Skittles photographer: I'm a refugee

[floridadave 195]

BBC News

By Richard Irvine-Brown & Patrick Evans 13 hrs ago

Donald Trump Jr's tweet comparing Skittles to refugees has caused a furore on social media. In a new development, the man who took the photo of the Skittles has revealed himself to be a former refugee.

David Kittos, 48, from Guildford, UK, woke up to find an image he had posted to Flickr in January 2010 had become embroiled in a political controversy.

"This was not done with my permission, I don't support his politics and I would never take his money to use it," Mr Kittos told the BBC.

"In 1974, when I was six-years old, I was a refugee from the Turkish occupation of Cyprus so I would never approve the use of this image against refugees."

In his tweet, the son of the Republican presidential candidate uses Mr Kittos' image with the accompanying text: "If I had a bowl of skittles and I told you just three would kill you, would you take a handful?''

"That's our Syrian refugee problem."

He adds: "This image says it all. Let's end the politically correct agenda that doesn't put America first."

Wrigley, the company that owns Skittles, stepped in to the furore by responding: "Skittles are candy. Refugees are people. We don't feel it is an appropriate analogy".

'No permission'

David Kittos, who does not follow Twitter, was alerted to the use of the image by friends.

A keen photographer, he told the BBC he originally took the picture in his home studio: "I was just experimenting with something called off-camera flash.

"This was six years ago when there were no Syrian refugees at the time and it was never done with the intention of spreading a political message.

"I have never put this image up for sale. This was not done with my permission, I don't support Trump's politics and I would never take his money to use it."

Mr Kittos' personal history means he is particularly dismayed by his image being used in a debate around accepting refugees.

"I am now a British citizen but I am Greek-Cypriot by birth and in 1974 I was a refugee because of the Turkish occupation.

"I was six years old. We lived in the area of Cyprus that is now under Turkish military control. We had to leave everything behind overnight. Our property and our possessions."

'Pure greed'

Mr Kittos is unsure whether he will take action over the use of his image by the Trump campaign.

"I would like the Trump campaign to delete the image, but they are probably not interested in what I have to say," he said.

"I was thinking about getting lawyers involved but I don't know if I have the patience.

"This isn't about the money for me. They could have just bought a cheap image from a micro stock library. This is pure greed from them. I don't think they care about my feelings. They should not be stealing an image full stop."

Story: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-skittles-photographer-im-a-refugee/ar-BBwpnrb?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=mailsignout

David Kittos' original image posted to his Flickr account. (David Kittos / Flickr)

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Spending OPM (other people's money) and stealing their images are the hallmarks' of the Rump campaign. But don't be hating, it's all about Making America Great Again!

[Boiler 43,430]

If he had been English he would have used Smarties.

[Merle 458]

Much ado about nothing.

[floridadave 195]

I remember those little rolls of candy. Can't remember if they were called Smarties though. As a kid those candies were like 1 cent/roll. Yummy.

[Boiler 43,430]

[Merle 458]

Mr. Kittos should definitely sue and then in turn be sued by Wrigley's for taking a picture of Skittles without paying any royalties.

[Jacque67 7,328]

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/09/spot-whats-wrong-trump-jr-s-syrian-skittles-tweet.html

[Boiler 43,430]

Always amuses me when people talk about chance/odds when they have no data or the data they use is historic and irrelevant.

[Jacque67 7,328]

Plagiarism and little Donny Jrs gaffes have me rolling on the floor!!!!!

[Rob L 3,811]

Always amuses me when people talk about chance/odds when they have no data or the data they use is historic and irrelevant.

Yeah but the convo started with a bowl of Skittles and three of them being poison ...so we assumed no math would be involved and we were in poetic analogy territory...

Edited September 22, 2016 by Rob L

[Teddy B 17,251]

The Smarties we grew up with in the states were a bit different, they were more of a fruit flavored sugar wafer. When my wife first moved here she asked me if we had Smarties and I said yes, but I later found out the Smarties in Canada were like Skittles.

These are the Smarties I grew up with as a kid, i think they are still on the market.

Edited September 22, 2016 by Teddy B

[millefleur 5,035]

Honestly, what adult person eats skittles??? It seems like such an arbitrary allusion. Was he trying to play it up like "It'll be dangerous for you kids?"

Hah...."The image says it all".....seriously? What exactly is the image of a bowl of skittles saying? Irony that it turns out the image was actually created by a former refugee, ha.

Edited September 22, 2016 by millefleur

[Teddy B 17,251]

Honestly, what adult person eats skittles??? It seems like such an arbitrary allusion. Was he trying to play it up like "It'll be dangerous for you kids?"

Hah...."The image says it all".....seriously? What exactly is the image of a bowl of skittles saying? Irony that it turns out the image was actually created by a former refugee, ha.

I'm 53 and I eat them once in a while, usually around Halloween when all the candy is hanging around the house. I like them.

[millefleur 5,035]

I'm 53 and I eat them once in a while, usually around Halloween when all the candy is hanging around the house. I like them.

Sure, but I feel like M&Ms are across the board more popular with both kids and adults! I wonder what the skittles corp. thinks of all this.