The Impulse to Silence

This article by law professor Alice Ristroff provides an interesting analysis of president Obama's schizophrenic policy on the release of troubling images.

When the issue is a violent crackdown by the Iranian government, video of a young women who was shot and bled to death on camera are "heartbreaking" and "moving." Such images inform the public about what is at stake in Iran.

But when the images are photographs of Americans torturing helpless detainees, Obama dismisses those values. Sometimes pictures convey messages that cannot be put into words. Regarding Iranian violence, Obama thinks the images are helpful. Regarding American torture? Obama thinks words (torture memos) are good enough.

I agree with those who say that Americans should not be allowed to avert our gaze from the torture that was done in our name. I know that most of us do not want to think about it, and certainly do not want to confront pictures of it. But if we ignore it, it will fester and become a cancer to our democracy.

If you doubt that, look at what its doing to Obama's character.

Joe H.