Why are people doing this at voting locations in the USA?
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/21109313
I went to vote today in Georgia USA. People showed up wearing bed sheets over them. What is this supposed to communicate exactly??
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Isn't it generally illegal to film or take photos in a voting location? And now people are further spreading it? Considering how divided this country has gotten, an argument can be made this is dangerous for those in the picture.
I'm not sure a good argument can be made. Being at a polling place doesn't say who you're voting for. I don't see the danger.
"I saw a photo of you being civically responsible!"
How dare you!
The argument goes like this: Georgia, along with 11 other states, has prohibited filming and photos in polling locations, which is a legal prohibition in the public interest that has been upheld by the courts.
That's not an argument that being filmed at a polling place is dangerous.
Show a rabid Trump republican a picture of voters at a polling place and inform them it's in a democratic stronghold and record what they say. I'll wait.
They'd probably lose their shit even if you showed them a picture of a squirel or something innocent like that.
K.
It's not quite generally prohibited, but Georgia is one of 12 states where it is prohibited.
Filming / photography in public is a First Amendment protected activity.
In public (and only when one would have a reasonable assumption of privacy, or whatever). Poll places don't follow those same rules. If they can prevent people from wearing campaign-related tshirts within X feet of a polling place, then they can prevent people from taking photos. Which they do.
First ammendment doesn't protect you from a baseball bat.