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April 25, 2004
Just My Two Cents
[Note: Edits made for the purpose of clarity.]
The US government is annoyed about the published photos of US flag-draped military coffins. In 1991 the Pentagon imposed a ban on media coverage of coffins coming home and in March of last year clamped down again. The Seattle Times printed the photo despite the ban, which the Pentagon says is to prevent undue harm and grief out of respect for the families. [Source: MSNBC] The photographer (who gave permission for the photo to be published,) and her husband were fired for violating company and federal government rules. Reasons for her husband's dismissal were not disclosed. [Source: CNN]
This just increases my level of incredulity over what the government considers important enough to raise a stink about.
From an article in today's New York Times about this and other war-related images, "Playing Hide-and-Seek With the Costs of War" -- Hide them and they represent something shameful -- show them and they represent something dire. [snip] Americans know that the heroic narrative of battle is often followed by the sound of taps.
David D. Perlmutter, an associate professor of mass communications at Louisiana State University and the author of two books on the impact of photo images on warfare and the public is quoted: "There seems to be this belief that the American public is not mature enough to see images like these and not go running into the streets screaming."
Photographs of flag-draped coffins (and other photos of the war) offensive? It is the attempt to keep images like this hidden from public view that is the real offense here. Mr. Perlmutter: "If anything, it tends to be the political and media elites who panic in the face of shocking images rather than the public."
That particular photograph served to remind me of the sacrifice made by all those soldiers -- past and present, who selflessly gave their lives in an effort to serve this country. It made me think about my friends in the military - Henry, a captain and doctor in the US Navy and Mike, who serves in the Army National Guard - and the families of all those in the armed forces. I worry about my friends and their safety - I worry about their families and the strain they're under too. The war affects all of us, not only those directly involved but also everyone else - in this country and beyond. Mr. Perlmutter: "The truth will out, as they say, and so will any picture that someone is trying to suppress."
Cindy
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Comments
This has been a long standing policy, not just one practiced by the Bush Administration, and it's definitely a propaganda issue. It's easy to deny that people are dying when you dont' have a face to put to a name, or a body to show for it.
I don't see what the problem is with showing, but I don't blame the current administration for upholding an already existing policy that keeps them sheltered from criticism. ANd anyway, it didn't work, the pictures got out and people will see them. Information wants to be free.
Brain matter deposited by: Paul on April 26, 2004 12:59 PM
She didn't say anything about the Bush administration; she just says this raises her level of incredulity over what the government considers important.
Information does want to be free, doesn't it? The pictures do serve as a reminder of the soldiers' sacrifices.
I did hear on the other hand, though, that part of the reason the photographs aren't to be published is out of respect for the families of the dead. I don't see how a flag-draped coffin disrespects the families of the dead but I did hear this.
Brain matter deposited by: Kat on April 26, 2004 2:54 PM
It's about the respect, because the families aren't being asked beforehand. If the media wants pictures of flag-draped coffins, then they can visit each service and ask the family personally.
I suspect though, that a photo of a single coffin wouldn't make the impact of a group of them.
If you're thinking of this in political terms, then that's exactly why the Pentagon doesn't allow it.
Also, the photographer was fired for violating a standing company policy. Just because you happen to sympathize doesn't make it ok.
Brain matter deposited by: Ted on April 26, 2004 3:00 PM
I can easily see families taking offense if the coffins were identifiable but that is not the case here. Though a family could 'guess' that a loved one is in one of the coffins, the intent (having viewed a number of the recently released photos) was to show the respect and honor given to the deceased as they made the journey home. I see nothing wrong or offensive with that.
I am well aware the political background of this policy. I was also aware of the photographer's dismissal due to breaking company policy.
As Paul mentioned, the photos are out there now, so there's no use in me continuing to hammer away at it. However, I still have the government stuck in my craw not only for the priority and attention they gave to this, but also for a number of other things I'll rant about one of these days.
Brain matter deposited by: Cindy on April 26, 2004 6:05 PM