I'm sorry for the "Dead Child" picture

[Patriought]

Dear Everyone:

Yesterday I posted a pic of an infant Iraqi, a victim of the Iraq war.
(Warning: Graphic) http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x314946

By not warning everyone of the content, I broke the DU posting rules. But more
importantly, I was'nt thinking of how someone here who may have lost a child may neither wish, nor deserve to see such a sight. Hell, there could have been an Iraq war veteran who saw pretty much the same thing. This argument was pointed out by one of the respondents, and they were right.

I still believe that everyone should see that picture, no matter how unpleasant it
might be, but one should make that choice on their own. That picture hit me pretty
hard, so I guess my judgement was not clear when I posted it, and argued about the
rightness of that post. I'm not trying to make excuses here, just give the reasoning
behind what I did.

Anyway, I certainly don't wanna be like Bush-I'll own up to my screw-up.

I'm sorry to all I've offended


P.S. Here's a link to where I got it. You should read this guy's blog; he's vulgar
but he makes damn good points...He even has the latest Krugman!
http://welcome-to-pottersville.blogspot.com/
(You'll have to scroll down a bit to get to the part with the pic.)

[Marnieworld]

1. I forgive you

:hug:

This war is brutal, bloody madness and it is understandable that well-intentioned people can make mistakes in discussing it. Rage and grief that you just want to scream and have others scream with you. That impulse may have made you miss a few steps along the way but don't beat yourself up about it too much. Clearly, you have learned.

By the way, Welcome to DU!

[Marnieworld]

2. oops dupe dope

:hug:

[Drifter]

3. Bullshit ...

I find no reason for you to apologize.

I believe your subject "Dead Child" is more than enough warning.
Any one clicking that subject who does not expect to see a picture of a "Dead Child" is a little hard to believe.

Cheers
Drifter

[Marnieworld]

4. That is true

I for one didn't click on it because that was all I needed to know it was not the thread for me. Yet some may have expected the standard "graphic pix" warning and felt safe without one. It was enough of a warning though to protect one from getting abuse for it I think.

[cali]

5. I agree.

I appreciate what the OP is saying, but "Dead Child" is a warning in itself.

[SusanaMontana41]

6. More than enough

I agree. No apology necessary.

[Midlodemocrat]

7. Some folks thought he was referring to the child who died

from tooth decay, and didn't expect that pic.

I don't think the OP meant any harm by it, but some people might have been more traumatized than others.

[GreenPartyVoter]

15. I too, found your deaing warning enough. But I guess the word picture

should have been in there for those who didn't realize what was coming. :hug:

[yurbud]

24. I agree. It's sad that people here would take same attitude war images as the right--see no evil

[Jim Warren]

8. Fuck it

people following over themselves apologizing, for what for fucks sake. McCain and Obama for saying "lives wasted".

There is only one apology that will have any meaning and then not really worth spit and that would be on the note found at the top of the cliff.

[shadowknows69]

29. Some Seppuku would be acceptable as well

But that is an act of atonement for lost honor so that might not apply to some who are unredeemable.

[Tsiyu]

9. You did not offend me - I felt warned by thread title

Next time, just put in that "Graphic" warning so that you are complying with rules and you are A-OK.

I, like you, believe that we need to see what is being done in our name.

They showed us the carnage during Viet Nam. Americans do not want to see it now but they should.

Kudos for apologizing, but I feel your heart was in the right place.

[Benhurst]

13. I agree. As long as men, women and children are being butchered and murdered

in our name, "we, the people" ought to see what "our" government is doing. In fact, our noses ought to be rubbed in it.

The World's Only Superpower.

[Individualist]

20. Exactly!

Sometimes reality stinks, and those who whine "offensive" don't make the stink go away. Pictures of dead children fill us with horror, but we should never forget that it's those who are responsible for the deaths of those children that are offensive (understatement).

[jedicord]

10. Good on you Patriought

You're right that more people should see pictures of the innocents who are killed and injured over there. Most people only think the bad guys are getting killed.

But then, it was a big shock to open your post and see that picture. I wasn't prepared.

It takes a big person to give such a mea culpa.

[aikoaiko]

11. Is this just another way to get more people to look at the picture?

:shrug:

[Horse with no Name]

12. Thank you for the apology.

And welcome to DU.

[peace13]

14. Thanks for that and welcome to DU.

I know this issue is black or white for most here. In these days of true sadness in a world of frustration I feel that it is better to err on the side of precaution. You stated very clearly the down side of not placing the warning. I hope that others learn form your insight. Peace on earth, Kim

[patricia92243]

16. It takes a big person to apoligize. Congratulations and welcome to DU.

[Virginia Dare]

17. As I said in your original thread...

I don't think I would have looked at it with a graphic warning disclaimer, but I did, and I wasn't angry or offended at you, my rage was directed at those who would perpetrate this crime against humanity, and I do appreciate that you posted that picture, we all need to face the cold hard reality here.

You are new here, and I believe your intentions are noble, and I understand where you are coming from.

I hope you stay awhile! :hi:

[npincus]

18. no prob.

Welcome to DU!

[FourScore]

19. Thank you, and don't give it another thought.

It was a powerful image. And sad. I thought the heading was enough warning, but perhaps not for some people.

BTW, I think all of us here at DU have posted something at some point that we later regretted. Especially in the beginning, when we first started posting. I think we can all understand where you are coming from.

Welcome to DU, Patriought. :hi: Keep the posts coming. I think you can contribute an awful lot to this forum! (And don't let the post bother you for another moment. You are absolved!)

[leeroysphitz]

21. The truth has to get out. DU is here for that reason.

I feel bad for those that were genuinely upset at seeing the image you posted but I get the feeling that more than one respondent flamed you simply because they had an excuse to do so. Some here enjoy being contentious or they would have taken your very good intentions more into account...

[donsu]

22. I agree with you - americans need to see the picture and many more

it doesn't do any good to protect people from the truth of things, however bad.

[SmokingJacket]

23. Thanks for the apology...

I clicked on it because I naively just assumed you'd put "graphic" if there was a pic and I thought the post would be text. I've never lost a child, thank God, but I immediately regretted seeing the picture because I knew it would haunt me for days.

And maybe it should haunt me? I don't know. I feel like I understand the awfulness of the situation already.

[yurbud]

25. OK, I went and looked at the pic, and anyone who claims to be offended by it ...

doesn't want people to think about the consequences of the war.

There were no missing body parts or open wounds, just a father hold his dusty slightly blood-smeared lifeless child.

I seriously suspect some of the "outrage" over this is manufactured.

[Horse with no Name]

27. You have NO right to decide what people can or can't look at here

The rules at DU are very specific regarding this.
There was no manufactured outrage...it started with a VERY SIMPLE one-line request to mark the post as graphic.
That's it.
The OP turned it into a big deal when it never should have been. He should have simply marked the post and moved on.
It's a SHAME that his refusal to follow the rules here ended up getting the post locked because it WAS a good post.
But is was HIS REFUSAL to follow very specific rules that got it locked and nothing else BUT that.
Very often when I am posting my 4-year old granddaughter will be sitting on my lap or playing within eyesight. If I have a graphic picture warning, I won't pull it up until she is no longer in visual sight of the computer screen.
She doesn't need to see pictures of dead children and I refuse to make her grow up any sooner than she has to by having to explain it.
And I am sorry, "DEAD CHILD" doesn't indicate it is anything but text about a dead child, no matter what the apologists might say.
I don't open posts that say "George Bush is a Dick" and expect to see a phallus--I expect to see text from a DU'er who is pissed about what is going on in this country.
Your attempts to marginalize any DU'er who, for whatever reason, does NOT want to look at pictures such as this is outrageous. As if you and you alone have the RIGHT to decide what anyone's psyche can take.

[yurbud]

26. print this out and mail it to your congressman and senators with a thank you note

from ExxonMobil, ChevronTexaco, ConocoPhillips, and BP.

[Solly Mack]

28. Fucked up world we live in...You are compelled to apologize

for potentially offending the sensibilities of others when people's sensibilities SHOULD be offended...and not because they might have "lost" a child as well....but because of HOW and WHY the child in the picture died.


No one wants to see a dead child....but guess what America?

CHILDREN ARE DYING HORRIBLE DEATHS BECAUSE OF AMERICA'S ACTIONS.

No one in America deserves to be spared the reality of what is happening in Iraq. No one.

[Horse with no Name]

30. I don't think I have ever disagreed with you Solly

But we have ALL seen the pictures. We know what is going on. We know what is being done in our names. We are ALL offended.
But, he was preaching to the wrong audience.
There are some DU'ers who have PTSD and should be warned before showing pictures like this.
Did you know that the first responder paramedic that rescued Baby Jessica committed suicide after seeing the picture of the little girl with the yellow socks carried out from the Murro Building in the Oklahoma City bombings?
It triggered his PTSD.
As I stated, I am a trauma nurse. The pictures don't bother me. But there was a thread not too long ago with many DU'ers stating they JUST COULDN'T LOOK at one more of these pictures. I should hope we should try to accommodate them.

[Solly Mack]

32. I'm not saying he should have refused to place a warning

I am saying that ordinary people are having to apologize for the obscene mess America has created when America's government (who should be doing a heck of a lot more than merely apologizing) isn't doing anything but making it worse. It just strikes me as fucked up that someone has to apologize for showing the truth about what our government is doing.

I was addressing the overall issue.

Yes, a warning in place is a good thing. I use warnings , not because of the rules, but because of what you just mentioned...it can trigger episodes that lead to even more death.

Also, a soldier who has been to Iraq/Afghanistan hasn't been spared the reality of war...I did say no one should be spared and I mean it. People shouldn't be able to hide from the reality...but a soldier who has been to Iraq or Afghanistan wasn't able to hide from it - they know it all too well.

[Horse with no Name]

34. Yes they do

:hug: And I agree with you.

[Solly Mack]

35. I wasn't as clear as I should have been (in my other post)

:hug:

[quinnox]

31. The thread title

caused me to not click on the thread anyway. But I'm glad they are still enforcing the rule about warning about gruesome pictures in thread titles. That is an old rule and I thought they had let it slide.

[nadinbrzezinski]

33. Worst pictures than that one are posted on this site

by ahem the regulars.

So this is bullshit, pure and adulterated.

Look, this place has some vocal minoritise and one of them does not want to see the reality of the war

And yes, I have seen thinkgs like that in the flesh... and they still bother me, and I still look at them, morally I need to

So for those who were shocked, they should should be

Oh and welcome to DU

[Mr. Ected]

36. If You Stand Up For War, You Need to Look At All These Pictures

How many "God-fearin'" warmongers would switch their positions if they were forced to look at photos of the dead children of their war?

These being the same people who wave pictures of dead fetuses in your face to make their case for pro-life.

[Horse with no Name]

37. How many "God-fearin"" warmongers are on this particular website?

:eyes:
And I object to the pictures of the dead fetuses as well.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

38. We shouldn't be offended by war. Better to just ignore it.

Works for most Americans who think of it as some sort of video game or sports event.