Sunday Musings So, I went to Methodist Sunday School yesterday to mix and mingle with some religious folks some of whom are friends, and others I do not know well. This class is fairly open to discussions that sometimes get heated and direct, but generally, except for one man, not overtly hostile. During the time for "concerns?", I usually express my concerns for innocent victims in Iraq, Sudan, North Korea and other foreign places while others express concerns for their sick pets, their sick family members and friends and their misbehaving children. I tell them that my concerns are not limited to local needs and problems, that someone, somewhere needs to care about other people in other places.

Sometimes from here I go a Unitarian Church which is more informal, eclectic and interesting to me than listening to someone preach a sermon. There's too much rigidity and control in traditional churches for me. Yesterday, however, I went to a community art show instead, to meet with a newspaper reporter who was there to take photos and write a story. Her digital camera did not work so I took some photos for her, and just emailed them for this week's paper. Last year, a couple of artists tried to infringe on my 1st Amendment Rights by telling me I could not take photos of their exhibits. The annual arts and crafts show is held on public property in a public park, and I was taking photos to try to get one that would win placement on the front page of our small community's directory.

The art show officials showed no interest at all in my rights. I spent some time and effort later calling various 1st Amendment information organizations, only to finally be referred back to my own home city and a well known 1st Amendment Rights attorney. I paid him to research the rights of, and prohibitions on, photographers. Essentially, his legal opinion was that I was well within my rights to take the photos I wished. I have continued to study this issue as it's becoming a more common area of contention with all the digital cameras in use everywhere. I predict that a case involving privacy, of which I am a strong advocate, and photography will eventually go to the Supreme Court someday, and it may even be mine.

In the afternoon I went to Barnes and Noble where I found a book on the legal rights of photographers. Perused many more books on many subjects, and then went to my daughter's home for a great dinner. While waiting for dinner I watched a TV show on the destruction of rain forests and, as usual, was depressed and angry about humans' shortsighted greed which will eventually cause us all great environmental misery. Watching gigantic, ancient trees being cut down was disturbing even though I was watching it in HDTV, which is breath taking.  ¶ 2:44 PM