The Gamut

Photos of Soldiers' Coffins Revive Controversy (washingtonpost.com):

The Pentagon lost its tight control over the images of coffins returning from Iraq as about 350 such images were released under the Freedom of Information Act and a Seattle newspaper published a similar photo taken by a military contractor.

After Dover Air Force Base, the main port for returning remains, released hundreds of government photos of the ceremonies, the Defense Department ordered yesterday that no more photographs be released. In addition, two employees for defense contractor Maytag Aircraft were fired after the Pentagon complained about a photo of flag-draped caskets taken by one of them that appeared in the Seattle Times.

You know, people have actually bought into the idea that showing these images is somehow un-American. I was recently berated for posting the picture taken by Tami Silicio, the Maytag employee who was fired, on a message board. And the webmaster deleted the image to appease the terrorists patriots thugs who complained that they had to see images of casket-shaped flags in a cargo hold.

Well here's news -- people in Iraq are dying. Our soldiers are dying. They made a sacrifice, and now they are gone, and we honor them by mourning their loss and recognizing the return of their remains.

So look. Look, ponder and understand.

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