Letters to the Editor
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re: This is horrific
Patricia, actually Salon has written about the California prison system. The "business" of prisons in California in particular, as well as this article:
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/08/23/prisons/index.html
Imprisoning people has become a very big business throughout the U.S.
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bravo, Salon
Journalists have only one obligation: to truth, no matter what form it may take. Truth trumps all other loyalties, be they personal, familial, social, or national. It is not up to the journalists to try to ascertain ahead of time how a story might "play" out; when it comes to one's duty to the truth, consequences are irrelevant.
One need only look to a publication like the New York Times to see what happens when truth is subverted by lesser loyalties and passions.
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Pathetic self-indulgence by Salon
Lame. Your moralizing self-justification for publishing these photos is pathetic; I'm willing to wager it's all about increasing your subscription base (I won't be renewing mine, by the way). Since you are such a courageous bunch, why don't you publish the Danish cartoons that have provoked violent outbreaks among Muslims, or is the world only entitled to see certain types of provocative graphics (i.e., those that embarass the United States). There's a reason conservatives so often refer to liberals as "hate America first-ers."
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The Truth
John 8:32 says "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free". Baby if you wanna be free, grow up and face the truth. It's ugly and DEEPLY saddening, but it's real and as much as you might wanna hide from it, here it is. The truth is funny that way. And as much as people might wanna blame the messenger, it doesn't matter. The truth will always find a conduit.
"Wherever I go, here I am"
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So What if Publication Causes Deaths? Hey, We're Terrific!
I'll sleep better than you tonight, because I don't have to consider how many deaths I may have caused with this "journalistic coup". Yeah, your adherence to the reporting creed will certainly make the world a better place, both immediately, in the medium and in the long terms. Now that the Muslims will be reminded of this scandal, Peace on Earth is sure to follow.
What is the point here? Abu Ghirab was exposed long ago and whatever measures the powers that be wanted to take to ameliorate the situation have been taken. So what are you accomplishing now? Not being liberal, I have problem getting blood on my hands in service of THE TRUTH.
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Shapiro Opinion Article
I agree with Salon's decision to publish these photos. What other option exists in the absense of the Pentagon's compliance with a federal judge ordering them to do so?
Contrary to DoD's plea that release of these additional photos would fuel anti-American sentiment, the judge countered the American people "have the right to know what's being done in their name."
When will our long, national nightmare end? (Another recitation from Nixon's era.)
I continue to be ashamed of my government and how they have portrayed what Americans stand for to the rest of the world.
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Damn it.
Fine. Abu Ghraib photos on the front page, years after the fact, may not help the cause of peace, but in the name of free information and better understanding, I support that. I would say it's a bold decision, even...but I no longer believe it is, for you.
Why, why, why didn't you run the Danish cartoons on your front page? Were they really more likely to incite violence than THIS? Why are you hell-bent on proving the Right's point that the American Left is basically anti-American? I can't believe I just typed the words "anti-American." But it really seems the only body politic you guys are willing to attack is the American one, and many of us, your Left-leaning and loyal readers, are becoming more and more uncomfortable with this stance as European embassies burn over essentially harmless cartoons.
I'm not saying the "war on terror" is anything but bullsh*t concocted to enslave us. I'm not conceding that GWB had a point when he said "fight them over there." All I've seen this country do for the last six years is pour gasoline on the fire. But hey -- how about a little teeny bit of OBJECTIVITY for Chrissake? How bout some balance? You guys are becoming as bad as the Right when it comes to self-important spin. Hey - the international prison state needs to be exposed. But would it hurt you to say at the same time that there's some serious overreaction going on in the middle east right now? That these cartoons weren't racist, weren't really that bad at all? What the &*#( is wrong with you people!!? Media are all the same these days. Just hammering on one side of the story doesn't constitute educational or enlightening debate.
Not renewing my subscription either.
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Can you explain the timing here?
It is my belief that any press outfit in this country
has a moral obligation to publish the photos or videos
that the government refused to release.
Where the current photos published as soon as they became
available?
Why isn't Salon allowing public access to the whole set?
In any case, thanks for the article.
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Not one of these photos details torture...
If this is the best you got, then you got nothing! I can go on the internet and in like two minutes find you videos of real torture - heads cut off, people shot, people stabbed - but this? This is mostly nudity - degredation - but torture? With no scars? No blood? No bruises? No wonder no one but Salon cares about this: there is no there, there... (That being said, why are we rounding up Iraqis in the first place? I'm completely against this invasion, and wish all the soldiers were home, but as others have stated: if you're too cowardly to run offensive cartoons, running these non-torture photos and calling them torture - because we know that for Muslims, nudity is almost worse than a hot poker up the ass, then one does have to wonder whose side you're really on...)
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Salon Editor on NPR
Salon,
I heard NPR's interview with your editor on my way to work this morning. It appears to be a self serving excuse for dredging up an old news story. The only possible reason I can see is that Salon and the Australian source is looking to incite further violence against our troops in Iraq. If you look at the way an ill-informed, under educated Islamic "man in the street" has reacted to cartoons depicting Mohammed can you defend rehashing the Abu Graib photos as responsible journalism?
Your pious little group can rest easy in your beds tonight knowing that the brave men and women of the U. S. military are protecting even you. Oh, by the way, when one of these brave men and women are killed by a homicide bomber after looking at your rehash of old news, wring your bloody hands for them.
Daniel O. White