This web page is not only about me: it is about issues that cut to the heart of all of us who are parents and grandparents.It is about issues that threaten our freedom, our families and our quality of life. This is about social injustice at it's most ignorant and primitive.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 2/06/00
Summary: "A 65-year-old grandmother has been charged with three counts of endangering the welfare of a child for taking nude photos of her two young granddaughters. Marian Rubin of Montclair was arrested Thursday night when she arrived at a photo store [MOTOPHOTO] in Upper Montclair to pick up her pictures after workers there notified police."
It is now two years since I was arrested: finger-printed, "mugged" and released on $50,000 bail (usually reserved for murderers), $4000. non-refundable. For several weeks I was denied any contact with my granddaughters, while my family was "investigated" and my granddaughter questioned by the Division of Youth and Family Services. My home was searched twice (once when I wasn't there) where police seized photographs, my computers, my printer, scanner, every CD-Rom and every floppy disk.
A social worker in a public school system for 32 years, I was suspended from my job until the case was finally dismissed in Feb.2001, after completing a Pre-Trial Intervention Program and given one year of Probation! This is a program designed to keep "first-time offenders" out of the criminal justice system! The State Police kept my computers for over a year and I believe never examined them!
People who know me know that these allegations are absurd; they know that two of the passions in my life are my family and photography.They know that as a social worker I have always been a child advocate. I have photographed these children from the moment they entered this world and the love I have for them grows out of a deep and close bond, beyond measure. I have documented their progress and growth in thousands of photographs, with and without clothing. The delight I have in photographing them lies in wanting to keep forever every special moment, to remember the beauty, the wonder, the joy and the curiosity of their childhood. They are wondrous creatures and part of their magic is in their innocence, playfulness and unselfconsciousness. They have not yet learned that their bodies are something to be ashamed of.
To see anything like child pornography, exploitation or endangerment in my photographs of my beautiful granddaughters is the true perversity. The real endangerment comes from the prosecution of these charges.How can a law meant to protect children cause more harm and anguish? When has nudity become pornography? When have photo clerks become vigilantes and judges?
My case is not the only one of its kind and seems to be a part of a disturbing national trend, where innocent parents (and grandparents) are being caught in a trap meant to catch actual child pornographers and pedophiles. It is reminiscent of the Salem witch hunts and of Nazi Germany.
The damage this has done to me, my family and those around me is far worse than anything that could possibly have happened as a result of my photographs, and will leave permanent scars on many besides myself. In the face of innocence this is very wrong!
I eventually won a civil suit for the return of my photographs so there was, finally, a small victory!
UPDATE: My account of all that occurred as well as
a discussion of some of the issues may be found in my just published book, "NAKED TRUTHS". The book may be ordered from any bookstore or purchased directly from me by going to:
www.marianrubin.com
I welcome your comments, your e-mails.
