recently, the associated press released a photo journal by photographer julie jacobson. the journal is a revealing account of the war in افغانستان (afghanistan, and if you're wondering why i've developed the habit of using the arabic spelling for proper arab names, it is because there is no true phonetic translation between the two alphabets, therefore proper names can only be pronounced correctly when read in the language of origin), and depicts, through words, and images, the death of a marine during a fire fight with the taliban.
she, and the AP have come under fire themselves for this release as being too graphic, or perhaps, in some way, disrespectful of the soldiers and the job they do.
another cause for embarrassment that i want to be a part of the media.
i think it bears stating that many countries outside of the US criticize our media coverage of war as being not only one sided, but censored in regards to violence, and death.
in regards to war, there is no more important duty for the media than to spread the realities of violence and death. otherwise what incentive do we as humans have to come to our senses and stop fighting over intangibles like religion and politics, or, for that matter, tangibles like oil, money, or territorial demarcations.
that we can take up arms against one another for any reason whatsoever, that we can kill each other point blank, and that we can sit aside, while other do this in our names, and only wish that we didn't have to see the bloody parts, just the noble parts where the statues get torn down, or the bad guys get escorted off in chains, or the masses of people wave our flag, and cheer our efforts, is pure bold faced insensitivity, and stupidity, and is contrary to everything we claim to embrace as a species to set ourselves apart from the "beasts".
that we can happily chomp into a hamburger, so long as no one is talking about how to slaughter and break a cow carcass, that we can hunt down the best deal on a pair of shoes, so long as no one itemizes the human rights abuses at the factory that produced them, that we can have any opinion whatsoever on war so long as we never have to see the nasty parts where people lie dying and dismembered, or crying for their lost companions, or begging to come home, that we can pacify ourselves just long enough for the war to end, then get riled up when oliver stone or michael moore make a movie about it years later is perhaps more troubling than war itself.
you may find the photo journal by clicking the related threat level (red white and blues), or by clicking here.
but in case you are too squeamish to deal with it, the key photos are included below. deal with it.
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