President Obama is considering lifting the ban on photos and media coverage of the flag draped coffins of our fallen war heroes. These men and women are flown into Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, where they are quietly given a final salute in a "dignified transfer of remains" ceremony.
The public does not see this ceremony. The first President Bush instituted a ban on media coverage that was implemented during the Persian Gulf War. Bush, Sr. held a news conference at the same time that the first plane of coffins were being unloaded and the media got the bright idea to do a split screen and show both the news conference and the ceremony at the same time. I'm sure President Bush had no idea this was going on and as a result looked as though he were disrespectful of the dead. In reality it was the media that was disrespectful of both the President and the deceased. To give neither your full attention was a disrespect in itself.
If President Obama does lift this ban, the photographer in me will cheer and say "it's about time!" I am un-apologetically against censorship. [There is a time and place to keep media away, such as when troop movements and locations are in play. I do not agree with anything that would endanger our soldiers.] Preventing coverage of this final salute is censorship plain and simple. Now you can argue this from two sides, it's censorship vs. leftist propaganda against the war. I can see both arguments. I have given thought to both sides and I still believe it should be documented. War isn't pretty. People die. Sons, fathers, mother, sisters. Friends. They are all something to someone. Each and every soldier that doesn't return alive is missed. Hiding them away from sight doesn't make the negative side of war not there. It's still happening. We embed reporters with troops, we show the dog fights, show the end result. Alive or dead, they are all heroes. They all deserve to be honored upon their return home.
If President Obama does list this ban, the military wife of an Iraq war veteran in me will say "thank you." I was fortunate to have my husband return alive, safe and healthy. As a military wife I am all too aware of how little our soldiers get in the way of a "thank you" from the public or from their government. The VA is so under funded it isn't even funny. It's sad that as we have soldiers returning, that funding continues to be cut. We celebrate the return of our soldiers with parades and news coverage to welcome them home. When they come home alive. We should honor the fallen too, by observing their return and that final salute. A final thank you. They deserve that much at the very least.
