Tuesday, May 20, 2008

A matter of respect

You may not want to click to enlarge

Child pornography laws strictly forbid the publishing of sexual explicit photos (or even suggestions thereof) but it’s perfectly fine for the Daily Hampshire Gazette to publish this stark Front Page photo showing the remains of a child who suffered a violent death?

There were other--less shocking--ways to illustrate this terrible tragedy in China.

4 comments:

O'Reilly said...

Larry,

When Katrina hit the gulf coast, there were many fund raising efforts across our country to help the afflicted. In fact, Congress wrote a law that said 100% of your donation to a Katrina aid agency was tax deductible.

Do you know what agencies have started a fund that will be spent to help people hurt by the earthquake in China? If you do, I'd like to make a donation.

Sometime we must see the news in terms of human tragedy before we are moved from our complacency. I imagine this image was disturbing to you as it could have been you newly adopted child and that's a little bit too personal.

I'm back from my trip to the midwest. My good cheesehead friend is on the mend. Best, O'Reilly

Anonymous said...

How are you any better by posting it here and even including a BLOWN UP version of the photo?

Larry Kelley said...

Well, first of all @sshole you had to click on the photo to blow it up.

About 15 years ago a homeless guy called the ABC TV affiliate and said he was going to immolate himself at a Public park.

They sent a cameraman. No producer or reporter just a cameraman.

And sure enough the guy was there at the appointed time and struck a match that promptly went out. So he struck another that also blew out. And the third was the charm and he placed it against his elbow and it slowly caught and slowly the fire worked its way up to his upper chest were it really got going. And by then he changed his mind.

The story angle then changed. It was no longer a homeless guy wanting to go out in a blaze of glory (and the media aiding in that quest) but should the idiot cameraman have dropped the freaken camera and put out the fire.

Nightline covered it that night and Ted Koppel said they would never show something like this but now the issue was one of journalistic integrity (as in: did the idiot cameraman screw up?).

So they showed the tape letting the viewers decide (with an advance warning of course).

And yeah, I think the cameraman screwed up.

Larry Kelley said...

Hey o'reilly,

Wondered where the hell you were.

The image was indeed, a tad too personal. But I'm sure lots of Dads momentarily envisioned their daughter's hand, or Moms their sons or grandparents their grandchild.

The sudden death of a child transcends all cultural, political, or religious borders--especially on this massive scale.

I stumbled across it, bleary eyed, at 5:30 this morning--before having my first coffee. Not a great way to start the day.

At least they didn't put it ‘Above The Fold’, so it would show up when placed in those ubiquitous vending machines where young children could easily see it.

I will ask tomorrow at the Chinese Charter School and see if they know of any reputable relief organizations.