AP picture of wounded Marine sparks debate

[strollingbones]

NEW YORK – Defense Secretary Robert Gates expressed disappointment Friday at news outlets that used a picture taken and distributed by The Associated Press depicting a U.S. Marine mortally wounded in combat in Afghanistan.

The AP distributed the picture despite personal pleas from Gates and the dead Marine's family in a case that illustrated the difficult decisions in reporting on a conflict where Americans have seen relatively few images of fallen U.S. troops over eight years.

The picture, by AP photographer Julie Jacobson, showed Lance Cpl. Joshua "Bernie" Bernard, 21, lying on the ground with severe leg injuries after being struck by a grenade in an ambush on Aug. 14, his fellow Marines tending to him. Bernard later died of his wounds.

Gates wrote a strongly worded letter to AP President and CEO Tom Curley on Thursday, saying it was a matter of "judgment and common decency" not to use the photo. A Pentagon spokesman said Gates followed up with a phone call "begging" Curley not to use it.

After the photo was published Friday, the Pentagon released its communications with the AP.

AP picture of wounded Marine sparks debate - Yahoo! News

 

[Dis]

I don't know why, but I can see picture after picture after picture, and while sad, not much phases me...

But for some reason, that particular picture (boot, gun, helmet) just fucks me up to the point of tears every time.

 

[strollingbones]

just to be clear..that is not the pic in question....the pic inquestion....the family has ask that picture of their son dying not be used.

that pic is a makeshift memorial to bernard.

(i know you knew this dis but i have found you cant underestimate the stupidity of some posters)

 

[pete]

While it may be distasteful and not so kind to the family it is the reality of what is going on. Some I am sure sit and watch you tube and other videos of people from other countries being assassinated, tortured and so on including the tank incident at Tiananmen Square.
Maybe images like will help get them home.

 

[WillowTree]

It was a damn disgusting thing to do. His father begged them not to do it. I hope he has some legal recourse. God bless this family in their loss and god damn the AP. to hell.


and why doesn't shit head bring the troops home like he promised in his messianic campaign speeches?

 

[xsited1]

Maybe next time the AP will post pictures of muslims stoning people to death. Nah!

 

[goldcatt]

If the family objected, it shouldn't have been used. Period.

 

[Contumacious]

NEW YORK – Defense Secretary Robert Gates expressed disappointment Friday at news outlets that used a picture taken and distributed by The Associated Press depicting a U.S. Marine mortally wounded in combat in Afghanistan.

Yes, yes - the AP is a bad news outlet for showing Americans that the Afghan conflict has deadly consequences.

 

[Gunny]

While it may be distasteful and not so kind to the family it is the reality of what is going on. Some I am sure sit and watch you tube and other videos of people from other countries being assassinated, tortured and so on including the tank incident at Tiananmen Square.
Maybe images like will help get them home.

They aren't going to get anyone home. They are used by the media and political opportunists in an attempt to sway public opinion to their respective points of view.

Which is irrelevant to the fact his family opposed publication of his picture. People die every day over there. Find someone whose family DOESN'T care.

This is just more self-rigtheous, irresponsible behavior by the media.

 

[Toome]

Seems that the news media thinks that it alone can decide when something is appropriate and when it is not. Why not show the anti-West rallies that take place inside mosques? Because the news media believes this would inflame American anger towards Muslims. Yet the news media believes that showing photographs such as this is some sort of ethical obligation, especially over the protests of the family?

When do we, the people, take back control? Or do we just sit aside and let some news media executive decide what's good for us?

As for all you liberal apologists who believe that this is a dose of reality that the American people need to be exposed to----no picture can accurately portray what real combat is like. No picture can capture what goes on inside men's hearts when they are about to do battle. No picture can capture the real ugly brutality of war. Unless you've danced with the devil, you will never have the slightest idea of what real combat is like. So don't try to sell that bullshit to the rest of us that this gives war a sense of "reality."

 

[JakeStarkey]

The picture should not have been used because of the family's request.

 

[veritas]

I find it odd that a family would request such a thing. Truth is truth. I am of the opinion that neither Iraq nor Afghanistan nor any of its citizens are worthy of such sacrifices. Not even one dead soldier. Not even one injured soldier. Not even one tired soldier. Nothing.

 

[Sinatra]

I find it odd that a family would request such a thing. Truth is truth. I am of the opinion that neither Iraq nor Afghanistan nor any of its citizens are worthy of such sacrifices. Not even one dead soldier. Not even one injured soldier. Not even one tired soldier. Nothing.

You are also a truther - so your opinion counts for very little in the real world of common sense...

 

[veritas]

I find it odd that a family would request such a thing. Truth is truth. I am of the opinion that neither Iraq nor Afghanistan nor any of its citizens are worthy of such sacrifices. Not even one dead soldier. Not even one injured soldier. Not even one tired soldier. Nothing.

You are also a truther - so your opinion counts for very little in the real world of common sense...

You are the one that has no sense whatsoever. You're scared of every little thing. ooooh Van Jones!!! Run!! ooooh el Presidente wants education to succeed!! oooh death panels........

You're just a human Xerox machine with speakers.

 

[Sinatra]

I find it odd that a family would request such a thing. Truth is truth. I am of the opinion that neither Iraq nor Afghanistan nor any of its citizens are worthy of such sacrifices. Not even one dead soldier. Not even one injured soldier. Not even one tired soldier. Nothing.

You are also a truther - so your opinion counts for very little in the real world of common sense...

You are the one that has no sense whatsoever. You're scared of every little thing. ooooh Van Jones!!! Run!! ooooh el Presidente wants education to succeed!! oooh death panels........

You're just a human Xerox machine with speakers.

And yet, you are the truther...

 

[goldcatt]

I find it odd that a family would request such a thing. Truth is truth. I am of the opinion that neither Iraq nor Afghanistan nor any of its citizens are worthy of such sacrifices. Not even one dead soldier. Not even one injured soldier. Not even one tired soldier. Nothing.

Maybe they just want privacy.
Maybe they don't want their son's sacrifice to be the subject of a thread like this, let alone the more vicious blogs.
Maybe they don't want to see it on the front page of their local newspaper in the morning.
Maybe it's against their religious beliefs.

Who cares why? The fact is, they did request the picture not be used. It should not have been used. This is not rocket science, regardless of your personal views on either war. Next!

 

[Sinatra]

I find it odd that a family would request such a thing. Truth is truth. I am of the opinion that neither Iraq nor Afghanistan nor any of its citizens are worthy of such sacrifices. Not even one dead soldier. Not even one injured soldier. Not even one tired soldier. Nothing.

Maybe they just want privacy.
Maybe they don't want their son's sacrifice to be the subject of a thread like this, let alone the more vicious blogs.
Maybe they don't want to see it on the front page of their local newspaper in the morning.
Maybe it's against their religious beliefs.

Who cares why? The fact is, they did request the picture not be used. It should not have been used. This is not rocket science, regardless of your personal views on either war. Next!

Don't bother with that one - he believes the US government was behind 9-11.

He and Van Jones are simpatico...

 

[BasicGreatGuy]

It was a damn disgusting thing to do. His father begged them not to do it. I hope he has some legal recourse. God bless this family in their loss and god damn the AP. to hell.


and why doesn't shit head bring the troops home like he promised in his messianic campaign speeches?

The father did not own the rights to the picture in question. I am not aware of any law being broken here.

 

[goldcatt]

It was a damn disgusting thing to do. His father begged them not to do it. I hope he has some legal recourse. God bless this family in their loss and god damn the AP. to hell.


and why doesn't shit head bring the troops home like he promised in his messianic campaign speeches?

The father did not own the rights to the picture in question. I am not aware of any law being broken here.

You're right, it was legal. Disrespectful as hell, but legal.
Just because somebody has the right to do something, does that make doing it right?

 

[BasicGreatGuy]

The First Amendment should be honored, even when we don't like how other people may use it at times.