Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/09/01

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Subject: RE: [Leica] les fleurs du mal: was OT: Nachtwey (was Personal portfolios of ...
From: "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>
Date: Fri, 1 Sep 2000 10:14:05 -0400

You consider some pretty odd things entertainment, Arthur. Somehow I don't
see the documentation of man's inhumanity to man falling into that category.

And had those photos of the Death Camps never been taken, today a large
proportion of mankind would believe the lie that there were no Death Camps.

Likewise, the documentation of Rwanda. 'Hey, a couple of silly natives
hacked each other up. What's the big deal?' Look at Nachtwey's photos, and
the work of other PJs, and the writings of the author of "We Wish To Inform
You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed Along With Our Families" - whose name, I
am afraid, escapes me at the moment, and you begin to know what happened in
Rwanda. Then, if one is not in a coma, one begins to ask 'How COULD this
have happened - again?' And the more such questions are asked, the greater
the chance that this atrocity will not be repeated.

I know, I know, it will undoubtedly happen again. But hopefully if and when
it does, it will be stopped sooner.

B. D>

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of
> ARTHURWG@aol.com
> Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2000 8:44 PM
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: Re: [Leica] les fleurs du mal: was OT: Nachtwey (was Personal
> portfolios of ...
>
>
> OK, John, the Nachtwey photos make you ask questions. But what are the
> answers? What moral, ethical or spiritual "progress" have we made as a
> result? What have those photos done to make things better?  Are
> we better for
> seeing them? If so, how so? What change has come about as a result of
> Nachtwey's actions?
>   In 1945 we had pictures of the death camps in Germany. In 1995 we had
> pictures from Rwanda. When the "unthinkable" happpens next week,
> next month
> or next year, Nachtwey will probably be there to take pictures.
>
> As much as I'd like to think otherwise, all this now comes under
> the heading
> of "entertainment." Arthur
>