Sunday, March 1, 2009
Some day the left will get around to actually supporting the mission the troops die for, and not just their own self-aggrandizing and oh so important "statements." I find this piece by Ralph J. Begleiter to be particularly dishonest and deceptive: Lifting image ban respects war dead
The reversal of two decades of policy on images of returning war casualties is an important and welcome milestone for the American people.
The Pentagon's decision announced Thursday allowing media coverage of coffins of war victims returning to Dover Air Force Base -- if families agree -- restores to its rightful, honorable place the immense value of the sacrifice American troops make on behalf of their nation. It allows the American people to honor the dignified and respectful return of war casualties to home soil for the last time.
Horse. Shit. He knows very well that such photos aren't going to be used for that purpose, and that's not the reason the press has been hyperventilating to get back at the caskets.
Although no one should have a veto over the nation's ability to pay respects to its fallen troops, I believe most families will decide that their sons and daughters deserve to be recognized publicly for their sacrifice.
Ask them. Military Families United believes the families were not consulted on the policy change.
These men and women enlisted in the military for their nation. They fought for their nation. They died for their nation. Their return should be respectfully and publicly acknowledged by their nation.
They are, at funerals nation wide, where the photo-ghouls would have to actually face the families.
The ban on images of returning casualties started accidentally, and without any reference to the "privacy" of the families of those who gave their lives in service to the nation.
The accident of media history occurred in December 1989 when poor White House scheduling placed President George H.W. Bush before live television cameras just as the first American casualties were arriving at Dover Air Force Base from the U.S. invasion of Panama.
CNN and two other major TV networks fired up their split-screen technology, showing on one side the president joking with White House reporters just before the Christmas holiday -- and on the other the sober images of flag-draped military caskets being carried ceremoniously by honor guards across the tarmac at Dover.
Ah yes, 'bad scheduling' on the part of the White House forced the networks to split-screen the smiling President and the coffins. Horse. Shit.
After the holidays, the president appealed publicly to reporters to "help me" overcome a public impression that he had been insensitive on TV about the returning casualties...
Asking the press for help? Oh yeah, I'm sure that went well (for a Republican). More horse-hockey from this journalism prof. and CNN's 'most widely traveled reporter' here.
