AP publishes photo of Marine's last moments, Sparks outrage

[OrangeEmpire]

Defense Secretary Robert Gates is objecting “in the strongest terms” to an Associated Press decision to transmit a photograph showing a mortally wounded 21-year-old Marine in his final moments of life, calling the decision “appalling” and a breach of “common decency.”

The AP reported that the Marine’s father had asked – in an interview and in a follow-up phone call — that the image, taken by an embedded photographer, not be published.

The AP reported in a story that it decided to make the image public anyway because it “conveys the grimness of war and the sacrifice of young men and women fighting it.”

The photo shows Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Bernard of New Portland, Maine, who was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade in a Taliban ambush Aug. 14 in Helmand province of southern Afghanistan, according to The AP.

Gates wrote to Thomas Curley, AP’s president and chief executive officer. “Out of respect for his family’s wishes, I ask you in the strongest of terms to reconsider your decision. I do not make this request lightly. In one of my first public statements as Secretary of Defense, I stated that the media should not be treated as the enemy, and made it a point to thank journalists for revealing problems that need to be fixed – as was the case with Walter Reed."

“I cannot imagine the pain and suffering Lance Corporal Bernard’s death has caused his family. Why your organization would purposefully defy the family’s wishes knowing full well that it will lead to yet more anguish is beyond me. Your lack of compassion and common sense in choosing to put this image of their maimed and stricken child on the front page of multiple American newspapers is appalling. The issue here is not law, policy or constitutional right – but judgment and common decency.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/...l#ixzz0QZXMXSnF
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I am kind of torn on this issue. On the one hand as some one who has a family member serving in the military I would not want to see their dying moment splashed all over the newspaper and TV screen. I can certainly sympathize with the family's wishes here. And I can also understand why the military would not want images like this to be published as it on a gut level feels like a violation of a dying service member's personal privacy and could seem like an exploitation on their service to their country.

But on the other hand I do think the press has a job to do in it's coverage of war. It should show the public, who are basically supporting a war/policy, even if it is just passively allowing it to continue, the costs of that conflict/policy. Including the costs of American lives. War is ugly and we have allowed it to become way to sanitized and out of our view. How can we ever judge a war effort if we never see the costs involved? Most of us can't be there in person and many people have no one in their lives that is directly effected since the military is an all voluntary force these days. So we rely on the press to give us the good, the bad and the ugly so we can make judgments about that policy. Some times the press emphasizes one extreme over the other, but any serious, fair reporting is going to have to show the ugly, costly part of war.

So what do you think, is showing a dying Marine's final moments over the line or just a requirement of the press to show us the ugly side of war?

Thoughts?

[wbailey7]

+1 to Gates.

[MontereyVol]

Then why haven't the AP shown any others? I don't like it because it makes this one soldier the face of the war and the family does not want that.

[BigPapaVol]

Anyone who believes that the AP isn't grinding an axe is lost.
Posted via VolNation Mobile

[MontereyVol]

Originally Posted by BigPapaVol

Anyone who believes that the AP isn't grinding an axe is lost.
Posted via VolNation Mobile

The sad part is, this is an easy fix.

I would love nothing more than to tell them to pack their ****e up and get the "F" off my command.

[lawgator1]

Originally Posted by BigPapaVol

Anyone who believes that the AP isn't grinding an axe is lost.
Posted via VolNation Mobile

That may be true, but its also irrelevant.

This would be a tough call. I agree with OE's conflicted views on it. Don't know what I would do if I were editor charged with making that decision.

[rjd970]

I gotta agree with Gates here. Journalist should be free to do their job, but decency and responsibility should be practiced.

[T-TownVol]

Reporting on the war does not have to include the pictures that the AP ran with. I think it is over the line.

[kptvol]

Originally Posted by lawgator1

This would be a tough call.

The family made it pretty clear they didn't want the photo published. I'm not sure what would be so tough.

[BigPapaVol]

Originally Posted by lawgator1

That may be true, but its also irrelevant.

This would be a tough call. I agree with OE's conflicted views on it. Don't know what I would do if I were editor charged with making that decision.

Irrelevant? News sources using their weapon based upon personal viewpoint. That's garbage. AP knows it as well as anyone, but it no longer matters due to them losing money like a middle market dot com and their absolute need for shock journalism to help carry their tired message.

Given what I know of you, the financial angle wasn't in your ridiculous point.

[OrangeEmpire]

Originally Posted by MontereyVol

Then why haven't the AP shown any others? I don't like it because it makes this one soldier the face of the war and the family does not want that.

Reminds you of Vietnam...

[IBlvNTmWrk]

Over the top and completely unnecessary. A good journalist can create images to tell a story depicting the cost/casualties of war with nothing but text. In this case, the AP chose to take the easy/cheesy way out.

[red butler]

They don't show death pictures of drunk driver's in car accidents; they don't show death pictures of greusome murders without blurring the identity; they don't show death pictures of victims of arson. Why?... Out of respect for the deceased.

If you need to be reminded of the horror of war... watch a graphic war movie. Publishing this picture is for political purposes only. Period.

[OrangeEmpire]

Originally Posted by red butler

They don't show death pictures of drunk driver's in car accidents; they don't show death pictures of greusome murders without blurring the identity; they don't show death pictures of victims of arson. Why?... Out of respect for the deceased.

If you need to be reminded of the horror of war... watch a graphic war movie. Publishing this picture is for political purposes only. Period.

I disagree, nothing can replace the pictures such as bull dozers in Korea lining our dead up like cordwood because the ground was frozen and we could not bury them.

[red butler]

Originally Posted by OrangeEmpire

I disagree, nothing can replace the pictures such as bull dozers in Korea lining our dead up like cordwood because the ground was frozen and we could not bury them.

The difference is that in a large group, you can't pick out individuals. Everyone that knows this Marine will have to deal with the emotion that this picture is going to stir up.

"Saving Private Ryan" and "Band of Brothers" stirred me more than any picture I've ever seen of D-day. One of the most famous war pictures ever, was taken during the TET offensive. It showed a South Vietnamese general executing a prisoner; sparking even more anti-war sentiment. It neglected to add that the prisoner had just killed all of the general's god-children. Photos can damage the war effort in more ways than the enemy could ever hope to.

I'm not saying these pictures should not be taken and documented. War photos are invaluable resources when used to reflect on the sacrifices soldiers made after the fact. They should not be made public as a political tool while the memory is fresh in the family's mind. What purpose does that serve?

I'm just pointing out that in no other aspect of our society that I can recall, do we publish publish pictures of an individual's death. We don't even publish executions of convicted murderers out of respect.