Today is Independence Day, and in that spirit I want to share
some perspectives from readers on the question of whether the media
should be present to record the return of America's war dead.
Currently, the Pentagon refuses to allow the press to be present
when the coffins containing the remains of servicemen and women are
returned to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. A recent vote on the
Senate floor kept that ban in place, despite the protests of Sens.
John McCain of Arizona and Olympia Snowe of Maine. The two
Republicans joined a number of Democrats in trying to lift that ban,
and thus allow press coverage.
A concern of lawmakers voting to keep the restrictions in place
was the privacy of military families.
Last week, I asked Maine readers for their input. Most who
responded said the press should be given this access. The scene at
Dover is not specific to an individual; the coffins are not
identified. If anything, one reader said, there is more invasion of
family privacy at local services and funeral events than there would
be at the larger, more anonymous procession at Dover.
Additionally, the readers said, chronicling the flag-draped
caskets arriving at that air base is an act of respect and a media
obligation. They said it is important for the public to pay tribute
to these fallen warriors and to understand the high cost of the wars
in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But one reader worried whether the media would use discretion
with such images, and instead of handling the photography
sensitively, subject audiences to non-stop footage of the caskets.
Her concern: Granting media access is one question, but how the
media will then use the images from that access is another.
Here are excerpts from some of the comments.
n Jim Mackell of Arundel: "I am a father who has a son currently
serving in the Army in Iraq. He is on his second tour of duty there.
Almost every day the thought passes through my mind that this could
be the day something happens to him. The random mortar round, the
odd RPG, a stray round from one of the millions of AK-47s that
litter the country like pine needles in Maine. I was never concerned
about winning the war, but I've always been concerned about winning
(or losing) the peace.
"It's my opinion that the arrival of our dead at Dover should be
covered as a news event. These men and women have died in the
service of our country. If the publicity changes our actions in some
way, then our actions weren't well justified. I tend to agree with
Sen. McCain, 'We ought to know the casualties of war.'
"There were several articles approximately one month ago when
unauthorized photos were published of the coffins being loaded in
Iraq. A contractor's photo (first published in The Seattle Times)
showed the coffins being draped with the U.S. flag and the care and
reverence that was being used. That's important to me. To know that
their sacrifice is being recognized."
Elaine Baker Duffus of Gray: "While I agree wholeheartedly in
spirit with Sen. Snowe's respectful view that 'it's important for
the nation to realize the extraordinary nature of the sacrifices and
to see the flag-draped coffins returning ... (it's) a moving and
poignant picture and it should be forever etched in the minds of all
Americans,' I cannot ever again have the same faith in the media as
she apparently does. Etched in my mind from late December 1989 are
the tasteless TV images of flag-draped coffins returning from
Operation Just Cause in Panama ...
"I wept while we watched U.S. network footage of the flag-draped
coffins' solemn arrival on U.S. soil being deliberately replayed
repeatedly, juxtaposed with totally unrelated less serious footage
of then-President (George Herbert Walker) Bush, smiling, seemingly
oblivious. All this was accompanied by an egotistical network
anchorman's opinionated critical commentary on the shortcomings and
supposed insensitivities of our commander-in-chief.
"While 'only' 23 U.S. servicemen and two American Department of
Defense Dependents Schools school teachers died during the
'invasion' of Panama, that coverage of flag-draped coffins was
blatantly used inappropriately for selfish political manipulation,
causing my heart to ache even more for the families of the dead ...
Has the U.S. media sufficiently matured and become more objective
since that time? This realist doubts it."
n Don Wellman of Buxton: "I cannot figure out your fascination
with displaying caskets. It is of no help to anyone to show off
these poor soldiers."
n Harry Dwyer of Fayette: "Why is the no coverage policy in place
to begin with? ... Better to keep it out of sight and out of mind.
We do not honor our fallen servicemen and women sneaking their
bodies home. Americans need all the information possible, however
sad or uncomfortable it makes us, in order to make accurate
judgments and hold our government accountable for policies conducted
in our name."
n Charlie Remy of Gorham: "I think that the media should have
access to the flag-draped coffins when they come back from Iraq or
any other foreign place. Olympia Snowe is right on when she says
that this country must have transparency and accountability."
n Michael Morrison of Fryeburg: "As a Vietnam veteran, I fully
understand the Pentagon/Republican effort to keep the coffins out of
sight. During the Vietnam war the press had full access to most
areas of combat as well as Dover Air Base. My wife-to-be said she
did not watch any news programs for the entire year I was in
Vietnam. The daily body counts - both American and Viet Cong - and
the hundreds of flag-draped coffins probably affected public opinion
more than any other single factor.
"War is a nasty, hellish, nightmare. It affects every person who
experiences it for the rest of their lives. When we commit this
country to war every citizen needs to fully understand what that
really means
"In my mind the only heroes of any war are those who never return
home - or come home in a box. My dad fought in both World War I and
II. The day he was buried in Arlington National Cemetery his coffin
was draped in the flag he loved and served for. To not allow the
public to view the return of our fallen heroes, draped in the
anonymity of our country's flag, is a disgrace."
n N. Hill Ward of Windham: "I believe the Press Herald is
exhibiting a high degree of sensitivity for the families and their
great loss while at the same time remaining responsible in its print
media role to its readers. It's a difficult balance to keep, but the
Portland Press Herald is handling it admirably.
"I also strongly agree with Sens. McCain and Snowe. I am of the
'Vietnam War Generation' and remember the obscenely impersonal daily
'body count' columns in Newsday and how they became simply numbers,
no names, no faces. McCain and Snowe are totally on target regarding
the obligation we Americans have to be constantly cognizant of the
cost of war.
"We should have an opportunity to say a simple but heartfelt
prayer as we see the flag-draped caskets to honor the tremendous
sacrifice our armed forces members have made. Collectively, we vote
in the administration, we vote in our various congressional
representatives who make the decision to go to war. We therefore
bear a collective responsibility to share sorrow with and be
supportive of other Americans who suffer the loss of family members
in this war."
n Polly Fink of Rockport: "In this sanitized 'non-war' war we are
engaged in, when we are not even advised to ration gasoline but
rather to max-out our credit cards, we certainly should see those
returning caskets. I think the families would welcome some attention
to their terrible loss."
Jeannine Guttman is editor and vice president of the Portland
Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram. Send e-mail to:
[email protected]
or write to 390 Congress St., Portland, Maine 04101.
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