Closing Arguments: Photographing America’s War Dead

I saw this earlier on nightly news and agree whole-heartedly with giving the permission to the families, not the government! Who are they that they can tell us what should be done with our own family members and the media! I thought we had the right to freedom of speech, wouldn’t this be considered part of that?

Families are so traumatized by their loss I think it cruel to leave that up to them. Also, it gives fuel to the terrorist to post around the world the results they most certainly will portray as “victory.” Our country seems to forget that we are in a war.

A grieving family doesn’t need to have to deal with this distraction. What if there are multiple KIAs on one aircraft and the some families say yes and others say no? The policy should have been left as it was in order to respect the dignity of the deceased. With this current decision we will have a media circus at Dover.

Having news organizations photograph war dead for their political agendas is cruel and unnessary, but typical of today’s liberal press. Obama’s administration does what Obama has always done – take no stand on an issue affecting ordinary American service families.

I agree completely.
I think that people should see the real cost of the war. My brother is a marine and going back to Afghanistan in 2010. God forbid something happens to him but if it does, I want people to see his coffin with the flag across it. These people have died for us. Perhaps not in a war we agree with but all the same they are dead and they did it for us.

I agree with this policy change. I feel that we should honor the dead, the previous policy seemed to be hiding them

I agree with Toni. I think it is important for everyone to see the real price of war, but also to respect the wishes and feelings and hearts of the families.

Photographing of the caskets is not in any way personally identifying the dead. I believe it is not only the right but the duty of the media to show this reality of wars that our nation has waged and our citizens are financing. We need to see on the news what the true cost of these wars is to our citizens – the loss of our fathers, sisters, brothers, mothers, etc. We need to be reminded of this and to see it frequently. The ban of photographing the caskets was the Bush administration’s way of telling us not to worry about or be reminded of any of the negative consequences of these wars. It is time for this policay change.

I think it is in enormously poor taste that “The Media” would even want to photograph our war dead.

I’m glad this administration has some sense and is refusing to censor us from the real face of the war.
Republicans complain about “too much government” yet they want the government to have control over the most private of family matter’s: the loss of a loved one who gave their life for the country.
It’s about time.

It is something that should have been done many years age. many years ago they changed their policy of prohibiting families from seeing the unshowable bodies if they wished, so this certainly should be changed.

Here is another thing the government should just stay out of people’s lives. After the performance of the press thru the election, it is certain they will spin it for their gain.

As a military spouse, I would want the American people to have access to the sacrifices that these brave men and women have made for the sake of all our our freedoms. The remains of our servicemembers are treated with the utmost respect, and deserve nothing less. There is nothing more humbling then seeing the casket draped in our American Flag. If they are treated with the respect they have earned, then speaking only for myself, I would want the American people to see the sacrifice made.

How does the government propose to enforce the new policy relating to take pictures of flag drapped coffins returning from overseas.
The policy is creating enforcement nightmares.
Just imagine, photos taken of the wrong coffins. Illegal photos taken by cell phones and sold. Law suites over mistaken photo’s. On and on.
My vote. Either a blanket policy of photo’s or no photo’s is the policy.
These young men and women are heros, let them rest in peace.

I see a great deal in the media about the number of American Servicemen and women killed but how about the number of Al Queda ??? Why don’t we ever see that number ? I realize that it would not be as easy of a number to obtain. I would think that even someone with only a degree in communication studies could apply themselves enough to come up with something.

Absolutely only the family should have the right to photograph or not to. Some of these nitwit photographers think they have the rights, when they haven’t earned the right to any war photograph. After they’ve been enbedded with an infantry or other front line unit for a year or more, then than have earned the right “only to ask” the family and accept their first answer.

LET THEM SHOW THE FLAG DRAPED CASKETS SO THE WHOLE WORLD WILL CRY WITH THE FAMLIES

There is no way I would want casual veiwers to see pictures of my young Son’s casket.
It would be a major infringmemt on family privacy.
If the worst were to happen and photographers from news agencys were taking pictures of his casket for posted all over the world, That would be like losing him all over again. We
are very proud of our son’s service and would choose to remember him in that light.

We have waited too long to see the stark reality of war. As a teenager during Vietnam I remember sitting at the dinner table and not only seeing the returning coffins but the graphic news segments of wounded soldiers. This, together with the draft, helped shape my political beliefs. It is high time teenagers today and the rest America stop being shielded from the end result of this war. With the parent’s permision this would be a fitting tribute to a fallen soldier.

I was in the United States Army Infantry for three years. I would have givin my life freely for my fellow soldiers and my country. I would not want my casket show to a bunch of civilians, so they could make a mockery of what these young men gave their lives for. These bledding heart peace lovers have know idea what these men are up against and for them to use there caskets for propaganda is pure shameful. Let these men go home to their families, and let them be buried by the people that loved and cared about them in PEACE.

I am a Viet Nam vet and as a former officer and now a concerned citizen I feel the govt is giving in to terrorists and the tasteless media who only will use the pictures to enlighten their gains and only portray a usual onesided agenda. People who have lost love ones should be allowed to greive in peace and not be told by THIS NEW government what to do. Let the caskets lie in peace and not be exploited for others to degrade the ultimate sacrifice.Keep the nose of the slanted press and media out. Let all remain silent.

The caskets are not draped with names, they are draped with the colors that they fought so hard to protect. It should not be the goal of the media to produce numbers, but their goal to pay respect to the ultimate sacrifice made willingly by the service members. American’s need to see how it is possible for us to have forums like this to speak freely for or against decisions made our elected governing body. We cannot let the ultimate sacrifice of these brave heroes be for nothing….GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS!

No matter where the decision lies, I think it appauling that the news media would parade our fallen heroes on tv for the world to see. These men and women have already given their all. Look elsewhere for your ratings and let them rest in peace.

If the photo were used to honor the passing of an American Soldier and the press could guarantee that it would not be used for political manipulation or that it could be used by our enemies for their own propaganda then it would be allowed. Since this guarantee is impossible the returning heroes should be respected and their sacrifice be honored by allowing them to rest in peace.

Freedom is very costly and it is about time most Americans see firsthand the supreme sacrifice these brave men and women have paid for our right to live free. Jesus Christ gave His life freely, on a cross at Calvary, was buried, rose from the dead bodily and ascended to the throne of His Father.All who trust Him for their soul salvation shall be SAVED John 3-16

I strongly disapprove of allowing the Media ANYWHERE near those precious military fallen. The Media managed to make a 3-ring circus of any event they feel will get them the most air time. Just remember Viet Nam the media complete demoralized the United States and the troops returning were dishonored because they served. They should not be allowed to exploit these tragic scenes! I am always aware of the loss by the local media announcements of losses in our state.

If the Framers intended war to be declared by Congress, and Congress was intended to represent the will of the people, then the system becomes corrupted if (1) people are prevented from knowing the true costs of war, and (2) there is inequality in apportionment of these costs among the people. In this case, the governing power gains a free hand to pursue agendas that cannot be democratically supported. These agendas do not serve the will of the people, therefore they must serve the will of other vested interests. Thus the power of government is perverted into tyranny.

News organizations are constantly showing the dark sides of war,
Well, can someone please enlighten ME as to what the “bright” side of war happens to be.
I believe that the statement that “war is hell” about covers it.
Americans should never shrink from seeing the results of their decisions and from the decisions of their political leaders.
Patriots should NEVER be returned to their homeland under the cover of darkness and a press blackout. It does not honor the fallen to “sneak” them back into the country and rush them into the ground as quickly as possible. If these brave men and women died to protect our freedoms as we have been led to believe then they died to protect the “freedom of the press” and the press should do their job and inform the populace of the most “tragic” cost of maintaining DEMOCRACY.

A good decision, long overdue. Censorship of this reality, this cost, of being at war has been a disservice to the country, both to the civilian public and to those in the armed services who make this greatest of sacrifice. How can we as a country either make good decisions or honor those sacrifices if we are ignorant?
It was simply a policy that protected a few at the top. It was an insult to everyone else.

I agree with the new policy. The only reason for the previous policy was so that a major cost of the war (ie our dead soldiers) would be largely hidden from most of the public. Hiding the return of the caskets is an insult to the bravery of our soldiers.

ONLY A VERY FEW ARE TRULY SUFFERING BECAUSE OF THIS WAR, NO ONE WANTS TO PUT THE DRAFT IN TO EFFECT, SO THAT THERE WOULD BE EVERY AMERICAN HOME EFFECTED. THEN THE TRUTH OF HOW AWFUL THIS WAR REALLY IS. ALSO THE BODIES OF THOSE WHO KILL THEM SELFS BECAUSE OF THE QUILT AND LACK OF OUR GOVERMENT HELPING THEM BY REDUCING THE STRESS THEY ARE UNDER. YES, YES , LET THE WHOLE WORLD SEE WHAT DEATH LOOK LIKE.

Everthing the Bush administration did involved obstructing freedom & violating democratic principles. Hiding the war dead was just like they did with hiding the war funding in “emergency spending” bills. They were liars, cheats, and thieves, and it will take years if not decades to recover from their abuses. Americans, who have had to sacrifice NOTHING in Bush’s war, need to understand the high price for these conflicts – the deaths of brave soldiers (not to mention billions of dollars spent). In World War II, the nation understood this, because not only were these images seen, but the sacrifice did not just fall on the families of the soldiers. EVERYONE contributed to the war effort, and was aware of its costs! From rationing to victory gardens to higher taxes for actually pay for the war, rather than running up debt (including higher taxes on the wealthy – imagine that?!), the whole nation was involved in winning the World War II. What did shallow George say when ask what ordinary Americans couild do to help this time around? “Go shopping” was his smirking reply. Until some people recall the horrors of war, they will not stop pounding the drums for war.

I respect the soldiers and families of those returning from war. I think they should honor their lives by showing the return, whether it be standing or lying. I cry when I see them, I think they are wonderful because they gave themselves for their country and some ungrateful people. If all the families agree to not show the pictures, I will honor their wishes, I still respect them, no matter what!

As a veteran of Southeast Asia, I always believed that the public return of the fallen was essential to the prosecution of a war in a democracy. Nothing speaks as eloquently of the real cost of the conflict as the flag draped coffins being solemnly returned to their home. The ban by any administration of the public observance of a serviceman’s last miles was nothing but a shameful and cowardly act.

Photographing the fallen is Defiently Long Over Due and families should have a right to say yes or no.

The deceased soldiers and their families should not be subjected to the media and their underlying objective to treat the return of our heros as shock value T.V. for ratings.

The family should make the decision. Period. The government should not try to shield the public from thinking about, remembering, and honoring all our U.S. Service Members, especially those who have paid the ultimate price. An administration who places any limits on the press does not want its policies questioned by the American public. What are they afraid of? Dissent is not sedition.

The friendly war. I don’t think the families should decide. I believe it is the freedom of the press. The losses are tremendous and we count the losses by a silly emotionless number. When you see only a few coffins it hurts, it hits home and it’s about time the press is allowed to show the tremendous losses that so many families face. Not only with the numbers but the sad truth of what those numbers feel like. God bless them all. Tens of thousands of lives have become very disposable. Without showing the reality it will continue. It’s unnecessary in the information age for this kind of loss. The technology is there to eliminate these kinds of risks to our countrymen.

Yes, we need to honor our fallen when they return home for burial. It has been a disgrace that this was discontinued in 1991. It seems that it was a spurious attempt to somehow “hide” the sacrifices of our fallen to enhance insensitivity and therefore lessen opposition to our militarism and regime change inclinations. It is a wonderful thing what this administration has done. Once again it is a preview of the many, many other positive changes coming in order to reverse the last 29 years since Reagan got in there. President Carter is now vindicated through President Obama and it is a return to a saner presidential administration.

A Viet Nam Veteran wrote: “If you really want to show the real costs of this war why not walk thru a spinal cord injury ward or a head trama unit at a VA Hospital,”
Amen to that brother. Best post I’ve read so far.

Congratulations to Sec. Gates and to the Obama administration for lifting this ban.
The media with all it’s faults and credits should have never been banned from photographing this true cost of war. And each family should have their say … Not the government.
War is Ugly and to send troops into it and then want to hide what our troops see and know is to lessen their great sacrifice…
I have read comments suggesting that these are enlisted personnel and therefore they know what they are getting themselves into… Well, As a former Navy Wave… The Navy invited me to see the world and take an adventure. Did I realize I could be involved in war? Yeas, but, I was really hoping for the adventure which for me was Italy, so I did have the gift of seeing part of the world…I was much younger and dying wasn’t really what I had in mind…even though I enlisted of my own free will. If I had died, I wouldn’t want my death hidden away like it was something shameful… I would want others to know I died fighting for my country…that it was an honorable death…a good day to die.

Didn’t Bush get criticised for doing this? The story changes when the Dems get into power.

These men and women should never be put on display to prove a point.

WELL SAID…………vanndean

Silly Jane…if you actually could think for yourself rather than regurgitate the liberal (oh, I’m sorry…”progressive”) agenda that the impartial media (yeah, right) brainwashes you with every day, you wouldn’t have so much hate in your heart. People like you love this oppurtunity to scoff at the coffins of the returning heros as nothing more than a symbol of your unity to your far left agenda.
Just keep your eyes focused on what the media tells you for now. One day when you snap out of this coma and you’ll discover that the government took more than all the money from you wallet while you were out of it…they’ll have taken your freedoms too. By then, it will be too late.

It is all to easy to not be conscious of the tremendous sacrifices our soldiers make every day. Seeing numbers in the news cannot drive home the tragedy and loss that photos will remind us of. Every time I see a flag draped casket I am moved. I think our president’s intention is to give that final respect that is long overdue our patriots.

The Gov takes our “whole” family to fight wars created by it. Nation building and oil as its price of all things! Let’s see its National destruction of our country by “our fallen” at Dover! Our “families” want to have, at the very least, our “two-cents” worth of protest against the un-american Bush/Cheney/Rumfeld/Wolfson travesty and for their cruel and unnecessary war in Iraq. I’m glad they’ve lost their authority to “torture”. Now we’re mustering in greater numbers into Afghan where Osama has been hiding all along. If they want him bad enough, the CIA and the FBI should put a price tag of $1 billion on his head. How many assassins and bounty hunters would’ve gotten hot on his trail? Even the Saudi King would’ve joined in the legions of responders. Our National savings would’ve been phenomenal. The difference in money would have been put to greater National use. Now we’re concerned about our “fallen” who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for the idiocy of it all. There is no respect or dignity for the “American family” by those who sent them over there. I want the whole world to know what those in a safe haven — the oval office and the pentagon — have done. My country, right or wrong, when right keep it right; when wrong, make it right! The cost of these wars have been in the billions of dollars, but the cost of “one” American Serviceman is much, much greater to him/her and their “family”. Let us see their remains return to their country, it’s the very least respect we can pay to them.

As a retired Vietnam vet, I absolutely agree that there should be no ban on photographing the caskets returning to Dover AFB. So far I haven’t heard anything about whether the deceased would be identified or not. If not, then there should be no argument about photography. In fact, I think it should be the families’ decision, in each case, to allow — or not allow — photography at the burial ceremony along with identification of the individual. But let’s face it — the total ban on photography of unidentified flag-draped caskets was a political decision made by officials who, in my opinion, cared no more about
those returning in the caskets than they did about sending them to fight in the first place.

I have read all of the Comments above this box. I made notes but I do not think I need to reread any of the comments.
First, I want to say that many newspapers and television networks and Cable News sites do show photographs of flag-draped caskets with dignity and respect.
Second, I recommend to many of the posted comments above to see what I consider the most moving and respectful listing of the dead that occurs from time to time on PBS Jim Lehrer. By reading many of the comments I got the impression that some of the posters have never seen what I am writing about.
Third, a number of the specific sites provided me evidence to see if what was said conflicted with what I am going to say. I could cite them by name and content but I will mention one and only one comment that should be read by all of you and I will name it: Jennifer Allbaugh. She has several comments. I do not know her and her family.
Fourth: Comment by Joseph R. Sligo
The Federal Government, as far as I know, has always treated the military dead with respect and dignity in my lifetime. I am 84 years old and I have studied history and wars since I was a child. I recall the Spanish Civil War and the name of the man who broadcast about the war. My training is in statistics and education. I am not a historian but a student of history.
I would not permit random photographers at the landing of the caskets. However, I would recommend a pool photographer.
Next, no identification by name of the pool photographs. Family not to know who was in the casket. Only those person who should know.
Finally: Next of kin should withhold or permit use of an identified casket.
I may have overlooked some loophole in my suggestions. If so, let me know.
Joseph R. Sligo
07:56 PM Friday February 27, 2009

My preference would be to retain the old policy. Why should we let the enemy terrorists have this additional tool for their propaganda. We already have obituaries of the war’s dead in our newspaper’s Obituary pages. (LA Times, and others) The real purpose for the change in policy seems to be to satisfy those who are against the war by requiring the photograping of the caskets draped by the American Flag. Ilost my brother in another war and would not have wanted his casket or the other caskets to be photographed and paraded by the media before the public. It certainly is not news and it invades the privacy of the deceased as well as the decedents’ families.

I completely agree that the families, or, if the soldier has made a decision about this, the soldier should decide this issue for themselves. As to the press, we obviously need guidelines for both the coverage and the showing of the coverage. I understand that was the reason behind the policy originally–showing a split scene with coffins on the one hand and coverage of a presidentjoking with reporters. It was clearly an inappropriate and disrespectful way to show the coffins of our war casualties.

I think it’s a good idea to ask the families before showing the caskets. The big question is,”What influence does the display of wardead caskets have on national morale?”

I am glad that Obama administration approved that each family can decide to have media coverage of the coming home of their family member in casket. This administration is not forcing any family to accept media. Each service men and women who gave their lives for this country deserve respect and honor.
I remember the news of Bush administration making a ruling of media to not to cover the fact of sevice men and women returning in casket from battlefield. End result? The stupid air show of President Bush on a battleship, “Mission Accomplished”
He certainly wasted my TAX money on that show. Even Bush himself admitted that was a mistake on his last speech in the White House. This attitude clearly shows how much Bush understood
the sacrifice servemen mekes and dies.
Not much!
One of my Republican friend said, “All media is left. They are all bad.” Well, I think media plays very important role in our lives. It is not all negative. I hope media can be used effectively to show the reality of war and sacrifes serveice men and women makes, so that they will receive all benefits they deserve.

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