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Originally Posted by catinthedark
Sadly, there were no bodies to show of the first victims of Sept. 11th. The news media then made a collective decision, one I agree with, not to show the people who were jumping to their deaths.
But I continue to disagree that the news media should whitewash what happens by pretending the death and destruction isn't there. Be it in New Orleans or Iraq. This is the world we live in. It has nothing to do with respect or disrespect. There is a lot of talk out there that there could have been better preparation before Katrina. If the reality on the ground is whitewashed, what will be learned? What will change?
Similarly, I ask again, should the US government continue to hide the bodies of US soldiers being brought back from Iraq? By doing so, they are whitewashing the reality of war - and the fact that 1000+ Americans have died there. Nevermind the thousands of innocent Iraqis.
The role of the news media is to reflect reality. Lord knows, we have enough sensationalism on the "news" around the world. What is wrong with turning on a camera and saying "this is what happened. This is the scene. This is the awful truth."
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Again, would like your rotting dead body that's floating in sewage to be shown for everyone to see all across the world? Or, like Danielle said, would you like the body of your grandma or relatives to be shown like that? Making a conscious decision not to show the bodies of the dead does not whitewash this tragedy, it allows the innocent people who died to have dignity after death. The news media did not show the bodies of the victims of 9/11 and everyone understood perfectly what a tragedy it was. I, personally, find it offensive and incomprehensible for someone to argue that these people should be disrespected after death simply because people have a right to see "reality." There is nothing to be learned from seeing their dead bodies and to essentially rape them of any dignity is wrong.