woman who called police.
Dear Neighbor,
Yesterday was a beautiful day, I think you will agree. I decided to take a short walk from my house on Hamilton Street to Dana Park, which I have been coming to almost daily since 1989, the year my son was born. As I often do, I brought my camera, sat on a bench for about 10 minutes, did one lap around the park and headed home.
I had barely gotten across the street when three police cars pulled up: I was told to stop, and swiftly surrounded by six policemen. I was “detained” there for approximately 20 minutes and questioned; another officer returned to the park to find out why you had called them.
My suspected crime, apparently, was having a camera in a public park, and allegedly taking pictures of children. As it turned out, I had taken no pictures that day. But I have been photographing in this neighborhood for 30 years, and have published a children’s book of poems and photographs, always with permission.
The policeman returned and wanted to see my “flip phone,” and then asked me if I knew how he knew I had a flip phone: I didn’t. He knew, he told me, because the woman who called the police had taken a picture of ME, sitting on the bench, and shown him the picture. They then took away my phone, scrolled through the few pictures that were on it.
They continued to hover around me asking questions. As it happened, I was standing near the house where my son now lives, and when my wife appeared, walking down the street after work, and saw me standing in front of his house with six policemen, she instantly feared something terrible had happened to our son. She was shaking, and I explained the situation. She is an English teacher at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School; I am a college professor of English. Our son spent much of the first 15 years of his life in Dana Park.
You must be new in the neighborhood. I am often in the park, on foot or on a bike, talking to friends who have children who play in the playground. I know you were standing very near to me for the entire time I was on the bench, though I could not figure out why. Now I know: you were taking my picture.
Suggestion: the next time you suspect someone is up to no good, perhaps you should say hello, speak to them first and, if still anxious, ask what they are taking pictures of. That’s what people do in a neighborhood park: talk to each other. This would save someone the humiliation and degradation of being stopped and held by the police, and might save the police from wasting their time when they could be doing something more useful, like managing the daily mayhem in Central Square.
The fact that you now have my picture in your phone is both sadly ironic and, well, creepy. Could you please delete it?
Your neighbor,
— David Updike, Hamilton Street
Obama’s mission to “fundamentally transform” the country is almost complete.
He was oppressing her with his presence.
People would rather call the cops and attempt to remain anonymous. Not always the wisest tactic.
I was at my daughter’s dance studio the other day. She’s on a dance team. I had mistakenly arrived long before her class was over, so I decided to watch through the window to the room. As I was watching, another man came in and stood near me, watching through the same window. He pulled out his cell phone, snapped a couple of pics of my daughter, texted a little bit, then sat down on a bench. I thought this to be odd and tried to dismiss it thinking his daughter must’ve been near mine in the same room. A few minutes later, a girl came out of a different room and he greeted her then they both headed for the door.
That was enough for me to stop him and talk to him about it. I first asked if he had another daughter in the other room. Not in a threatening way, but as friendly as I could be. After he said no, I asked about the pictures. He was quite embarrassed, and explained to me that he thought my daughter was his daughter (we were viewing the room from the backside.
Then he showed me his texts. He had sent a pic he took to another one of his kids. That kid’s response was, “Wrong girl … silly daddy.” We laughed, shook hands, he thanked me for following up on the matter, then we went our separate ways.
Yeah, this time was innocent. But I will always keep a close eye out for my kids’ safety. But only if the case warrants it will I call the police to intervene.
This is what the country has become. Mistrust and suspicion. Hostility. Assuming evil intentions.
Innocent people have their lives disrupted.
The man should not have had to explain his actions. He should be able to sue the woman for harassment. (never happen).
None of the answers to the poll are good. The right answer is “this should never have happened. Years of liberalism have brought us here. “
Son of John Updike.
Hopefully unrelated to Harvey Updike.
“How’d you know about the guy in the park?” -Cosmo Kramer
Proper response: Sorry, office, I’m very busy. And, then keep walking.
Assault under color of authority is actionable.
Unfortunately, like “Clockmed”, it flies in the face of “See something, say something”. I was surprised to see a sign in a park in a neighboring town saying adults were not allowed in an enclosed playground area unless accompanied by a child. I understand the goal (I was there with my own children), but also understand taxpayers - not just parents - are footing the bill for the whole park (playground included).
Ridiculous.
Hysteria about kids/sex is bipartisan. And it sells. The child abuse witch hunts were carried on by both parties. O'Reilly doesn't go a show without some kid/sex story.
I think there's also a little projection going on.
Another problem here was the heavy handed police response. It should not take 6 cops and 20 minutes to speak with a man someone thought might be doing something wrong.
Pictures of cute kids having fun? Horrors!!!
Nowadays, Norman Rockwell would be a sex offender.
Possessing a camera is a micro aggression
And, even if he WAS taking pictures of kids in the park, it's not illegal to do so.
Or, to take pictures of anyone who is out in public.
I'd be surprised if he was detained by 6 cops over this. Just don't believe it.
bfl
PS: How did the Cambridge police act?
Thought Tea party IRS audits were bad enough?
That was Dem hush up conservative movement offensive 1.0
Dem kill off conservatives offensive plan 2.0 -
Obola, Val Jar and demon-crats obtain the email addresses and cell phone numbers of ALL target conservatives, tea party, NRA members, Oath keepers, Military vets, conservative lobby groups and any other enemy group, and use an offshore bot net to distribute encrypted child porn images to said email accounts and cell phones hidden in obfuscated files and folders.
Corrupt DOJ directs FBI, FCC, State AG & LEO’s to investigate, persecute, prosecute suspect “offenders” via trial by an eager media -
Resulting scandal will: kill conservative chances in many an election, permanently ruin the conservative name, mire multitudes to legally defend themselves, enrich lawyers, and further scare the hell out of dwindling conservative opposition.
Wouldn’t put it past them to launch an unthinkable political EMP / ideological cleansing if they see the right as a threat to their plans.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steganography
Steganography includes the concealment of information within computer files, digital photos.
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