ARTelevision

This editorial is in today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
It restates the case some of us have made here regarding the necessity of apprehending, as fully as possible, the brutal reality of the enemy.

..................

Confronting evil requires showing gruesome images

Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 05/13/2004

Nick Berg started his own telecommunications company and once visited Ghana to teach brick-making to villagers.

Confronting evil requires showing gruesome images

The slaughter of Nick Berg at the hands of murderous terrorists in Iraq has left America and most of the world once again recoiling in horror. Of all the wrenching images that have washed over us in ceaseless waves since Sept. 11, Berg's killing is among the most haunting.
In the video -- first released on an Arab Web site -- Berg's masked tormentors claim to be exacting revenge for the abuses of Iraqi detainees by U.S. forces at Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad, scenes also captured on camera for posterity. After executing Berg by decapitation, his captors claimed that they were acting at the behest of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a reputed lieutenant of Sept. 11 ringleader Osama bin Laden.

Berg's assassination -- and it is exactly that -- has once again provoked debate about whether the news media should disseminate pictures that might compromise the safety of American troops and civilians in Iraq and other theaters of combat in the war on terrorism. Although these images are almost too painful to endure, as a nation we cannot avert our eyes or our attention from the challenges that lie ahead.

Berg's killing is a reminder of the bloodthirsty nature of those who, by their deeds, are sworn enemies of all humanity. Americans' natural horror at the images shouldn't result in censorship. Our democracy, which was founded on an unfettered press and a well-informed public, demands nothing less than staring evil in the face.

But even as we confront the evil in the world, we should draw some comfort from reflecting on Berg's all-too-brief life. While most of us never knew Berg personally, he isn't really a stranger to us.

A resident of suburban Philadelphia, the 26-year-old was described by his heartbroken family as a "free spirit" who had attended several colleges, started his own telecommunications company and once visited the African nation of Ghana on a humanitarian mission to teach brick-making to villagers.

Berg was not the first American casualty in the war on terrorism, and it's unlikely he will be the last. But the challenges we face cannot become our rationale for sacrificing the principles we're fighting to defend.

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create evolution

HarmlessRabbit

This is an excellent ending point. I see too many people willing to respond to Berg's killing with the same, or worse, treatment of the enemy. If the USA doesn't stick to our principles, then we have no principles.

Mehoni

More conspiracy theory:
http://genmay.net/showthread.php?t=354134&page=1&pp=20

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There seem to be countless rituals and cultural beliefs designed to alleviate their fear of a simple biological truth - all organisms eventually perish.

pan6467

To some degree I can see the whole conspiracy theory and it is very believable and possible. That's what makes conspiracy theories so damned good.

On the other hand it is very sick to think our government would be so low, but it is possible. 99% probability that it is false but has some truth (albeit twisted) to it. The big thing about conspiracies is that the truth does come out eventually, and I seriously doubt Bush's people needed this to win. In fact, if the whole conspiracy theory does get to rolling it'll hurt Kerry because people could see it as an act of desperation by the Dems. However, it could also hurt Bush because enough people may question.

I do however believe that there is more to all this (torture and beheading) than we the public know. The timing does seem quite interesting. But in the old days the mafia would kill a person of another crew/family as soon as they found one of thiers dead.


I'm sooooooooo confused I don't know which way to turn. Let me listen to Mr. Limbaugh and see what he says........


Hmmmm Today he went to great lengths to blame Democrats in the military for the pictures and investigations. Which is now going to cause the nuts that take every word he says literally, wanting a political party test before someone can join the military. Humor aside, he continues to play this party against party, which is quite saddening, and almost political suicide for the GOP.

ARGHHHHHHHHH God help us all the war is making us crazy. Or maybe it's the flouride in the water, or the secret chemicals the Aliens are putting into the atmosphere with the chem trails..... wait that's conspiracy.... need to go to conspiracy thread.

Sorry just some humor hope I didn't offend anyone, sure I did though.

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I just love people who use the excuse "I use/do this because I LOVE the feeling/joy/happiness it brings me" and expect you to be ok with that as you watch them destroy their life blindly following. My response is, "I like to put forks in an eletrical socket, just LOVE that feeling, can't ever get enough of it, so will you let me put this copper fork in that electric socket?"

Sun Tzu

I know the answer may seem obvious, and there are probably various reasons; however and most specifically to Iraq: Clerics that assume power, and individuals like Osama have no quams about letting their identity known. They boast their actions with a manical pride. For they have multitudes of followers that also claim they have devoted their life to fighting the US. I wonder why they further a cowardly act such as this by wearing masks. It was the same with Dan Pearl. Its a small issue compared to this man losing his life. It puzzles me if they view their cause so highly and the devotion runs high enough to do such a thing and make whatever statement is being attempted why they dont have the guts to look the world in the face without hiding.

I have mixed feelings about allot of things in that area of the world, but this video infuriates me.

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To confine our attention to terrestrial matters would be to limit the human spirit.- Stephen Hawking

G5_Todd

i watched it....actually felt sick to my stomach....hadda watch 30 mins of the family guy to get my mind off of it......

worst thing those arabs could have done was to kill him....they had all negative media attention on the us army privates being dilholes taking photos of them screwing around......

now the focus is on how horrible the arab terrorist are......

the middle east is just a mess....i really think we should just let israel have south dakota and pull everything out of there and let them all kill each other....


dont get me wrong i support the war, my best friend is there and i pray for his safety.....

i realise that its necessary, i know people that died in the world trade center

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"....and when you men get home and face an anti-war protester, look him in the eyes and shake his hand. Then, wink at his girlfriend, because she knows she's dating a pussy."

-General Franks

mr sticky

All I know, is that if this happened in the US, there wouldn't have to be an occupying force to hunt these son of a bitches down and kill them. We would be shocked and horrified enough to do it ourselves.

There is your difference, they may say it was wrong, but are the Iraqi's turning these fucker's in? Are their neighbors kicking the shit out of them?

We're policing our own-Cause we don't tolerate man's inhumanity to man from ANY quarter.

* I watched it-can you tell that it made me madder than hell!?

ARRRRRRRRGH!!!

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The sad thing is... as you get older you come to realize that you don't so much pilot your life, as you just try to hold on, in a screaming, defiant ball of white-knuckle anxious fury

Dostoevsky

That's the first time I've felt physically ill by looking at something in a long time. I didn't think it was possible for me to react to visual stimuli like this after all the things I've seen on the internet. I would personally kill every one of those men in that video if I had the chance. I hope Bush erases all of those crazy Islamic fucks from the face of the earth. We should hunt and kill Islamic radicals whereever we find them IMO.

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Pride is the recognition of the fact that you are your own highest value and, like all of man’s values, it has to be earned.


It is not advisable, James, to venture unsolicited opinions. You should spare yourself the embarrassing discovery of their exact value to your listener.

Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

Tomservo

Mr Stickey - I don't agree with you, but it's just in a general way- many folks echo your sentiment, and I disagree with the general sentiment itself.

That is- the idea that this act was so horrible that it demonstrates how "sick" Iraqis (or terrorists, natch) are, and that Americans are collectively sickened by this act, and would never commit such a foul act. Obviously, this is far from the truth. Every day Americans are brutally raped, beaten, and murdered in our very borders. If you'd like to know how sick Americans are, just browse here:

http://www.prodeathpenalty.com/

Read some of the stories of the grotesque, sick, humiliating acts done by Americans to other Americans. What's alarming about this? Well, many Americans claim there shouldn't be a death penalty at all- so folks who have committed these acts would serve life in prison, or whatever candy-azz penalty they "deserve". So, to put it simply, Americans really DON'T care about sickos like this, as long as they don't personally *witness* the act, and as long as it's an American. If it's a foreigner- well, all bets are off.

This isn't meant as an attack on folks who think Berg's death was sick, humiliating, so on... far from it. This is simply a statement that no, Americans do not actually care that much about the disgusting acts that murderers commit, in general.

On a side note, my personal conspiracy theory is a simple one- that Nick Berg was American Intelligence, and he was captured and killed, then disavowed. There's really little else that makes sense about a 26 year old guy speaking Arabic and chatting up fellow prisoners while making Iraqi contacts, who is visited multiple times by FBI, before being kidnapped and murdered.

On another side note, I'm a *liberal*, generally, so feel free to avoid bashing me as a Bushite conservative... I simply feel that murderers and rapists have given up their right to breathe, that's all.

HarmlessRabbit

Just like with Timothy McVeigh! And those Columbine kids. We kicked their asses and strung them up on a tree!

Thank goodness the USA isn't really like that.

soccerchamp76

It is shit like this that pisses me off that we went to war with Iraq going against the U.S. and without much support.
Fucking bullshit.
How many U.S. citizens have to die before we realize this was a goddamn mistake from the beginning. Easy to go to war if you yourself does not have to fight.

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Brian Griffin: Ah, if my memory serves me, this is the physics department.
Chris Griffin: That would explain all the gravity.

analog

History is replete with atrocities of one human against another. I find it funny that people are so horrified by this. Historically, people right here in the U.S. have had many horrible people among them.

Ask an ancestor of a Salem, Massachusettes, witch trial victim. Ask the family of a KKK hate crime victim. Hell, ask any of the families of the many, many serial killers and horrific murderers we've had both past and present. Hell, many say that rape can be worse than dying- ask the millions of women that are raped each year right here in our own borders.

This is not an outrage, this is a sad occurrence- but par for the course. This is war- and I don't have to like it to be realistic about its repercussions.

Mephex

Well put. Spot on.

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He who is void of virtuous attachments in private life is, or very soon will be, void of all regard for his country.
There is seldom an instance of a man guilty of betraying his country, who had not before lost the feeling of moral obligations in his private connections.
-Samuel Adams

phyzix525

Did anyone notice a lack of blood? seemed odd compared to other discriptions of beheadings. looks like he was dead before his head was cut off.

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It's hard to remember we're alive for the first time
It's hard to remember we're alive for the last time
It's hard to remember to live before you die
It's hard to remember that our lives are such a short time
It's hard to remember when it takes such a long time

phyzix525

well lets be honest how many of them were recorded for people to see? People are so outraged cause this may be one of the first times they have seen anyone killed. (not in the movies)

analog

Yes, sometimes life's less desireable occurrences are easier to ignore when they're not in real-time and staring you in the face.

Amethyst

That was awful. I don't really know why I watched it but I wish I hadn't.

jb2000

It is true, such atrocities are par for the course in war.

But that is all the more reason why one must bear responsibility for such things when one starts a war.

If you are going to go to war, you need to be honest and understanding about the full costs of it. Not just money, but human. If you are, and you still determine it to be worth it, then so be it. But you then should have no problem standing up and taking responsibility for your actions.

The Bush Team can't hide behind claiming it was Saddam's fault. Yes, there were plenty of things Saddam could have done better to avoid war. But there were also plenty of things Bush could have done. In the end, it was Bush that pulled the trigger.

Whether or not it was the right thing to do is another topic, but either way, he bears a certain level of responsibility for Mr. Berg's death, the death of our troops over there, and the deaths of tens of thousands of Iraqis.

We shouldn't be using Saddam as our moral barometer. We should be proceeding through this affair by our own compass. If we are forced to compare to Hussein, then perhaps our compass is faulty?

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"Don't tell me we're so blind we cannot see that this is my land! I can't pretend that it's nothing to do with me.
And this is your land, you can't close your eyes to this hypocracy.
Yes this is my land, I won't pretend that it's nothing to do with me.
'Cause this is our land, we can't close our eyes to the things we don't wanna see."

- DTH

Stompy

Well, what happened to him definitely sucks and shouldn't happen to anyone ever.

That being said... the video had no effect on me whatsoever. Not to sound so blase and disrespectful, but I could watch it 20 times in a row while eating a sandwich, that's how much it doesn't affect me. As an avid browser of rotten.com, I'm immune to the macabre imagery.

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I love lamp.

Sty

Well it seems that people have been really digging into the video and the anomalies it shows. Here's a nice wrapup:

http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2004/5/15/22827/0477

Another source tells that the camera that was used to film the Berg video may well be the same that was used to record the prison video's:

http://www.uruknet.info/?p=3113

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br,
Sty

I route, therefore you exist

cameroncrazy822

I can't bring myself to watch the whole thing... I hear the screaming and then, as much as I try to detach, I can't help imagining myself in his situation and I turn it off. I think I'm gonna never watch it out of some sort of respect for his memory. Like what they do in Peral harbor by never letting divers go into the ships.