As a writer and journalist deeply interested in civil liberties, individual rights, and police accountability, I was disappointed to watch a recent video of KC Camera Boy and his conduct during a First Amendment audit. This incident is a prime example of how not to conduct First Amendment audits.
I have long advocated for the rights protected by the Constitution, including the First Amendment. I believe that First Amendment audits are an important tool for holding those in power accountable for their actions.
However, the way KC Camera Boy conducts these audits is simply unacceptable. He seems to be out there to bully people and assert some perceived superiority over them.
All cruelty springs from weakness.
– Seneca
In contrast, other auditors, such as Amagansett Press, serve as a perfect example of behaving like a civil, functioning member of society while still anchoring themselves in the legal rights protected by the Constitution.
Amagansett Press, for example, engages in civil discourse and reasoned argumentation. Jason uses his knowledge and expertise to hold those in power accountable, not to bully or belittle those who are trying to engage with them. Some may feel like AP is too soft; let’s turn up the heat a little bit and go to Johnny 5.0 as another good example; he can be a lot harsher than AP, but generally only as a response to harsh treatment.
KC seems to always be on a short fuse, ready to antagonize and call everyone some weak 3rd-grade insult, like “what you got in your brain, foo.” I wonder why he is so angry all the time.
It is important to remember that First Amendment audits are not about proving a point or showing off one’s legal knowledge. They are about holding those in power accountable, and they require a level of professionalism, respect, and civility. We must engage in civil discourse and reasoned argumentation and use our knowledge and expertise to hold those in power accountable.
In the video, we see a security guard who, albeit misinformed, tries his best to engage with SLO and KC Camera Boy. However, instead of engaging in civil discourse, KC Camera Boy responds with mostly insults and put-downs; unfortunately, this is the M.O. for this kid. SLO doesn’t directly join in on the insults, but you can easily argue that he encourages KC’s aggressive and abrasive approach; this is disappointing as well, given SLO’s typical level-headed approach.
This is despicable behavior, and it does a disservice to the important work that true First Amendment auditors do. I would urge KC to reconsider his approach and stop being an asshole for no reason.
We must remember that First Amendment audits are important for holding those in power accountable for their actions. However, auditors must conduct themselves with respect, dignity, and professionalism.
Auditors really should use their 5th amendment rights and STUF, but if they’re going to engage, then it needs to be from a place of reasoned argumentation.
Anything less is simply unacceptable, detracting from the important work that the First Amendment audit movement is trying to accomplish. It’s also stupid to act this way since the behavior can easily be questioned and used as a defeat vector during litigation.
