AP photo of dying marine

[samhail]

The AP recently released a picture of a dying Marine,Lance Cpl. Joshua Bernard, in Afghanistan. They are getting a lot of criticism on releasing the photo and it seems like everyone has an opinion. I consider myself to be a very patriotic person but I have no problem with the release of this photograph. I feel that it is the duty of the press to tell the whole story and sometimes death is a part of that story. If we saw more pictures like this then maybe we wouldn't take our soldiers for granted. I support the war in Afghanistan but I feel that too many people don't realize that men and women are dying there. I understand the parent's objections to the publishing of the picture but I feel that the world has a right to see it.
What is your opinion? Should the AP have released the photo or respected the wishes of the parents and the US defense department and not published it? I am curious to what photographers think.
I placed a link to the picture and an article about it.

Please be warned that the picture can be graphic for some.

Pictures of dying marine bring war home to America | World news | The Observer

[Free]

I imagine the defense department are a bit worried that if too many people realise that kids are dying they might need to stop sending them there to die?

I was an undertaker for a few years, so death doesn't bother me at all, happens to everyone sometime. I do think it's a bit rough on the family having to see it, but otherwise, it's news let 'em show it.

[gturner]

it is the reality of war - I have no issue with it. You either have no press allowed on operations or you deal with the results of it. There is no value in censoring the facts.

[Jim Bryant]

Originally Posted by gturner

it is the reality of war - I have no issue with it. You either have no press allowed on operations or you deal with the results of it. There is no value in censoring the facts.

Well, you know that photos that Eddy Adams and others took caused an uproar in the US over the Vietnamese conflict. Personally, I see no wrong in publishing those types of war photos. As a former military photojournalist our officers tried to restrict what we shot but there were ways of getting around those situations Our company/squadron/air wing/ commanders are gutless and only worry about their self image of not being put In a*bad light. It all boils down to fitness reports or getting bad marks so that they can’t get promoted. Besides, the true story needs to be told.

Photos such as that turned the American's against the Vietnamese War. I for one, don't believe that U.S. Forces should be used as the world's police force. It's too costly in both human life and our country is in debt enough. They are fighting for our 1st Amendment, which is freedom of the press.

[JFSanders]

Publish the pictures. The more graphic the better. As a father of a Marine, a Airman, and a Soldier I want it known just what sacrifices my children are making. So that those who sit on their lofty high horses and preach tolerance for intolerant cultures and preach appeasement of those who would see us killed for nothing more than having a different culture. So that these holier than thou people can see the sacrifices being made so that they can stand on the corner and spew their nonsense no matter what "side" they are on. So by GOD yes publish the photographs. Maybe then we will see that the path to peace is to meet aggression with overwhelming force and complete destruction of the enemy's will to fight.

[Jim Bryant]

Originally Posted by JFSanders

Publish the pictures. The more graphic the better. As a father of a Marine, a Airman, and a Soldier I want it known just what sacrifices my children are making. So that those who sit on their lofty high horses and preach tolerance for intolerant cultures and preach appeasement of those who would see us killed for nothing more than having a different culture. So that these holier than thou people can see the sacrifices being made so that they can stand on the corner and spew their nonsense no matter what "side" they are on. So by GOD yes publish the photographs. Maybe then we will see that the path to peace is to meet aggression with overwhelming force and complete destruction of the enemy's will to fight.

how true!!!!!!!!! Americans have sacrificed enough for the freedom.

[oldwolf]

As a former combat medic that has served in a war zone, I say print it but only after the family has buried the soldier which seems to be the case here.

If it were me in that picture? I'd hope to hell that my family would let that print. I'd make a clause in my will and tell everyone I know to have any pictures of me getting shot up and killed printed.

If it were one of my patients that I was treating, be it friendly or enemy? Print it.

American society doesn't realize the cost of war. We sit back in our comfortable chairs with high speed internet, 300 channels on the TV, playing war games on the computer or TV not even worrying about whether we'll get shot up or blown up in the next instance.

Sure you see youtube videos or hear stories of kids freaking out because their character on Halo or WoW got killed and they go ballistic because it's the "end of the world" for them. They don't live in the real world. There are kids out there going hungry everyday while these other kids are freaking out because mom took their game away from them?

American society takes too many things for granted. They cover up the hardships because it's unpleasant to their senses. How many times have you crossed the street because some homeless person was on your side of the street? How many times have you looked the other way because you didn't want to see that homeless person? How many times have you changed the channel because you didn't want to see anything about the war or even the violence in our own country? How many times have you sat there thinking, it couldn't happen in my neighborhood? Ask those people that had it happen in their neighborhood whether they ever thought the same as you.

Get real people. War sucks. Find a better and faster way to get this shit over with, be with superior firepower and strategy or through diplomacy, then you won't have to see as many images of these soldiers losing their lives or limbs. You won't have to worry about when/if your loved ones and neighbors will be returning home.

If it were my son or daughter in that picture? Print it. American society needs to know the sacrifices these kids make so we can sit back here with high speed internet, 300 channels on the TV and the right to talk bad about the war effort or bash the soldiers that are doing their job over there. The soldiers are the ones that signed the dotted line and honored thier committment whether they agreed with why they're going over there to begin with or not.

And don't get me started on these people that join the military and don't want to go to war because they don't agree with it or they're afraid to get killed, dirty or break a nail. hehe

*tries to get off his soap box without falling on his face*

[OsmosisStudios]

Military and Government have always attempted to control the flow of media coverage from the front lines, earlier for morale reasons, and now because most of us have simply adopted a "cant see it, doesnt exist" mentality.

I hate to say it, but in this case it's almost laughable that the "government officials" involved have played the "emotional response" card on it. Yes, it's caused pain to the young man's family, but it's a part of our current affairs and therefore relevant to the greater populace. We don't say the same of photos from WWII and WWI: those deaths caused huge pains to the families back home, but there wasn't such a huge societal difference between then and now.

We live in a very strange time, sociologically. We've come to take everything as being personal, whether it is or not. Unfortunately this prevents true objectivism.

I'm siding with AP on this: Run it, but warn people that it may not be for everyone. At least it sorta appeases the "precious snowflake" crowd.

[Ma Noob]

some of the greatest images of war have been of those dying, the naked girl running at hiroshima, the burning monk. Im past days where images were few and far between i feel we were exposed to alot more. Where more recent wars with infomation sharing being so easy, it feels like we have been more sheltered from it all. I guess some people would be worried we would see too much, and people would revolt and want the war to be brought to an end.

There needs to be a freedom though to show these things. They need to be seen. The sacrifices of these men and women need to be shown, They may not be pretty but it is the reality, and then more people may understnd the gravity of the sacrifice for freedom.

Obvioulsy though this should never be done without the permission from family. And ensuring the dignity of the person.

I truly wish there are no more casualties and every son and daughter can return home safe.

[fletch]

Originally Posted by Ma Noob

Obvioulsy though this should never be done without the permission from family. And ensuring the dignity of the person.

Why obviously?

Of course though should be made to prevent unnecessary additional hurt and pain to the familiy but permission? Surely that is just limiting the freedom of the press.

We shouldn't be seeing an image of every dead soldier as that would just be gratuitous and unnecessary, the same could be said for the medias coverage of bodies (in coffins) returning home, but the odd newsworthy shot of the horros of war is necessary to inform the large majority of what really happens over there.