i don’t want anyone using this thread to justify any political mud-slinging. If you can’t keep the discussion respectful, keep your cheerleader cheering restricted to the World Affairs Forum and out of my thread. Muchas gracias.
Some issues: Is it correct to publish such pictures. Before you answer that, ask yourself whether you would apply the same standards to your own country. Does the public have a right to see such pictures ? It’s obvious why the Pentagon would not want such pictures to see the light of day especially in, but not limited to, an election year. Then you have parents, like the mother quoted below, who wants such pictures to be published. Where and how do you draw the line (and who is responsible for drawing that line) between what the government wants the public to see, versus what the public has a right to see?
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Caption from source: Coffins of U.S. military personnel are prepared to be offloaded at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware in this undated photo. The U.S. Air Force, in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, released to Web site http://www.thememoryhole.org on April 14 more than 300 photographs showing the remains of U.S. service members returning home. The Pentagon tightly restricts publication of photographs of coffins with the remains of U.S. troops and has forbidden journalists from taking pictures at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, the first stop for the bodies of troops being sent home. (U.S. Air Force/www.thememoryhole.org via Reuters)
government has the right. US government is always right becuase their constitution is the most perfect nonreligious document ever written in the history of mankind.
with reference to this particular picture, i think there's absolutely NOTHING wrong with publishing or broadcasting it. It does not fall under the category of objectionable or unethical stuff as per generally accepted ethical boundaries, which havent been written down in any book and vary from culture to culture but the basics remain the same. all consider pornography unethical, images of dead or wounded soldiers is not for unwarned public viewing, pictures of ppl killed in accidents or of those murdered etc. are some things that ppl dont want to see on TV or in a newspaper. this image however, is diff case. innumerable times in the history of the world ppl have seen flag wrapped coffins of fallen soldiers being carried on shoulders of their crisp uniform clad comrades. we have seen coffins of dead heads of states, princesses, queesns, kings,actors...and particularly that of a fallen solder with his cap on top has always been a moment of pride for a nation that swells with pride for its fallen son when the guards offer a gun salute and make quick saluting movements. it's a gesture of patriotism and akinf the nation show and realize its thankful for those who died for it.
for the first time an image with coffins of fallen soldiers is being labelled unethical by the media ONLY because we have an american preident who thinks he can change everything! the only reason this picture is making news is simple, Bush doesnt want the americans seeing reality at this particular time. why would he let america know he killed so many of them and then ask for their votes...?the dead soldiers mother is right.
and besides, this image does not show 'remains' of dead soldiers. it shows only the coffins of proud brave soldiers who died for their nation because their president is stupid.
no one ever publically shows images of the ramains of dead soldiers anyway...they didnt during WWI and they dont now. the issue has come up all of sudden for propaganda only.
as far as the choice to see and not to see is, it lies with the viewr in the end and they must have full freedom to chose what to see and what not to. and tahts why TV and papers are not supposed to publish or air images or clips that might offesn someone...whenevr theres ome such stuff they warn and show ratings.
Pentagon is on its way to fool the worlds most modern nation again...let's see who wins this time...