AP Picture of Wounded Marine Sparks Debate

[quicksdraw]

A.P. strikes again

Gates: AP decision 'appalling' - Yahoo! News

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father had asked – in an interview and in a follow-up phone call — that the image, taken by an embedded photographer, not be published.


Real classy, AP.

 

[SC_Shooter]

This is just wrong. The only thing showing such an image will do for the AP is get a little 'shock factor' and get a few more hits that day on their site. OTOH, it will cause the family an extreme amount of unnecessary heartache when they have already sacrificed so much.

That sort of sacrifice, I might remind the AP (no one in here needs a reminder), has served over the years to help preserve the very liberties that allow the AP to even function in the first place.

I'll stop now before I start wishing bad things on the AP.

 

[BloodEclipse]

Newsmax.com





Friday, September 4, 2009 5:55 PM





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.
John Daniszewski, AP senior managing editor, said he respected Gates' view but that sometimes the government and press have different perspectives.
"We thought that the image told a story of sacrifice; it told a story of bravery," Daniszewski said. "We felt that the picture told a story that people needed to see and be aware of."
Jacobson and reporter Alfred de Montesquiou were embedded with Bernard's unit and had followed them on patrol in Dahaneh, Afghanistan. She took her pictures from a distance using a long lens. The AP on Thursday ran a package of photos from that day and others that showed his life in uniform and his memorial service. The AP also distributed a detailed story, accompanied by the photographer's journal and an article explaining why the photo was used.
Gates' plea came after the story and photo were sent on the wire but before the time set for releasing the package for publication. The AP had sent the photo as part of its package of stories and photographs under this "embargo" to give editors and producers time to consider whether to use the photo of the fallen Marine, the organization said.
Gates wrote that use of the photo of a wounded Bernard would mark an "unconscionable departure" from the restraint that most journalists have shown in covering the military since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The AP did not change its decision.
"Why your organization would purposely defy the family's wishes knowing full well that it will lead to yet more anguish is beyond me," Gates wrote. "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 newspapers is appalling."
A check on Friday found the story had been used on at least 20 newspaper front pages. None used the picture of a mortally wounded Bernard on the front page, although it was used inside newspapers and on Web sites like the Huffington Post.
The Newark, N.J., Star-Ledger ran a picture of Bernard's memorial service on its front page and the ambush picture inside. Editor Jim Willse said it was "not a difficult decision for us," and said it would have run the ambush picture out front "if the story had been presented differently."
The Wheeling, W.Va., Intelligencer ran the photo inside and an editorial explaining why it did "after hours of debate."
"Too often, we fear, some Americans see only the statistics, the casualty counts released by the Department of Defense," the newspaper wrote. "We believe it is important for all of us to understand that behind the numbers are real men and women, sometimes making the ultimate sacrifice, for us."
Not all of its readers agreed: One woman, having seen the picture in the Intelligencer, made an angry, emotional phone call to AP spokesman Paul Colford to protest it.
The Portland (Me.) Press-Herald ran an editor's note with the story saying it had received the photo but believed it would be in "poor taste" to publish it. Bernard was raised in New Portland, Me.
While the story was being written, an AP reporter visited the home of John and Sharon Bernard to learn more about their son. The couple was shown Jacobson's pictures, and requested that they not be used. In a later fact-checking phone call, John Bernard asked in stronger terms that the photos not be used, Daniszewski said.
Although the family was shown the pictures ahead of time as a courtesy, "we did not ask permission" to use them, Daniszewski said.
"There was no question that the photo had news value," he said. "But we also were very aware the family wished for the picture not to be seen. That created a difficult choice between our job to document the war and our respect for the suffering of the corporal's family."
During lengthy internal discussions, the family issue was the most difficult, he said. Ultimately, the AP concluded that "the photo itself is a part of the war we needed to cover and convey."
The AP had received dozens of e-mails and phone calls about its decision by mid-Friday, many of them critical, Colford said. It was a topic on Twitter, with one tweet saying: "as the wife of a retired Marine, and the mother of a soldier who is now in Afghanistan, I find the AP's `choice' to be a disgusting one."
The Huffington Post put the picture on its front page Friday under the headline, "Snapshot of an Unseen War." It provoked a vigorous debate among its readers. One wrote: "This just isn't right. The man is dead. Not injured. Dead. Just wrong."
The AP received an e-mail from some former military supporting its decision. Dan Cahalan, an Afghanistan veteran, wrote that "this is one of the realest accounts from a journalist I have ever read and just wanted to thank (Jacobson) for her honest reporting of the war."
Jorge Ruiz of Glendale, Ariz., said he and other ex-Marines had often talked about the sanitation of war and the social implications of a lack of images showing what war is really like.
"Death and the ugliness of war is not something we look forward to but a necessity to put the war in its proper context," said Ruiz, who also wrote the AP. "A picture is worth a thousand words. I applaud your courage to distribute the photo and the story of the death of Lance Cpl. Bernard."

Thoughts?

 

[public servant]

Please call, write or e-mail the AP to express your displeasure in their decision to disregard the wishes of the family of the late Lance Cpl. Joshua Bernard.


The Associated Press
Headquarters
450 W. 33rd St.
New York, NY 10001

Main Number
1-212-621-1500


Indiana

Evansville
P.O. Box 1010
Evansville IN 47706-1010
(812) 423-8136
464-7480 Fax


Indianapolis
251 N. Illinois St., Suite 1600
Indianapolis IN 46204-1943
(317) 639-5501
638-4611 Fax



South Bend
223 W. Colfax Ave.
South Bend IN 46626-0001
(574) 288-1649
288-3197 Fax


Address your e-mails to AP President Tom Curley.

info@ap.org

 

[Dryden]

I'm just amazed that ANY member of this administration would be protective of military personnel.
I'm not surprised with the Associated Press. They're whores at the end of their life and are willing to do anything for money.

 

[Bill of Rights]

I'm of two minds on this. I could not care less what Gates or any member of our current administration thinks or wants to censor, nor what the AP was doing to sell papers (if it bleeds, it leads), however, the young man's family's request carries a great deal of weight with me.

On the other side of this, I think that it is high time that our country, our society, and our individual people got one big effing wake up call that freedom is not free and this young MAN gave his life for that cause. It reminds me a little bit of "A Few Good Men", in that we talk about sacrifice, about freedom, about service, and about supporting our troops, but so many here in soft easy chairs or with feet kicked up on the couch with a plate of microwave nachos and a cold bottle of beer have not one God-blessed clue just exactly what the reality of that sacrifice and service are. So many might have a sticker of Old Glory somewhere or a yellow ribbon magnet on their car trunk (d*mn few of those around anymore) but from the description, this image may just bring it home to them. Maybe when our troops do come home on leave, they'll get the heros' welcome they deserve that will embarrass the hell out of them. From so many to whom I've talked, online and off, they are honored to serve or to have served and would go back in a heartbeat if needed, and many don't see the heroism in that attitude and don't recognize either it's rarity or it's value.

Some of us do, and some of us (myself included) think we understand... or understand as best someone can who wasn't there and didn't see what they saw.

For my part, I respect and honor what he did, and I think more people should do so. I can't agree with disregarding the family's wishes in this, but IMHO, the family does not understand the service their son/brother/nephew/uncle/whatever can continue to render to his country... a service I doubt he would hesitate one da*n second to offer.

Thank you, LCpl Bernard.

Godspeed and God bless.

Bill

 

[rambone]

Associated Press makes me sick.

 

[techres]

Threads merged.

 

[IndyBeerman]

Edited for space

I'm of two minds on this.


Thank you, LCpl Bernard.

Godspeed and God bless.

Bill

I also see both sides of this, I think it needs to be seen so today's generation can see what it really takes to preserve our freedom and to remind people of what our fathers, grandfathers, great-grandfathers sacrificed so times so we may live our lives today as we do.

I also see the Pentagon & family's side of this, that is why I think it should have been listed as a un-named soldier, with his name released at a later date and time with the family's permission.

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

I wish that an hour every evening was set aside for news on the war .

I wish it would take over every station like a state of the union address does .

 

[Bigum1969]

A bit of a threadjack, but this reminds me of how our priorities are screwed up in this country.

Soldiers die fighting for our country thousands of miles away in godforsaken lands and it barely makes the news. They are just numbers. We don't want to hear about the pain and suffering; it interferes with our love of all things shallow. We'd rather worship spoiled hedonistic celebrities in People Magazine. We leave the dirty work to others in faraway places... But we're quick to judge when civilians are hurt or our precious sensibilities are offended.

Anyhow, this soldier's family deserved better. No matter what, they deserved better.

Now back to our regularly scheduled lives of worshipping false idols and spoiled celebrities.

 

[SavageEagle]

I'm sorry, but excuse me? You all are appauled at this? I can understand it's against the family's wishes and that's the ONLY problem I have with this. Regardless the picture was taken and will be published in the future regardless.

Now, where's all your bleeding hearts for the THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of pictures of the WWI and WWII and Korea and VIETNAM and other conflict's soldiers not just dying, but also that are pictured BEING shot, dismembered, etc etc etc???

What about those men and women and their families? Is it SOOOO wrong to release a picture of a man who gave his LIFE fighting for freedom? Not just our freedom either. It makes me sick to think that so many people have a problem with the picture in the name of the "soldier's honor". (read in the comments section of a couple different articles) I can understand outrage because the family asked it to not be published, but like I said, it'll eventually get published anyway.

At least wait until after his funeral.

 

[Bigum1969]

I'm sorry, but excuse me? You all are appauled at this? I can understand it's against the family's wishes and that's the ONLY problem I have with this. Regardless the picture was taken and will be published in the future regardless.

Now, where's all your bleeding hearts for the THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of pictures of the WWI and WWII and Korea and VIETNAM and other conflict's soldiers not just dying, but also that are pictured BEING shot, dismembered, etc etc etc???

What about those men and women and their families? Is it SOOOO wrong to release a picture of a man who gave his LIFE fighting for freedom? Not just our freedom either. It makes me sick to think that so many people have a problem with the picture in the name of the "soldier's honor". (read in the comments section of a couple different articles) I can understand outrage because the family asked it to not be published, but like I said, it'll eventually get published anyway.

At least wait until after his funeral.

Dang SE, wake up on the wrong side of the bed today? Bleeding hearts?

BTW, you wouldn't see pictures (at least not of a clearly identifiable person) of dead soldiers in the newspapers in WWI and WWII. Media was very controlled in those wars.

 

[ihateiraq]

the AP has no right to be embedded with military units. they are nothing but a burden, and one more person not pulling their own weight during a firefight. the military has their own journalists, and they will give the public the information the military wants to release. people seem to forget at the end of the day that this is a war zone. forget how much things have changed since the invasion, every time you leave the fob here, you face death. even on the fob you could get a mortar dropped on you. war is an ugly thing when its at its best. i dont want to have to look over my shoulder to make sure something im doing is going to be on the news. we have no need for civilians on the battlefield. especially scumbag journalists. that marines family asked to not release photos of their loved one mangled and dying...its disgusting to me that their request was not honored.

its also disgusting that this man was dying and all this vulture could think of was taking pictures of him. i hope this journalist is still embedded with those same marines, and i hope they handle their business.

 

[SavageEagle]

Dang SE, wake up on the wrong side of the bed today? Bleeding hearts?

BTW, you wouldn't see pictures (at least not of a clearly identifiable person) of dead soldiers in the newspapers in WWI and WWII. Media was very controlled in those wars.

I know, I'm sorry, but IIRC, they did show news clips in the theaters that did show men and women in action on the battle field shooting and getting shot during the wars. My Uncle has some old reels of just such things and remember growing up watching some of them when he would watch me. Raw video in scratchy black and white film with some guy talking trying to rally American's to the cause. Some of the most gut wrenching but patriotic "movies" I've ever seen.

 

[ihateiraq]

I know, I'm sorry, but IIRC, they did show news clips in the theaters that did show men and women in action on the battle field shooting and getting shot during the wars. My Uncle has some old reels of just such things and remember growing up watching some of them when he would watch me. Raw video in scratchy black and white film with some guy talking trying to rally American's to the cause. Some of the most gut wrenching but patriotic "movies" I've ever seen.

did any of those movies tell you exactly who the bodies where? could the mothers of the dead open a newspaper and see "PFC So and So or SSG So and So lies bleeding and dismembered in France"?

 

[Bigum1969]

did any of those movies tell you exactly who the bodies where? could the mothers of the dead open a newspaper and see "PFC So and So or SSG So and So lies bleeding and dismembered in France"?

They did not. Very good point.

 

[SavageEagle]

did any of those movies tell you exactly who the bodies where? could the mothers of the dead open a newspaper and see "PFC So and So or SSG So and So lies bleeding and dismembered in France"?

Do you think that those mothers and fathers couldn't recognize their own kids or their friends when they saw them?

 

[ihateiraq]

Do you think that those mothers and fathers couldn't recognize their own kids or their friends when they saw them?

it depends on how grainy the photo is, or from how far off its taken. regardless, the point is moot. were talking about the here and now. what THIS journalist did. its absolutely disgusting to take someones last moments and put them in a newspaper against the wishes of a grieving family.

 

[SavageEagle]

it depends on how grainy the photo is, or from how far off its taken. regardless, the point is moot. were talking about the here and now. what THIS journalist did. its absolutely disgusting to take someones last moments and put them in a newspaper against the wishes of a grieving family.

I can agree with that.