Arnold Schwarzenegger Takes The First Step

Saturday, October 01, 2005

Schwarzenegger signs anti-paparazzi law

More than once, I've complained about overly aggressive paparazzi on this blog so I'm happy that Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed the new anti-paparazzi law. The law increases the amount of financial damages for which they can be sued and prohibits them from making money on photographs they take after instigating an incident with a celebrity. It's not as far as I'd like to see the law go, but it's a start...

Needless to say, the paparazzi aren't happy about that and claim that the law can be challenged on constitutional grounds because it imposes harsher penalties on them than on a private citizen. It sure sounds nice, but there are plenty of professions for which there are stiffer penalties when they commit crimes because of the special responsibilities with which they are entrusted. The press always likes to consider themselves above any restraint by citing the First Amendment as some sort of bulletproof shield. Evidently they haven't been paying attention, because the Supreme Court has ruled that there can be reasonable restrictions placed on the First Amendment. Just like you can't shout 'Fire' in a crowded auditorium, it's not unreasonable to force paparazzi to behave like human beings.

In many states there are laws that prevent felons from profiting from their crimes, so why is it so unreasonable to prevent paparazzi from provoking celebrities into some sort of response and then making a bundle from selling the pictures of that response? If I keep poking you in the chest, should I get to make a profit when you finally get fed up and take a swing at me? Of course not.

Listen up all you paparazzi: no one's saying you can't make a living but it's your own outrageous behavior and unwillingness to police yourselves that brings this on. Rest assured that if it continues, it won't be the last restriction you see placed on you either. Clean up your act, and you won't have anything to worry about...