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Audacity of Truth
Gaffetastic:
Vice President Joe Biden had his “oops” moment Wednesday speaking in a 49er-crazed SF when he told a crowd at a city political fundraiser that “the Giants are on their way to the Super Bowl.” - SF Chronicle, 1-18-12
Disgusting: AP publishes photo of mortally wounded soldier over objections from father
And the excuses the AP gives for going against the wishes of the soldier’s father and Def. Sec. Gates don’t pass the smell test:
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father had asked – in an interview and in a follow-up phone call — that the image, taken by an embedded photographer, not be published.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 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.”
The four-paragraph letter concluded, “Sincerely,” then had Gates’ signature.
The Associated Press reported in a story about deliberations about that photo that “after a period of reflection,” the news service decided “to make public an image that conveys the grimness of war and the sacrifice of young men and women fighting it.
“The image shows fellow Marines helping Bernard after he suffered severe leg injuries. He was evacuated to a field hospital where he died on the operating table,” AP said. “The picture was taken by Associated Press photographer Julie Jacobson, who accompanied Marines on the patrol and was in the midst of the ambush during which Bernard was wounded. … ‘AP journalists document world events every day. Afghanistan is no exception. We feel it is our journalistic duty to show the reality of the war there, however unpleasant and brutal that sometimes is,’ said Santiago Lyon, the director of photography for AP.
What horsecrap. This is the same news organization that felt it was their “journalistic duty” to publish what eventually came to be Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs of terrorists murdering, among other innocents, election workers in Iraq. The AP admitted that for at least one photo, the photographer was “tipped off” by the terrorists as to what was going to take place (background info here). A member of the same AP Pulitzer-winning photography team was stringer Bilal Hussein, who was and is still suspected of having ties to AQ in Iraq. Charges against him in an Iraqi courtroom were dropped and he was eventually released from an Iraqi prison, but the questions and suspicions about his loyalties – and whether or not he aided the ‘insurgency’ in Iraq – still remain.
So, no, the AP can take their invocation of their so-called “journalistic duty” and shove it. We all know what their “journalistic duty” is all about, and it certainly isn’t to “show the reality of war” but instead to weaken the American public’s resolve to fight it. Just like they did with Iraq, and are now doing in Afghanistan. President Obama must resist this type of emotional reasoning when it comes to his decisions on what to do about the escalating violence in Afghanistan. Already some on the left, and a few on the right – like George Will – are calling for an Afghanistan pull out.
Most conservatives don’t support Obama’s domestic agenda because they know it expands the size, scope, and power of the US government over the lives of ordinary Americans in a way that is incompatible with the founding principles this country holds dear. But on the war front, I feel confident in saying that he will have wartime support from most of us on the issue of Afghanistan provided that he not wither and crumble in the face of the mounting criticism coming mostly from his side of the aisle that things in Afghanistan have supposedly deteriorated so badly to the point where we should we cut and run.
So far, the Commander in Chief is resisting the calls. I pray that, for the sake of our security and for the sake of the men and women who have already courageously given their lives in defense of our freedom, that he continues to do so.
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18 Responses to “Disgusting: AP publishes photo of mortally wounded soldier over objections from father”
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Sick, sick, sick!!!!!!!
As a vet of both Afghanistan and Iraq, I’ve met some very agenda driven reporters and photographers. I even had the occasion to punch one out who tried to make an American GI like an executioner. These people seem intent on discrediting the USA and our efforts. perhaps its the reason why newspapers are failing and the networks, CNN and MSLSD are losing viewers.
Most Americans understand that GIs have families and sympathize with the desire to have their privacy protected, especially during times of loss. This tasteless and egregious lack of taste and class proves the AP is full of vile, disgusting pieces of sh*t. And even though the photographer was a female, I hope some female Marine punches her out!
Oh by all means show the last moments of a dying Marine, the brutal murder of Iraqi election workers, stir up Muslims again and again by showing Abu Gharib (sp)photos BUT publish cartoons of allah? no way! have to respect the Islamic religion, Photos of 9/11? Americans can’t handle the pain and may stir them to outrage. My only satisfaction is knowing that these enablers will be the first heads on the chopping block when the caliphate takes over.
This is why I quit buying news papers long ago. AP has and will always be whores to a story. Money is all they care about, got to sell those papers. Shame on all of them. RIP Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Bernard and God bless his family.
I think people who have a problem with the publishing of this photo don’t understand what journalism is. It isn’t the AP’s job to make Americans willing to fight terrorism. Their job is to present the truth and report what’s happening.
Our job as citizens is to think about those images and decide what we think about this conflict and let our government know.
We do need to fight terrorism. We also need to know what’s happening in the war. What makes Americans so special that we shouldn’t have to see and understand the gruesome aspects of war?
My favorite comment about all this comes from a tampabay.com reader: “If you are upset about this photo, are you upset about the war?”
LINK
Did y’all see the pic? Here, Watch the slideshow, listen to the incessant droning mememememe from this woman. What a twit.
As for the pic, I see 2 Marines exposing themselves to direct enemy fire inorder to secure a wounded Marine, and the tone of the article was more in the vein of how they persevere in carrying out their mission against extreme conditions and in the face of a hostile enemy.
I ain’t getting the controversy. I have seen far worse, used in a much more unsuitable manner.
And yes. 6 years, US Army.
What happen to the respect of privacy? What has this world come too now. Can’t people just respect the wishes of family members. This family is dealing with enough already. I mean they lost their son. Who i am greatful fought for our country and our freedom and I thank him from the bottom of my heart. Give his the family the respect that they deserve and remove the photo. If the media has any compassion at all they will do what is right. I think it is just sick that they would ignore what the family requested. I hope they sue the journalist that decided to publish the photo. My heart and my prayers are with his family in this time of need.
…..the AP makes crapweasels look downright honorable, don’t they? A pox on them all. They don’t know the meaning of the word ‘respect.’
That young Marine deserved better. RIP, brother…
Of course, we never show photos of dying Iraqi or Afghan soldiers, right? During WWII, we never published photos of dying Japanese or German soldiers? Since when is the press supposed to be a US propaganda machine? Or are we supposed to pretend that only the enemy dies, and only our soldiers deserve privacy?
I wonder how MR THOMAS CURLEY would have felt if they published pictures of his mortally wounded son after he begged them not to….
This is ALMOST as DISGUSTING as the PUTLITZER prize-winning photo of that poor man being shot execution style in the head during the Vietnam war.
My sympathy goes out to this young man’s family.
Shame on you and your co-horts MR CURLEY…
Photos and film routinely showed dying and dead servicemen during the Vietnam conflict. While I am sure that was hurtful to the families of the fallen, it did help Americans realize that the war was not just a John Wayne movie. This is a different era though and since we all witnessed the collapse of the twin towers the reality of death is imprinted eternally on our minds. It is also a reason we should remember 9-11 for what it was and not try to change it to a national service day. Americans proved their willingness to serve in the days, months and years following that day when they sifted through the rubble at first for signs of life and later to recover the remains of the victims. I can’t understand the administration’s plan to change the focus.
Then by the same token AP by all means show us a picture of a late term abortion…..
When will the AP admit they hide behind their altruistic statement of showing “bravery” in this horrid photo…but rather their own demonstration of rebellious egotism. My heartfelt apologies to the family.
How about they show a picture of Teddy dead or dying; everyone would be up in arms – it’s a Kennedy. Here is a proud Serviceman actually fighting for his country and unfortunately killed in the line of duty. What if it was the photographer?
The parents of Lance Cpl. Bernard requested that it not be published; this scum bag head of AP went against their wishes. Someone else wrote what if it was his son; I’m sure he would not publish. I would guess if he has a son he is probably hanging out at a college campus or a coffee house and has never fired a gun in his life.
Curley, how did this advance the story? It got your name out; good for the ego huh?
I don’t know how you could sleep knowing what you put this family through on top of losing their son.
Curley, you are true scum of the earth.
AP had every right to publish the picture and story.
On the other hand, the military has every right to refuse any person in AP’s employ to be embedded. That is a privilege to be respected. AP has not respected that privilege.
Ergo, get lost AP, the military will find some other organization who respects the privilege and honors its commitment to not endanger the troops.
Just because I find publishing the photo sickening doesn’t mean I’m for war. I haven’t forgotten 9/11. I haven’t forgotten that we’re fighting against extremist, ideological murdering thugs who don’t wear uniforms yet Obama wants to give them trials in the U.S.
This is more propoganda from the MSM, pure and simple. I sure hope it backfires.
Oh, yeah, and where are the pictures of abortions? How hypocritical the MSM is.
The left/statists/socialists/nazis give the Articles of the Geneva Convention the same attributes they give the Constitution of the United States. Apparently there are shadows, penumbras, hidden meanings, etc., in them protecting the terrorists that are just waiting to be discovered by such enlightened intelligencia. It’s almost to the point I’m questioning the natural drive for self-preservation because these idiots obviously are driven to communal self-destruction.
The Geneva Convention gives protection only to uniformed soldiers of a recognized state.
Kinda leaves out all the Gitmo captives, and all those we are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, doesn’t it?
But hey, don’t take my word for it. I’m just a dumb conservative country boy barely able to read the English language. Go read the thing for yourself. Maybe you can tell where our Hawvud-grad prez gets these things.
And Kate, you’ve hit the nail on the head. If it can be shown (no matter how disgusting), then show it, starting with aborted late-term babies.