I was a child living through the Viet Nam War. Back then, it seemed like that one too would never end. But I remember what helped turned the opinion of many who continued to support the war- the photos of the bodies... children's bodies. The most iconic image etched into the minds of anyone from that era was the sight of Phan Thị Kim Phúc OOnt (aka- "Napalm Girl") trying desperately to escape and run from her pain, burnt flesh running down her body...
But even prior to that came the first hardcore salvo that had die hard supporters scratching their heads in bewilderment- morally, ethically, "patriotically." That was the My Lai Massacre photos, dead women, old men, and yes- dead children and babies. Many of them. Innocents slaughtered by the wayside, with the same maniacal, casual disregard- caused by the very same lineage of weapons that continue to slaughter civilian innocents to this day! Those photos caused anyone with a beating heart who still thought we were on the side of "right" to realize how we were blatantly allowing and perpetuating the most hideous of atrocities...
It's time to show the children's bodies here at home- time to clearly, irrevocably show and expose the slaughter that these bought Republican shills are allowing to occur on a now regular basis. All we are ever allowed are their never ending torrent of fantasy induced excuses. They are well beyond shame, beyond reason. It's time to actually see the results of their words, their policies, their willingness to do absolutely nothing in the face of continued carnage!
PS- Yes, that's one helluva ask of any parent or family, but when all we can possibly hope for are cosmetic changes of no real consequence- perhaps an Emmett Till moment is just what we need.
I was saying just this to my better half a few days ago. It would be a game changer, a turning point and this is what they don't want and for this reason. I still recall how the right wing viciously fought against the Sandy Hook photos from ever coming out. This is exactly why.they fought it. It would be a turning point in the gun control debate they'd never be able to spin or counter or ignore. I'm in the middle of writing my autobiography and I mentioned My Lai a couple of times while writing about my childhood during the Vietnam War. I mentioned that the tide turned against the war when we began seeing the dead bodies of civilians, many of whom we'd killed, because it was the first war in which we got nightly accounts of our atrocities. If you want to turn the tide of opinion against the war, the people have to be shown the consequences of the actions, atrocities and war crimes done in their name.
ReplyDeletePhotos will immediately light a fire of urgency under the equivocators, the intensity of public pressure will put an end to the lame lies and excuses once and for all; the veil of victim anonymity will be finally lifted and the snuffed out lives of those so needlessly slaughtered will become so pressingly real and urgent that senators will trip over each other to disassociate themselves from their blood money and reconsider their views for the good of public safety in the light of the "new evidence."
ReplyDeleteYou have hit the nail on the head Stan. The unfortunate thing is it might have the opposite effect. It might make the GOP go totally nuts and push for firearms training programs in grade one! Give every child a Glock!
ReplyDeleteYou mean, like this...
ReplyDeletehttps://www.yahoo.com/news/kerr-want-end-school-shootings-090018765.html