Why in the world is it OK to show the dead bodies of foreigners (such as Iraquis)in the paper, TV or on the Internet, but never, no never, Americans?! I don't want to turn this into a political issue, but seriously, shouldn't death be treated the same, regardless of one's nationality?

By Unschoolmom on Wednesday, March 8, 2006 - 09:56 am:

I sort of agree but this should probably be in The Kitchen Table?

By Kaye on Wednesday, March 8, 2006 - 02:16 pm:

bumping to the top

By Ginny~moderator on Wednesday, March 8, 2006 - 06:46 pm:

Janet, I share your question. But, remember, after the Viet Nam war, the Dept. of Defense put in new rules, and reporters "embedded" with our troops are under strict rules about this and other things. Frankly, the government (this administration and the last several administrations) don't want pictures of dead Americans on the news. I remember a big fuss when reporters were taking pictures of the bodies after Katrina, and FEMA and others had a big hissyfit about not showing such depressing pictures, under the rubric of the "rights of privacy" of the dead and their families. And when some military person sneaked photos of the coffins of some of our dead heroes on a plane - all respectfully covered with U.S. flags - there was another hissyfit and a big hunt for the person who "leaked" the photos. Photographers have been banned from the airbase where the planes bring in our returning dead heroes for many years - it is not new with this war.

If you want to know why there are no photos of dead Americans, talk to the departments that make those rules and require the media to obey them under penalty of losing any access to the area.

I am not blaming this administration particularly - they didn't make the rules. For some reason, our government thinks (and has thought for a long time) that we just "can't handle the truth".

By Vicki on Wednesday, March 8, 2006 - 07:03 pm:

Personally, I wouldn't want pictures of dead bodies shown period. I know what a dead body looks like, I really don't need the visual to go along with the story. Also, I would never want the families of the dead to see those pictures. I can't even begin to think how that would feel. I just don't feel showing dead bodies is really necessary.

By Kaye on Wednesday, March 8, 2006 - 07:08 pm:

I agree with Vicki. We get the verbal message, and just how much more do we need to be desentisized?

On that topic one of the Houston museums has a display right now called "human art" or something like that. But it is real, dead humans, skinned and on display. I went to see it this week (part of that whole anatomy class bit). As interesting as it was, I also had very mixed feelings looked at dead people. I can understand that people chose that, when they donated their bodies, but their relatives didn't (although you couldn't id any of them). But still there was part of me that just thinks, ewww.

Anyway, I guess to each their own, but I do watch the news for information, but really could do without the graphic visuals.

By Alberobello on Wednesday, March 8, 2006 - 07:38 pm:

I think is important that they show the effects of war and conflict and those effects are dead people.

I don't think we become desensitised by looking at pictures of pain and harm, but by turning our eyes from it we tend to forget how bad suffereing can be. There suffering in the world and we need to be aware of it (be it American or Iraqi people).

I don't know the rules of not showing dead people on the media but it does seem a bit obscure to me... i wonder what are they trying to hide? Or like Ginny said, do they think US citizens can't handle the truth?

It is puzzling.

By Janet on Thursday, March 9, 2006 - 11:34 am:

Kaye, that exhibit was in Chicago recently. I didn't get up there to see it, but I saw a show on TV that highlighted it. I was actually repulsed, even as fascinating as it was (Strange, since I had little trouble in college anatomy class, with a cadaver).
As for the news media, I think there's a lot of validity to showing death, when it relates to war (even though I hate it). It's too easy to think of wars as something akin to video games or movies... if we don't see the reality of them, I think we have a tendency to turn a blind eye. But, to my original comment, I think it's terribly hypocritical for the media to show dead people of other nationalities, but not Americans. It says to me that they are somehow not worthy of being treated with respect and dignity.

By Ginny~moderator on Thursday, March 9, 2006 - 12:04 pm:

But Janet, the media doesn't have a choice when they are restricted by the government and not allowed to take the photos. It is not the media's choice, so I don't think it is right to blame them.

By Mommmie on Thursday, March 9, 2006 - 01:19 pm:

I saw way too many photos of dead bodies during Katrina in the media.

By Janet on Thursday, March 9, 2006 - 02:12 pm:

Oh, I see what you're saying, Ginny. Missed your point. OK then.... Boo! Government! Boo!