Chicago Marathon

     I photographed the Chicago Marathon this weekend. I didn't get down there early enough to secure the spot I wanted, so I had to find some new locations at the last minute. I wanted to shoot from the bridge that overlooks Columbus Drive where the race started. I figured with nearly 40, 000 participants this would make for an interesting image.
     The crowds were too thick on the bridge and I did not want to force my way through the crowd of people who had the discipline to get there early enough to secure that location. I noticed there were some people who had entered a garden that overlooked Columbus Drive. I went into an open gate to check out this location. There was a young boy, his mother and father, along with six or eight other random people.
     After investigating the spot I decided it was not that great. I started to make my way out of the garden. A few seconds after I made the decision to leave a security guard appeared, and in a very rude manner, told everyone they had to leave and could not watch the race from the garden.  No one offered any resistance. They truly did not know they were on private property.  As they were starting to leave the rent-a-cop began to threaten people with "your all going to jail" even though we were all very cooperative. He even threatened the eleven year old boy with jail time if he did not leave. The family of the boy was trying to console him as they exited the garden to ensure him that he did nothing wrong and would not be going to jail.
     There was a time in my life where I would have lost my temper with this security guard and challenged his authority. He had no authority to detain or take anyone to jail. All he could do was ask us to leave. The threats were unnecessary.  If you choose not to leave, he can call the police, and have you charged with trespassing. This security guard's behavior was appalling.
     All I could think about was my Uncle John, who was born and raised in Macon Georgia, and how he would have reacted in this situation. Uncle John is the most laid back southerner you will ever meet. I could just hear him saying it under his breath. "Ya no wut makes men act that way"? "small dick syndrome" he would say.  I began to laugh hoping the security guard would not see me snickering. Uncle John had a theory that all man's aggressions were due to fear of inadequacy. Men wage war to compensate for their small penises. Maybe Uncle John is on to something.