Reading The Pictures: Don't Leave Me, Daddy.

[babylonsister]

Reading The Pictures: Don't Leave Me, Daddy. (9/11, 9/11)


Posted April 15, 2008 | 01:49 AM (EST)


I can't help contrasting this shot from yesterday's WAPO Day in Photos with the White House photo gallery's endless wall paper of military spouses as loyal, brave and beaming.

Sure, it's just one shot. But the symbolism here conveys a fundamental erosion of the "stiff upper lip." As well, it speaks -- in the media sphere -- to the kind of unsustainable emotional strain on our troops that military officials have been warning of more urgently lately. (As a metaphor, perhaps the brick wall also has something to contribute on that point.)

According to the caption, we see a military wife comforting her twins this past Saturday as their father leaves home for his second deployment to Iraq. I don't know how old these children were when their father shipped out the first time. With the occupation entering its sixth year, however, these two are likely apprehending the reality of this mindless war in a deeper way that they were before.

Still, there's an aspect of the photo, and the boy, that troubles me far more than the tragic expressiveness -- the "come back; touch me; don't go" -- of the boy's hand.


more...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-shaw/reading-the-pictures-idon_b_96696.html

[LeftinOH]

1. THIS should be above the fold in today's papers -not the Pope...n/t

[babylonsister]

5. Agreed. Their pain is palpable; we should be seeing images like

this every day. :grr:

[Eurobabe]

2. Show that to McCain and HIllary....

Warmongers.

Very sad. :cry: The emotional strain this war has put on our military families is unbearable.

[bdamomma]

3. so sad, that this POS man we have sitting and giggling in the WH

is doing this to so many people, and just does NOT give a shit, what he is doing to families and this country, why is he not being held accountable, oh....nevermind.....sigh.

[rubberducky]

4. How could this not break your heart?

WE THE PEOPLE NEED to make this administration end. The pain of these three people is plain. Bring the troops home, end this madness. I`m ssssoooo FUCKING sick of "stay the course".

[Javaman]

6. a day is coming, in the not to far future, where we as nation will

pay a very very heavy price for this war.

I'm not talking about the poor souls that have died, nor am I talking about our collapsing economy, I'm talking something deeper and more profound.

[Supersedeas]

7. the Post has been promoting this War since before Andy Card introduced the new line