I’m hoping to beat Hamilton to the punch, posting about these two letters from this morning’s Deseret News, again on what the letter writers view as inappropriate photographs:
When are you going to listen to your readers? I agree wholeheartedly with Dick Humphries’ letter “Don’t publicize grief” (Readers’ Forum, Nov. 9). But the very next day you again published an inappropriate photograph of a host family saying goodbye to a Ukrainian orphan. When will you realize that your readers are educated people who know the difference between responsible journalism and sensationalism? The picture of the woman and orphan doesn’t fall into the category of human interest; it is an invasion of privacy. You can write the article for the Utah section without the picture.
Colleen Newman
Sandy
I disagree with Colleen Newman. I thought the photos of the orphan goodbye were well done and didn’t cross any kind of line at all. It was a nice human interest story. When people say goodbye to each other, there can be emotion. There’s nothing wrong with showing that. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. (Chen shot those, right?)
As for the second letter, I’m assuming that Dick Wooley is talking about photographs, but he doesn’t come right out and say it:
The Fort Hood tragedy exists on several levels. For the families who suffered that great loss, we as a nation should extend compassion. Certainly on that day last week other families suffered a loss, whether from disease or accident, it makes no difference. These families need compassion also.
However we must be aware of the individual families’ right to mourn in private. They may have the spiritual strength necessary within the family or within their church.
We owe the 13 families a debt that assures them that this will not happen again, in addition to our compassion.
Dick Woolley
American Fork
I’m always glad to see someone, whether it’s Hamilton or anyone else, posting about letters like these. If you feel so inclined, go to the letters on the Deseret News website and leave your opinion as a comment. No matter how you feel, it’s important to respond.
deseretnews.com/Privacy-invaded
deseretnews.com/Show-compassion
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Chen is probably one of the most sensitive photographers we have. Really if the person who wrote this sat down and talked with him, I don’t expect anything less than a complete about face and an apology to him. I think the root of most of these letters is truly our discomfort with emotion. Trace it back to Puritanical – British “suffer in silence” roots perhaps, but we are very uncomfortable with many things in American society. Emotion is one of them. We make an exception when people are happy, but still, there are limits, inside is a tiny English voice after a few minutes or loud shreiks of joy saying…now yes, calm down..yes.