This is of many snapshots taken of the delightfully outfitted trick or treaters at my house each year. Most are glad I'm impressed enough with their costumes to care to take a picture. When parents are there, I immediately ask for permission, if not, I ask the kids. If they say no, I respect that, but since it is my front porch on my property with someone knocking on my door, I do believe I have the right to record the moment.
One parent, who apparently did not accompany their children complained to the police, and the next day I had 2 sheriff deputies on my door asking if I had taken pictures of children, and why? I was astonished but responded that I put them on my flickr site to share with my contacts, as others would on facebook, and that I have a cousin in the Netherlands who was here once for Halloween and enjoyed it. I was told that I had to have the parent's permission first, and that I had to put up a sign that said, "You may be photographed"
Suddenly Halloween Lost its Charm. The following is my sincere letter to the person who caused my loss of enthusiasm for preparing for Halloween. May a witch haunt your door this evening.
Letter to Parents of Child who called cops because I took picture of their kid in Halloween costume.Dear folks,
I'm sorry if I violated your expectations of what happens when kids go trick or treating without their parents, and that folks might actually like your kids costume well enough to want a snapshot.
May I ask, if this offended you why you didn't come to my door to discuss the matter with me. If things like this concern you, might it not be better if you went trick or treating with your kids.
And finally, if this bothered you, why didn't you have the neighborly courtesy and decency to discuss the matter directly rather than attempt to make a criminal action out of a traditional neighborly celebration.
You've caused me to seriously reconsider taking part in Halloween at all, even when my own childhood was full of memories of getting to know neighbors and celebrating evenings with other kids.
Now your actions have caused me to associate what was a fun childhood memory to the realization that at every step America has become more and more an authoritarian state with common courtesy skipped so that we can't be held accountable for our thoughts and feelings.
I am now conflicted....why bother to celebrate what was fun, when the mere snapshot of the creative kids asking for candy and tricking me if I don't give it...should have the moment captured so others can share the tradition of a fun-filled holiday centered on childhood, mischief, and fun.
`Given your paranoia about who might answer the door, may I recommend you keep your kids at home this year, for regardless of their costumes, I would rather not see them, if I can't share the memory.
Apologies will be accepted.
