Amos - In the days you are referring to in the USSR Mr. Maginnis would just have disappeared along with his camera. Same would have happenned in other places and at other times - or in Baghdad today.

The point I was trying to make was to view the incident with some sort of perspective - and that means looking at it from both sides.

One side of it that I can see, that you obviously can't, or won't, is that of a beat patrolman turning up on shift and being told that today you are part of a force responsible for the safety of the Vice-President of the United States of America. A weighty responsibility under any circumstances, but more than slightly heightened in the present climate. I do not know what the exact exchange was between the Policeman and Mr. Maginnis, or what sort of attitudes were struck by the parties involved - so far only one side has gone public on it. You may be perfectly content to judge the incident on such a balance, as it happens to suit your particular point of view - Thankfully it certainly would not lay well with others.


Thanks TIA:

"I believe it originates with the author Athenaeus (c. 200 AD) who said (in reference to an actual storm) something like "I have seen a more formidable storm in a boiling saucepan." It's been shortened up and alliterated (and much improved) since."

The one we used in the navy in reference to actual storms was, "Storm? Rough? I've seen more ripples on my tot!!"