Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/07/28
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Unfortunately I think the military is not a special case and that all mainstream journalism is conducted under analogous circumstances; "if you embed with a corporation you must play by their rules," but they play in secret. The Bill of Rights is a great slab of parchment but we have given radio, TV, internet, and journalism over to private power without as much as a peep of protest. These are all the tools necessary to protect the Bill of Rights! This isn't an accident if you consider that the 20th century has given rise to three unique phenomenon; the rise of Democracy, the rise of corporate (or private) power, and the rise of public relations to protect private power from democracy. It is well understood that if you control communication (advertising, media, etc.) you can pretty much control the population. The main difference is that the military does not work in secrete like corporations, and they don't control the means of communication, the government doesn't that is to say. Contrast this conflict with say the Regan era in Central America were there press embedded with US military then? Or Camodia? Well these wars were conducted in secret, secret meaning the general population is not supposed to be able to comment on it. So, what is it about Iraq that we are not supposed to comment about? Lets consider all the corporate dealings going-on, the Billions going from the tax base into private hands all at the expense of a poor nation and done in secret. Lets start there because that is where it all starts anyway. Happy Monday, Chris, back from vacation Phil - I thought your slide show and commentary at NYLUG meeting was moving. Thanks for coming down. At 02:19 AM 7/27/2008, you wrote: >When a journalist embeds with the US military, they are subject, >however loosely, to the chain of command for final release authority. >They know this. Breach of this agreement is a breach of contract and >that's that. Anyone who thinks that embedding with the military is a >blank check is an idiot and irresponsible. I love freedom of speech and >freedom of press. The problem with this is that in a combat zone there >is no such thing. It's not the United States. Iraq is a sovereign >nation and our Bill of Rights does not apply there. Sad, but also true. >It's true outside of our borders in every place on earth actually, >many Americans forget that. When I have been photographing in every >other country except Iraq, I was extremely aware that I was subject to >their laws and customs. As I was a military photojournalist in Iraq I >DID have that blank check, but I also had to answer to my COC for >publication. Not to worry because four years after I took the photos, >the people are still dead, the horror has not changed and the impact is >still there. No security risk now and I can publish whatever I like. >Phil > >_______________________________________________ >Leica Users Group. >See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information Chris Saganich, M.S. Senior Physicist, Office of Health Physics Weill Medical College of Cornell University New York Presbyterian Hospital chs2018@med.cornell.edu http://intranet.med.cornell.edu/research/health_phys/ Ph. 212.746.6964 Fax. 212.746.4800 Office A-0049 "I am the radiation"