The first photos are starting to emerge since the SecDef announced that he was lifting the ban on allowing media coverage of repatriation of servicemember remains at the Air Force base. I’m taking a wait and see stance. On one hand, I’m glad that the American people will get to see the honor that our troops receive when they are returned to American soil. On the other hand, I’m apprehensive about the media actually giving it the respect and honor due it.
I’ve got a suggestion for our media. Instead of scrambling, whining, moaning, and complaining that you haven’t been able to film these arrivals, how about you start actually telling these fallen heroes’ stories as well?!
I spend HOURS this morning reading everything written by the press – mostly a reprint of the AP splash.
Something was missing – who was this man? He was a remarkable man. Yet, they didn’t bother with his story…
But..But Farah Fawcett is in the hospital!!
Seriously, CJ, I’m still not sure if this is a good thing or not. Yeah, the media might behave themselves for a bit but politics won’t be long to follow, I’m afraid. It always does.
If I had been Gates, one of the conditions would definitely been telling the stories behind the coffins shown. Per family permission, of course.
I wsa upset when I heard the ban had been lifted. I’ve been to way too many airports to escort way too many Heroes’ bodies to the funeral home, with the Patriot Guard Riders… When the loved one is flown home and the family sees the flag-draped coffin for the very first time, it’s a gut-wrenching, devestating, and *highly* private moment…the thought of media swarming around made me pretty ill, personally… like the families need to worry about THEM on top of everything else….
Hubby pointed out, however, that the families DO have to GIVE PERMISSION to allow the media to be there… that made me feel some better – it is still their choice. But still…
However, as you said – the media DOES have an opportunity to tell their stories with dignity and respect. I hope they do so, and do not cause havok and chaos and add to the grief even more….
While I am split on this issue, the one thing that I really dislike about it is there is now one more decision that the family will have to make when their loved one is coming home in a coffin. This should be something that the service member decides on, with his family, before a deployment. We are expected to make out wills and take care of our personal issues before we leave. I think this should be one more thing that we can take care of before the service members deploy.
This will also help in the case of people like Cindy Sheehan, while I know that she has suffered the ultimate sacrifice, I cannot stand the way she uses the memory of her son.
Back to my main point, I cannot imagine the difficulty in making the decision that currently need to be made, with out adding one more enormous decision on to that. I can also imagine the MSM will start to pressure families into making the decision they want. With the media coverage of numbers vs names in our fallen service members, what will they drop to when we hit a new “milestone”?
If the media would tell the names and stories – and with respect – I’d maybe reverse my objections. I won’t hold my breath for that, though.
My feeling on the matter is that it should be left to the decision of the person that is in the flag draped coffin. What if you join the military without the blessing of you parents, or in complete rebellion of their wishes? What if you disagree with your remains possibly being used as a political weight to change some of the very things that you died for? Who cares about those whishes? Yes in a perfect world, respect would be paid to these fallen brothers, but we do not live in a perfect world. Has anyone ever thought about the fact that once these pictures are made public they can be used as a rallying cry from our enemies? If it was up to me, and I fell on the battle field, there is no way that I would allow photos of my remains to be used against the country and the people that I love, that I have fought for, that I have lost friends for.
In the military we make decisions all the time about what will happen if we die, why can’t this be one of them.
As everyone else has said, I don’t agree with this decision and see it eventually turning into the circus that the media tends to make out of all things military, every chance they get. However, I agree with Gene, that if their going to lift the ban, then it should be with the Soldier’s permission.
As a mother of a Fallen Hero, I personally am against the media being there. with that said the media did do a good job for now. Except yesterday wasn’t about Staff Sgt Myers it was about how the media go there. What is wrong with that picture? Where was the Fallen? If you google Staff Sgt Phillip Myers see how many pages are about the media. I found 10 and stopped and never saw information on the Airman. Again What is wrong with that picture?
So my opinion stands. I am glad that I or my daughter-in law did not have that decision to make.
Yep, the first viewing tells the focus of the media, in my opinion. The media is never about the hero, the witness, the victim, etc. They have an angle, a story and a job… and it makes me sick that now they have access to use our fallen hero’s for their angle.
The media lost their ethics decades ago, and I have seen no effort on their behalf to try and regain some sense of honor in their profession.