A Moment Of Silence For The Fallen And The Shunned

Even If They Don't Care, We Do.

Published on April 27, 2004 By mikimouse In Politics

Here's the compilation of photos the Bush Admin. doesn't want you to see. When I see the photo of a coffin, I think of their family. Many don't want us to see these photos, especially during an election period. Look at these photos and remember they're families and the fact they're loved ones will never be coming home. Why these photos are a shame I don't understand, election or not. If you have the so-called balls to go to war, have the respect for the dead men and women and let the country see their ultimate sacrifice. Please. It's a no-brainer isn't it? But many don't care to want to see it. This is for their families.

Comments (Page 2)

JeremyG

on Apr 29, 2004

Those people are dying in my name. Why shouldnt I see them? They are brave individuals who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Honoring them publicly, to me, is better than having them forgotten.

Support the troops? YES!

dharmagrl

on Apr 29, 2004

Those people are dying in my name. Why shouldnt I see them?

What about the families? They gave up their loved ones to the military, and it killed them. Don't you think they deserve to have them all to themselves at last? They didn't get that option in life, don't you think they should be given that courtesy in death?

If it were Dave in one of those coffins and someone took photos and published them...I'd feel violated. Not only did I have to share him when he was living, I'd be having to share his death with everyone else was well.

InfoGeek

on Apr 29, 2004

But the point of an anonymous coffin is tthat no family would be mentioned. No one would know who is in the coffin.

To make it even more easy, keep the coffin empty. The coffin and ceremony and picture would be a symbol of the sacrifice and price of war.

I am not sure, but I would suspect a few families buried an empty coffin of some sort for those who never left the toews.

IG

mikimouse

on Apr 29, 2004

most likely.

InfoGeek

on Apr 29, 2004

Sorry, my bad the word "toews" should be towers".

IG

mikimouse

on Apr 29, 2004

lol. that's what I thought.

JeremyG

on Apr 29, 2004

If someone dies for somethign that they believe in, than it is an admirable thing, and shoudl be proudly made known. If somoene dies because they're just doing their job, even though they don't believe in the cause...then it should be not-so-proudly made known.

I dont believe that death is something that is better kept private, I mean, I dont even understand that mode of thought. Would you rather that for the next 5 years, when old friends see you to say "Oh how's your husband?" Death is not so morbid that it need be a secret.

messybuu

on Apr 29, 2004

Maybe when people become soldiers, there should be an option somewhere where they can decide whether or not they want their death to be publicized.

mikimouse

on Apr 29, 2004

lol. super that's political suicide to bring that one up. Tell me what soldier, fighting for their country, would want their demise hidden and covered up from the people he went off fighting for, namely the American people. Lmao. I don't think many would go along with that. Think of the Americans from Lima Site 51 I believe it was. Or any American shot down over Laos or Cambodia, the supposed covert shadow war the public never knew about until much later.

shadesofgrey

on Apr 29, 2004

It is my understand that the policy is not out of concern for the families (that would be far too altruistic!) or because the Administration is trying to hide something (This isn't even a GW Bush policy to begin with--though it's being enforced with far more rigor since the start of this war). The policy originated so as to sustain troop morale. The idea is that if you show the mortuary at Dover over and over again and the troops are seeing coffin upon coffin, their spirits will be diminished--diminished spirits lead to diminished effectiveness. Sounds reasonable to me...

Of course, not everyone buys it. Senator McCain said that the policy is a blatant attempt to sheild American's from the cost of war.

mikimouse

on Apr 29, 2004

but the problem is that if it's for troop morale, how do they hide the troop deaths from the troops themselves? See what I mean? Kind of doesn't make sense. The troops there are well aware of the dead in the bloody transfer tubes (lmao) so their morale is already down. It's the people at home whose morale must be maintained. Lessons from Vietnam.

shadesofgrey

on Apr 29, 2004

Let me just say that I'm not saying I support the policy or the reasoning behind it--I'm sort of undecided.

But, there is a difference between "knowing" that people are dying, and having the pictures in your face on every tv and newspaper you see. I'm sure that the Department of Defense knows more about troop morale than I do, so I am going to defer on this one.

However, I do not disagree that morale on the homefront is VERY important.

JeremyG

on Apr 29, 2004

And moral on the home front is a....political concern. So it is indeed politically motivated, to not show images of coffins.

mikimouse

on Apr 29, 2004

"I'm sort of undecided."
yarrr matey, no plank walkers ere' on me vessel! Taik a side oor git oaf. Tis no time fer undecided fence walkairs.

shadesofgrey

on Apr 29, 2004

And moral on the home front is a....political concern. So it is indeed politically motivated, to not show images of coffins.

never said it wasn't--everything in life is political, or can be argued in to the political universe.

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