Day 189 - Shutter to Think

Yesterday, Gregory E. Favre recapped a recent a recent roundtable discussion where a group of leading publishers and editors explored the emerging visual revolution and their roles in it. They examined what strategies and decisions will be needed as technology puts even more emphasis and importance on the visual side of their craft.

The group concluded visual leaders have a duty to examine each image and ask the same tough questions they ask before printing stories that may cause harm.

“It's not good enough to fall back on the old "we-are-just-mirrors-of-the-world" answer,” Favre emphasizes.

Today, Radio Open Source is giving their readers and listeners a second chance to weigh in on the proposed release of additional photos from Abu Ghraib.

The world was shocked when the first photos were revealed. Now the ACLU is fighting the Bush administration for public release of a more gruesome set — this time with videos. We seem to be living in an age where pictures speak louder than words–or do they? The ACLU’s thinking is that promulgating more gore is the best way to outrage a nation. But do we risk becoming immune to these images of abuse? How can we hold the Bush Administration accountable for unthinkable acts if these images leave us thinking not much of anything? In this hour we’ll take a close look at the imagery of torture; what’s gained, what’s lost if the Bush Administration has its way–or for that matter, if the ACLU does.

The Milblogging community has already generated some great discussion in this area. Posts to Radio Open Source’s comment section will likely reach a different and broader audience.

Anybody up for a linkfest?

Earlier this morning, I received an email which contains the emotional account of U.S. Army Spc. James M. Kiehl’s funeral.

A soldier from Comfort, TX, Kiehl was killed in action in Iraq in March 2003 when his convoy was attacked near al-Nasiriyah.

On the day of James' memorial service, much of the population of Comfort— many of them bearing U.S. flags — turned out to line the route of his funeral procession in a moving display of community support for a lost friend and a fallen soldier. This picture was captured by James' 17-year-old cousin, Amy Pierce. See more images with accompanying descriptions penned by his aunt, Vicki Pierce. (Hat tip, E. Walker)