The Next Journalism Controversy
I can’t wait to hear the discussion following the publication and/or broadcast of the photos of Saddam Hussein’s deceased sons and whether showing them in the United States media is in good taste.
This morning, I heard a radio interview of a man who had lived in places where they paraded the bodies of the murdered leaders and their family through the streets. I listened as he described watching someone–a police officer?–continually prod the body of the slain leader during a television broadcast so that the audience would know he’s really dead. I expected the man to say how awful watching that was and how it isn’t appropriate to display the bodies or even photos of the deceased. Instead, he said that because the Iraqi people had been deceived so many times by former leaders that displaying the bodies or their images so that people can see them for themselves would be a good move.
What I’m curious about, though, is some of the rules of war. If it isn’t okay for us to display photographs of prisoners of war, why is it okay for us to display images of killed leaders or other prominent government agents? And what’s the difference between us displaying the images of their deceased leaders and them displaying the images and bodies of our soldiers? Why is it okay for us to do it, but it isn’t okay for them to do it?
Addendum: Donald Rumsfeld is now issuing explanations about why he released the photos. Via Reuters.
Addendum: 7/25 Here we go:
C-NET News’ “Web debate on photos of Hussein’s sons”
National Public Radio’s Morning Edition
