25YOUTHS!!
Superstar
Now hear me out before negging me to bolivion brehs.
I think, especially in this current media age, we can agree “a picture is worth a 1000 words.” Images have a way of evoking our raw, visceral emotions in a way that words cannot.
The persecution and oppression of black people has been such an integral part of American culture (granted in some parts more than others) that its been normalized and sensitized for popular consumption. I’m talking about towns having public “off from school and work” celebrations centered around the lynching of black men whose only crimes were being black in the wrong part of town at the wrong time or being wrongfully accused of rape, etc. And mufukkas taking “souvenirs” from the bodies, making “leather-bound books”. I believe they were even selling them on ebay as family heirlooms or something….WTF
My point is historically (and currently) America has a way of sensitizing brutal acts and practices to fit their agenda. Hell the KKK was a family-friendly Christian organization that espoused good morals…despite their mission of killing and decimating the whole black family/societal structure. Their goal was to put the fear and reality of savage, brutal, physical and mental violence into the hearts of black people w/o alienating the so-called progressives/moderates in their camp. You know the ones that love to read a good news story about church bombings (“gotta keep ‘em in their place y’know”) but don’t want to be confronted with the visual of the charred innocent bodies b/c it might force them to confront their morality.
I remember in middle school learning about Emit Till and then seeing the photo of his open casket with the memorial pics and the look on his mom’s face had such a visceral impact on me. Years later I’d find out she wanted an open casket to “show the brutality” and said something like “The whole US is mourning with me”. More than half a century later I know I am, in part because of the impact the photo had on me.
A couple months ago my boys and I were discussing the Westgate and Garissa University attacks in Kenya and opinions varied from passive indifference to rage. When we started looking and talking about the pictures, the mood was markedly changed as I think it forced some to confront their own morality and opinion/views and consolidate that with their values, especially those that were on the fence. That situation already hit too close to home but seeing the images somehow made it more real on a level not easily conveyed thru text.
Another example is the picture of the lil kids running from a chemical gas attack in Vietnam I believe. That definitely had an impact on the American conscience and swayed public opinion.
Tl;DR: Should the crime scene photos from the terrorist attack in Charleston be released? After all, it will show the true brutality of the whole situation and force all sides to confront the true reality…Or is it disrespectful and in bad taste?
