Politics and Responsibility

[Joel Tlumak <JT@JMBM.COM>]

I am stunned by the statements made that "politics has no place
on the LUG." 

It is a fact of life that all photos represent the politics on the
individual photographer, either directly or indirectly.  In
assessing the life and, yes, the work of Paul Strand, politics is a
must.  Likewise, with Evans, Lang, Mapplethorpe, Adams, etc. 
The freedom of speech/free enterprise question on exhibiting
photos, paintings and sculpture on the streets of New York is a
political question debatable on photo forums.  Likewise, the
question of publicly financing art exhibitions, including photo
exhibitions, is a question of politics relevant to photographers
and photo forums.

And, more important than anything else, is the question of
responsibility.  Each photographer is responsible for his or her
photos, regardless of what they say, and the statements that the
photos make the photographer is making.  A commercial
photographer can refuse, for example, to work on an
advertisement that he is opposed to.  Yet a commercial
photographer who agrees to do work for an advertisement
involving a controversy or controversial product is responsible
for promoting a product many people may object to.  A
photographer may create fantastic photos promoting the fur
coat industry, but that photographer certainly knows the
controversy involving fur coats and has to take responsibility for
promoting fur coats and that photographer is a valid subject of
objections.

Responsibility during war is no different, either during Nazi
Germany or during the history of this country.  Photographers
whose photos during the Vietnam war helped fuel the anti-War
protests take responsibility for what those photos did. 
Remember, responsibility works both negatively and positively
- -- and in both directions.  But the question here is whether
discussion of that responsibility, political responsibility, is
relevant to the LUG.  Obviously I believe it is relevant. 
PHOTOGRAHERS ARE NOT AMORAL, APOLITICAL
ROBOTS WITH PHOTOGRAPHIC MOTHERBOARDS.