Caskets
Posted on April 22, 2004 Posted by John Scalzi 7 Comments
The woman who sent a picture of American caskets from Iraq that ran in the Seattle Times (and was then spread around the Web) got fired for it. You’ll recall the government and the military don’t actually like us thinking about the fact the dead come home in boxes.
Fortunately The Memory Hole used the Freedom of Infomation Act to pry 360 such photos out of the military. So, no one’s going to get fired for this photo:
Personally, I think everyone who has a blog, journal or Web page should take a photo from the gallery over at The Memory Hole and post it. Do this for two reasons: One, to remind yourself that our War in Iraq has a human cost, and whether you were for this war or against it (and you’ll recall I was for it) this is the price we have to pay. Two, to remind the government and the military that it works for us, and we have rights and obligations, which include the right and obligation to be a witness to the cost of war.
Also, make a donation to The Memory Hole. I’ll be doing that myself later today.
Update: As most of you know by now, some of the pictures in the collection are of the dead from last year’s shuttle explosion. Most, however, are of the military dead. Here’s a clarification from the Memory Hole.
War dead
This is a small collection of photos obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, showing coffins of our military dead arriving at Dover AFB. This is a sad thing.
The Silent Dead
I’m not sure how many of you recall the administration’s decision in 1991 to disallow media coverage of the caskets of US soldiers returning from Iraq. Recently, however, they chose to enforce this, and one of their contractors fired a
Blood and Treasure
Why this picture? Why now? Mostly because of this woman who…
Blogging disobedience
Chris told me about a post over at Whatever that suggest bloggers post pictures of caskets returning from Iraq. This is in response to Tami Silicio being fired for taking this picture that was then published in the Seattle Times….
Blogging disobedience
Chris told me about a post over at Whatever that suggest bloggers post pictures of caskets returning from Iraq. This is in response to Tami Silicio being fired for taking this picture that was then published in the Seattle Times….
The headline implies conspiracy…
Peeve Farm There are 3 written lines in the body of this article. The first is a bit hyperbolic, but does note a theme. The second implies that even talking about the costs of this war gives aid and comfort…
The headline implies conspiracy…
Peeve Farm There are 3 written lines in the body of this article. The first is a bit hyperbolic, but does note a theme. The second implies that even talking about the costs of this war gives aid and comfort…