Snuff Photos on the Cover of the Sunday NY Times

[Stephanie]

Where has George Bush led us? To what low have we descended? What's to become of us?

Page One of the NY Times, Sunday December 31st, 2006. Photographs of Saddam moments before, then with the noose around his neck, then lying dead in a white bag.

Also one of an Iraqi toddler smiling as she watches the hanging on TV.

I remember when the a snuff film was the absolute nadir, a concept beyond any ordinary horror, the worst possible crime. Thanks to George Bush, we are no longer a civilized society. God help us.

[NYC]

1. Front page of the NYT?

Sad.

[Stephanie]

20. Now it's online >

[NYC]

25. That's appalling.

So is letting that little girl be in the same room with the television.

[Stephanie]

26. that's just how I feel

I can't believe this is the 21st century.

[NYC]

34. Retrogression.

Someone used to say:

"The Republican Party, paving the way to the 14th century."

We travel backwards all the time.

The word "enlightenment" seems so out of place these days. There have been many inventions, etc. through the course of history that have been lost in times referred to as the dark ages. When the inventions are rediscovered, people are surprised that society ever lost track of them, or let them fall into disuse. Usually, they weren't forgotten, they were forced into disuse by those in power, then forgotten. I think in some ways, we are heading for the dark ages.

[Nikki Stone1]

40. The contrast with the picture of the Fords is mind boggling to me

The Fords are like a memory of when we were civil.

[Mark E. Smith]

2. We're back to the public hangings

The Bushies needed a diversion, and they went back in time to get it..

[Stephanie]

3. That's right.

We've devolved.

[Poiuyt]

5. Does this remind you of Madame DeFarge

Knitting at the gallows?

[madeline_con]

13. "Guillotine!"

:popcorn:

[madeline_con]

12. They threw out science and reason, this was bound to follow. n/t

[Stephanie]

16. throwing out civility? modernity?

yes, you're right.

[GeneCosta]

4. Those liberals!

They didn't show Saddam the moment he broke his neck.

[Mojambo]

6. What a way to start the new year

With bloodlust.

Ah well, no one ever said living in a crumbling empire would be easy.

[Stephanie]

24. It doesn't bode well.

It's horrifying.

[TahitiNut]

7. "Don't Try This At Home, Kids. These Are Trained Professionals."

(Go into the garage or a friend's basement.)

:puke:

[gristy]

8. The photos you speak of are not on page 1

They may be inside, but they are not on page 1.

[Stephanie]

10. They are on Page 1 of the print edition.

I just picked it up at the newstand. They have not yet appeared online. They had the Saturday front page up all night, and now the Sunday front page should be up but the image from the front page is inexplicably broken.

http://www.nytimes.com/pages/todayspaper/index.html

[Stephanie]

11. The biggest photo is this one, with the children >

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/31/world/middleeast/31gallows.html?ref=todayspaper

Beneath that are three of the execution. They take up 3/4 of the above-the-fold front page.

[madeline_con]

14. That toddler's not watching TV. n/t

[Stephanie]

15. ok. she's watching the adults watch tv.

and she's smiling at them and pointing at the screen.

[G Hawes]

18. It's bad enough as it is,

but the child is neither looking at the tv nor pointing at it.

[Stephanie]

19. .

[Stephanie]

22. yeah, okay, she's TOUCHING the TV, not pointing at it

And, as I said, she is watching the adults watch it.

What difference does that make?

[seabeyond]

27. and... so... she is watching, looks at adults and then watches again

i dont get what you are arguing here. that she is being shielded from the horrors of a hanging that is way inappropriate for her age?

[Stephanie]

29. I don't get it either

Children watching a lynching - it's obscene no matter what.

[seabeyond]

31. yup steph... a real duh... just cause the childs eyes are not on the

tv at the exact moment the picture was taken, and the person taking the picture could have drawn eyes away, just being in front of the tv is a no no to most all parents. i wouldnt let my 11 or 8 yr old watch it. geeeeez.... i am not watching. and thanks for the info on my question below.

[TahitiNut]

21. Here's the cover.

[seabeyond]

28. in the series of three pictures, what is the third? i cannot see

thanks

[Stephanie]

30. It's Saddam's body in a white body bag.

You're looking at his head at an odd angle. On the front page of the NY Times.

[seabeyond]

32. then it must be open for a peak at the dead body? disgusting

i am getting old and need glasses to see some things. the up side.... i am not walking across the house to get them, ergo i dont really get a clear view.

this is what is really bothering me with our nation. they are so lost right now. bushco and the christian right has confused them so on right and wrong. sad sad

[kevinbgoode]

9. How nice. . .

Sunday morning sexual titillation for the neo-cons.

[Nutmegger]

17. NY Post is to be expected

but the so-called newspaper of record, the New York Times??! :wtf:

[Stephanie]

23. Today the NY Times jumped the shark.

They've lost all respect. It's despicable.

[proust78]

33. Above the Fold and in Color

That's ghastly. The Terra-rists have their propaganda videos and now we have ours. Hopefully the pics will calm Bushie's bloodlust for his last two years.

[Stephanie]

48. I doubt that.

He's a psychopath. He's revelling in this.

[cali]

37. Hardly.

Do you even read the Times? They've published editorial after editorial excoriation bushco. They still actually do investigative reporting. Not to mention, Krugman, Rich, Kristof and other OP page writers.

[Stephanie]

47. Daily. It's my local paper.

And you leave out David Brooks, Thomas Friedman, Elisabeth Bumiller, and, until they were forced to fire her, Judith Miller. Too late however, for the damage was done.

[cali]

49. So if it's jumped the shark as you say

you're going to stop reading it right? And no I didn't mention Brooks or Friedman, but then I didn't mention Wong or Filkins or many other excellent reporters. I didn't mention that they're one of the very few papers that actually does in depth investigative reporting. I didn't mention a lot of things. Don't you think you might have gone just a wee bit overboard on your pronouncement that the Times has jumped the shark?

[Stephanie]

50. I cancelled my subscription two years ago because of Brooks & Miller

But I still read it online or pick it up at the newsstand. I stand by what I said. The NYT abandoned civility when it published those photos on page one. It's grotesque and barbaric. Why so defensive?

[cali]

52. Because I think the Times for all its flaws

is an important and necessary institution. It's that simple.

[Gormy Cuss]

54. I wasn't aware that the Gray Lady aspired to be a tabloid.

I agree with you. Saddam in the body bag was unnecessary and sensationalist.

[Gloria]

35. The NYT is trying to outdo the NY Post, I guess. Jeez....

[demobabe]

36. I just can't believe this. Can't believe a newspaper would do this.

This is so over the top, it's unbelievable. Above the fold, the whole thing... So graphic, I can't believe it. Kids read newspapers, and generally they keep the content as "G" rated as possible. Yeah, I've seen dead people in papers before, but usually it's just not this graphic. Made into this photo montage with the happy kids, it's all really sickening. I'm in disbelief.

[symbolman]

38. They are trying to SIMULATE the news styles of WW2

in case folks haven't noticed. I studied the type and posters of that era, old papers, LIFE mag, all that shit.

They DO NOT want to associate this with Vietnam, so even on CNN there's "This Week At War", with the kind of friendly downhome font used by publications in those days, this is psyops, all of it, the count down, kids laughing while Mussolini is dragged behind a car with his whore and hung up in the town square were everyone gets to WHEEE! throw a Rock at the BAD GUY..

Bush is Churchill, Truman, Roosevelt all combined. Amazing but true, a chamelion.

A little story board that's worthy in the first picture of Norman Rockwell in design and function.

Then the EVIL man is shown, vengence is mine, revenge slaked, and to satisfy the good old COWBOY SPIRIT of AMERICA they SHOW the body, just like it was Jesse James and pals all lined up in a box in them old timey pictures we all want to dress up for in the Malls.

Do not be fooled, we are being PLAYED like pin ball machines, and many have no idea what they are seeing, or thinking, what buttons are being pushed inside. I'm tempted to sit down and out these son of a bitches with what might amount to a term paper on PERCEPTION of SYMBOLS, etc - but I don't have time. I'm trying to do good in other ways, writing a book I hope will help to ENLIGHTEN our culture, roughly in the same fashion, pushing buttons :)

Here's my question. If Bush FALLS OFF his BICYCLE, and breaks his neck, will they show HIM in a white death Burrito Shroud with HIS HEAD ON SIDEWAYS?

Read some Joseph Campbell and a lot of this will all fall into place - they don't call me Symbolman for nothing :)

[Stephanie]

45. thanks

that's why I'm feeling so outraged by this. I find it beyond beyond.

[kevinbgoode]

39. Well, you certainly don't expect them to show us the bodies

or our own soldiers. . .after all, there is no "news" interest about our own.

[malaise]

41. But don't show Janet's boob on

the tube. That coverage yesterday and in the papers today will come back to haunt Bush and MSM. The sheeple are waking up.

[PADemD]

42. Photos of Saddam with noose

It was also on the cover of our local paper (The Morning Call, Allentown). I have cut out the picture and have placed it in an envelope to mail to the Editor. I feel like canceling my subscription. Do you think that would get their attention? Maybe, if everyone who is disgusted with these pictures would do the same, the MSM might get the message. The only way to get their attention is through the loss of money.

[Hubert Flottz]

43. The Bible Thumpers Voted For "MORALITY" remember?

It was the talk of every "news channel" on the dial back in 2004...Turn the other cheek...Forgetaboutit!

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

44. I was watching my local NBC station, when without warning they showed the photo.

I think that is horrendous.

[wishlist]

46. Brutal revenge ruled again and U.S. failed to set good example of justice

Media said Americans had no part in the execution but today stated that his body was held within U.S. compound from the execution until taken for burial. U.S. failed once again to set an example for the world in the conduct of the execution by allowing it to be handled in an inflammatory barbaric manner.

[Chorophyll]

51. I'm looking forward to the barrage of letters

that the NYT will get for this front page. Yes, they do have a number of conservative op-ed writers but I'm really shocked at their lack of judgment in this case.

[Doctor_J]

53. Hanging Saddam = fit to print. Coffins of dead soldiers verboten

we are 1936 Germany.