We were in Paris at Notre Dame when my daughter was in high school. There was a German guy there who was taken with her and photographed her a lot. It was uncomfortable because he showed such an unusual interest in a high school girl. However, we didn't detain him or threaten him. We were in a public place and we simply looked for our opportunity to move on away from him. I understand that the author of the article is looking hard to find middle ground, but I'm afraid that there isn't a cultural justification for breaking the law. When someone detains you against your will, which Adkins admitted to, it is kidnapping plain and simple. Telling someone you have a gun, which Adkins admitted to, is aggravated assault. I'm afraid that Mrs. Adkins should go to jail regardless of how culturally justified she (and the article's author) might feel. If anything, their actions reinforced the stereotype they so fervently wish to dispel. And the Virginia State Police need some inservice training. Their handling of the situation was dismal to say the least. And just for the record, when I think of West Virginia, I don't immediately think of Appalachia and poverty. I think of George Bird Evans and Old Hemlock English Setters.
Now for a little of another as yet unmentioned side of the story. If you are photographing recognizable features of private property potentially for commercial use, which could be stock photography, documentary use, calendar publication, etc., you are required to get a signed private property release from the property owner. So the barn with the horse photo referenced by the article's author should have been photographed with a signed release in hand. It's true you can photograph from public property, but you can't use it for anything without the release. Years ago I had an assignment working on a story about the dust bowl days. I needed a shot of an old farmhouse. I had driven past an old place in the middle of a wheat field that was slowly falling into the cellar hole. I wanted to get close to shoot it, so I drove into town and asked about it at the Coop. The guys at the Coop knew exactly what I was talking about and where to send me to find the owner. I was obviously not the first photographer looking for permission to set foot on their land. I found the owners, was graciously given permission, and drove away with a signed property release.