FREEP Drudge, ask him to remove Disgraceful Al Jazeera pix

me ^ | March 23, 2003 | FO

[FairOpinion]

I apologize for this vanity post, my first.

But I think Drudge overstepped the boundaries of decency by publishing on his front page a picture from Al Jazeera, showing what is purported to be a picture of an American POW.

The Washington Post has an article on it, in case anyone is not familiar with what happened. So far all American Media has refrained from showing pictures of the Al Jazeera video. For Drudge to put up a picture reduces him to well, I rather not say.

Drudge's EMAIL: DRUDGE@DRUDGEREPORT.COM

Arab TV Shows Captured American Troops http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14406-2003Mar23.html

To Moderator: If you think my post is inappropriate, I apologize and obviously please remove it.

[RobFromGa]

If it were my dead family member, I certainly wouldn't be surfing the Internet. Think about it.

[Pravious]

I agree with you about the publication of the picture. The world should see just how horrible and evil this is - perhaps it will shut up some young nitwit up who wants to run over there and protect Iraquis with their lives. Or maybe it will awaken some latent patriotism on the part of some RATS (it's buried very deep, but some of them must have it in there somewhere). I'd rather be faced with indecent and disgusting truth than have my information pre-sanitized for me, thank you very much...

[The Shootist]

Crap.

We NEED to see those photos and video. Anything else is censorship.

What is it with you people?

[Smogger]

But I also wish that they showed the planes flying into the WTC every week since 9-11 too. So, I may be skewed in my thinking.

I just want America to wake up and see that we are fighting EVIL-- not some sanitized, prettied up version of BAD.

I agree completely. I think people should be angered and outraged, but they should direct their anger and outrage at the Iraqi government. These people are friggin animals and they have no couth.

Let the peace protestors see the people that they are defending. See how they treat our young men and women. Do we subject their prisoners to humiliation? No. It's sickening but people need to look. I agree that they shouldn't show the interviews on TV though as it violates the geneva convention and pending the families notification.

[Maigrey]

He can do his service in disseminating the news, but I do think that it should be respectful and tasteful. Plastering the faces of the war dead before the family is notified is dispicable.

[armymarinemom]

With all do respect Medscribe and Ratpatrol. Families would prefer to be notified by a Chaplin and family services rather than the media. Do you want your family used on Drudge? There is a good chance that I know the families of these solders online. Troops would appreciate your support on not agreement to use them or their family for exploitation

[PhiKapMom]

What if it is a friend who doesn't know what has happened?

My three children all have friends in the Gulf -- Marines, Army, and Air Force -- they are on the Net a lot and I certainly don't want them logging in and seeing the pictures on Drudge until CENTCOM or DoD has released them.

[RAT Patrol]

Alright, wizzler, fair enough. To me, posting that picture is equal to posting police crime scene pictures. It revictimizes the person. I feel strongly that it is disrespectful to our troops.

[bluecollarman]

If I had the link to the video I would post it in an instant. You can't be serious. You are for the war but do not want anyone to be offended? I want them to be outraged.

[FairOpinion]

" I think that people should be outraged at Iraq for doing this."

-----

I agree with that part.

I know what you mean, when you don't want to shield people from actually seeing the evil, and I agree with you, that the WTC bombings should be shown, including footage that they edited out after the first day.

But THESE pictures are different, because showing the pictures not only violated the Geneva convention, but humiliates our POW-s, and also the purpose of Iraq showing these pictures is for propaganda reason, to intimidate the US and to give ammunition to the anti-war protesters.

Or did you forget that we pulled out of Somalia virtually immediately after those horrible events happened and pictures were shown.

It isn't going to happen this time, of course. But the point is that showing these pictures is supporting Iraqi propaganda.

For most people it is enough to hear and know what Iraq is doing, we don't need to see the pictures, which are disgracing to our troops.

[CheneyChick]

If it were my son I would want this atrocity shown repeatedly so that his death would have consequence.

I'm sure you'd want to see a picture of your violated daughter or sister if she had been stripped and raped there, too. After all, "Show these mainacs for what they are."

You gotta draw the line somewhere. Obviously, you and I draw it in different places. Drudge crossed the line in decency - IMHO.

CC

P.S. Thank you, Fox News, for showing discretion. I respect you.

[vastrightwc]

I certainly am not going back until I get the "All Clear".

What, do you feel like you are in harms way here. Has reality bothered you so much? If you need to stick your head in the sand until everything is nice and tidy, go ahead. I want to know and see what is happening.

What if that was his brother, cousin, or whatever?

If it were my relative, (and I have relatives over there)my seeing the truth would not change the truth.

[Anomaly in Illinois]

good point

[ConservativeConvert]

I agree. While I do not think images of dead soldiers should be televised if they clearly show the face and identity of the individual, I do think it is important for Americans to see graphic images. Any attempt to "sanitize" the operations are akin to the networks editing footage of 911 WTC victims jumping to their deaths. Americans need to come face to face with the horrors we are being confronted with in order to fully understand them. G ratings are for little kids in movie theaters...the news should be distinctly R rated and aimed at adult viewers.

[Wormwood]

I understand why Drudge posted the pictures, and I also understand why many objet to them.

In any event, these pictures (and videos) will eventually be shown to the nation.

How will America react? Will their anger be focused on Iraq...or Bush?

[UncleSamUSA]

Matt Drudge is just a scumbag media whore... you can bet he will follow up his disgusting posting of the photo with a mega photo of the Hollywood Whores at the Academy Awards tomorrow. And he will also highlight the expected anti-war crap from the spoiled actor brats, instead of highlighting our brave troops putting their lives on the line for our freedoms.

Drudge is no better than al Jazeera.

[jwalsh07]

It's quite simple. Until the families have been properly notified, the posting of those pictures is disrespecting the families of fallen soldiers and those same soldiers.

After the family is notified, the ghouls can have their way.

[FairOpinion]

They shouldn't have showed them then either.

[FreeReign]

It's not wrong to document what is going on there, however gruesome it is, as long as it isn't used for purely propaganda purposes. It's a fine line, but I don't think Drudge is in the wrong on this.

The Iraqis are releasing these pictures for a reason. They think it is positive propganda.

If we show these pcitures of our POW's being killed then other POW's become more at risk -- to be killed and displayed.

[TLBSHOW]

bump