Concerning the coffin photographs

[ewagner]

There are several issues involved here: Military/Political Censorship is one that seems to take center stage at the moment. But another issue, and equally important I think, it the sterilization of war.

During the Viet Nam era, images of the war were played into our living rooms every night. That changed in Gulf War I. War was brought into the living rooms as an antiseptic, video game with pictures of targets (not people) being destroyed from 15,000 feet. Some Americans began cheering for that war and this current war like it was a high school football game.

War is not antiseptic.

On the web, this quote is attributed to Robert E. Lee. " It is good that war is so terrible, lest we become too fond of it"

We have become too fond of it. The more we show the heroic images and pre-occupy ourselves with the "gee-whiz" weapons, the less we see the true horror of war. Nations must sometimes go to war. Sometimes an enemy gives no choice. But we should enter into the decision to engage in war only as a last resort.

The coffin pictures?

Maybe they will teach us not to become to fond of war.

[BlueEyedSon]

1. Is there a prohibition on photographing the wounded

after they get out of the hospital, say?

I think a photo essay of a few hundred blinded, disfigured and amputees would be mind expanding for the public.

[Streetdoc270]

3. the memory hole...

Has a photo essay of some of the wounded, if and when they come back up...

[Streetdoc270]

2. Classic Trek...

The outrage over the coffin photo's and the Fallujia bodies reminds me of an episode of Star Trek, I cant remember the title but the premise is that two planets have been at war for hundreds of years. All the attacks are played out via a simulator and the casualties are ordered to report to disintegration chambers. Kirk and Co. give them a taste of real war and Kirk tells them Death and destruction is what makes War something you want to avoid. In other words when war is neat and clean, then people don't mind it.... we need more images of war's brutality to remind people why peace is the only option

[ewagner]

4. I remember that episode

and it is truly on point........

[salinen]

5. I'm not so sure

From what I see and hear from freeperville, the blood and guts images may take them from bloodlust to something sexual.