Often on the news we see some pretty graphic images. For months we saw replays of the September 11th tragedy take over our televisions sets. Some said it was bad for the body to see something so horrific over and over again. Others claimed it was a good reminder of what happened and why we are fighting over seas. Whatever the case may be is there a point where enough is enough?
Even on a daily basis, the news can be pretty vivid with their images. What I like about it, is that it shows the truth. Some may argue that it isn’t necessary and could possibly be called insensitive or dehumanizing. Yet, without pictures a lot of people would not be able to understand the realistic truth that carries on outside of their homes. “A picture is worth a thousand words” is a famous quote often used, and it couldn’t be more accurate. I believe that the “little” incidents that happen around our cities are just as important to be documented as something like September 11th or the Haitian earthquake. The photographs may be a bit disturbing, but it’s the only way to show the world how horrible is really was. No one really wants to see pictures of dead bodies, or a collapsed school trapping in dozens of children, but these are the facts and sometimes it’s not pretty.
I believe people learn better when they see photographs. For years now, children have been learning about the Holocaust. Movies, books, and field trips to museums guarantee they understand what happened. If we understand what happened, there’s a chance it won’t happen again. The thing that had the most impact on me was the pictures. Thousands of dead corps piled up on each other; the misery, the horror. It was something that a text book could not do justice.
I’m not saying that seeing dead bodies and tragedy every day is a good thing. But, I do believe that we learn from our mistakes. Having censorship on photojournalists is not letting them do their jobs. It is their duty to bring us the truth. If we use it properly, we can learn from it.