[matthew]

Judging by the photo, I expect it was because you were taking pictures close to a park. With a park there are kids, and generally people are VERY leary of "men without kids" taking pictures, especially smaller cameras that look concealing. [...] Its unfortunate that a few scum of the earth deadbeats (molesters etc) in society have created a mistrustful atmosphere when it comes to our kids and the areas they play in.

The park near me used to have a sign reading "No adults without children allowed". It was hung just below the No Trespassing sign, which referenced the appropriate by-law. The sign was removed -- presumably because it was illegal, hopefully because the city was sued, but almost certainly not because it was redundant. (No Trespassing covers any use of the property that the police or owner doesn't like.)

I'm not arguing with you, Jericho. It's the world at large that frustrates me.

I'm arguing with the woman I work with who frequently tells me that she's glad she doesn't live in Toronto, because she doesn't feel the need to watch her daughter in the small town she lives in. The danger to children isn't some unknown boogyman, it's bad parents who spend all of their effort worrying about some unknown boogyman.

Most children are abused by people that are known to them and/or THEIR PARENTS trust.
http://nccafv.org/child.htm
http://www.nbc6.net/family/4389948/detail.html
http://dynamic.uoregon.edu/~jjf/aaas04/LyonAAAS.pdf

I'm seriously bothered by laws and enforcement that are specifically used to target People We Don't Like. I'm bothered no matter who those people may be -- photographers or otherwise.