Family members of fallen soldiers urge President Obama to reverse photo ban on flag-draped coffins

[RamboLiberal]

Source: NY Daily News

Family members of fallen soldiers urged President Obama to allow the flag-draped coffins of their loved ones to be photographed as they arrive home from war.

"Americans should know how many people are dying in the war," said Caitlin Casey, whose fiancé, Sgt. Deon Taylor of the Bronx, was killed in Afghanistan in October.

Thousands of people attended Taylor's funeral, including Mayor Bloomberg, but Casey said not all families are honored in that way.

"There needs to be national coverage," she said. "All you know is if someone dies in your hometown."


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2009/02/10/2009-02-10_family_members_of_fallen_soldiers_urge_p.html

[Barack_America]

1. Well then we should do it.

If the families want it, that's all that matters to me.

[alsame]

2. Exactly. Their wishes should be respected. It's the least we

can do for them.

[Raster]

3. America should see those that have died in her name.

cheney*/bush* deliberately !HID! not only the carnage from our sight, but the final evidence of their ILLEGAL AND IMMORAL WAR. Bringing soldier's caskets back into the U.S. under the cover of night and not allowing photographs of the caskets is demeaning.

Wake up America!:kick:

[Submariner]

4. That's enough for me

Reverse chimpy's disgraceful order President Obama.

[Wizard777]

5. The Nations should see these soldiers ultimate sacrifice .

[SpiralHawk]

6. Reverse the republicon occultism

For 8 long years the republicon Chickenhawks -- under George AWOL Bush and VP Dick 'Five Military Deferments' Cheney, and Rush 'Draft Dodger' Limbaugh have hidden the reality of what their lies have done to our sons and daughters in uniform. Disgraceful.

Our American soldiers who have served with honor deserve honor.

[BrightKnight]

7. Perhaps every family should have an opt in option.

This sounds like a decision for each individual family to make. It is not a decision that the government should make.

[TheWraith]

14. That would be what I would go with.

While a lot of families may feel this way, not all might want it. Let the family decide, and have public and non-public flights.

[Ohio Joe]

22. Agreed

That was my first thought when I saw the headline.

[No Elephants]

26. Except each family should have a Veto, not an opt in option.. Let the privacy exception

to free speech on this important subject indeed be the exception, not the rule. Each family should be notified clearly that they have the right to opt OUT.

[frogmarch]

8. The ban should be lifted, and

the choice left up to the soldiers' families, on a one-by-one basis. Some families may welcome photographs of their loved ones' coffins, while others may not.

[Oldtimeralso]

9. Reverse The Ban

We need to show America the truth, not just tell them numbers, but allow families to opt out.

[4lbs]

10. Good, then yes, we should allow it. The hesitancy President Obama showed in his press conference

with respect to this I believe was mostly to consider the feelings of the families of these fallen soldiers.

If they don't have a problem with it, then I don't see why anyone else should.

[BrightKnight]

15. If a family wants it handled privately that should be respected.

Ultimately it should be up to the individual families. The media should be permitted only in the cases where a family specifically approves. This in not a decision for the President, DOD, Code Pink, or anyone else.

[4lbs]

17. True. So far, no families have said they didn't want this.

n/t

[No Elephants]

27. Disagree. The rule should be free speech. The family should have control, but they should have to

specifically opt OUT of free speech.

[DrZeeLit]

11. When he signs this order, I'm going to cry. This will be cathartic. Until he ends that stupid war.

At which time I hope we all march on Washington, in joy!
And go right over to Arlington and pay respects, too.

[Lucky Luciano]

12. No-Brainer...reverse the ban. nt

[jwirr]

13. The real time coverage of war news in Vietnam did more to end the

war than anything else. I still remember the pictures that showed us what was happening. While it is not pleasant to set and watch a real war on your TV it does remind you of the costs.

[Thothmes]

19. It only took eight years to end the Vietnam war.

The aircraft returning coffins carried dozens at a time, week after week for years.

[jwirr]

21. You are correct but the times were quite different then. We were still

in what might be called post WWII mode. We still had blinders on. Today the we know that the military often has different reasons for fighting wars than then. We elected a WWII president in JFK. It took a lot of time before most people realized that we had no real reason for being in Vietnam. Today as soon as the Iraq war started there were millions across the world out on the streets protesting. Our blinders are off and we know about the military industrial complex. We know that presidents start wars for other reasons than national security. Reasons that are not our reasons.

[Thothmes]

25. Are they

we have been at war in two countries for 5 years. The new president is going to take anywhere from 12-23 months to wind one up and plans to take those troops and send them to the other one. Millions protested for years without shutting down the Vietnam war. Millions may protest for more years and we will still be in a war.

[fbahrami]

16. The war would be over sooner

if they showed what war does to friend *and* foe.

Thousands of Americans killed and injured. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and Afghans.

So sad.


"War is over IF you want it."
Lennon

[Hekate]

18. Amen. And soon.

http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/mar/19/the-war-in-iraq-five-years-later-many-crosses-to/

http://www.vfpsb.org/cms/

[Thothmes]

20. Be careful what you wish for

From this point on, every flag draped coffin that returns to the U.S. is because of Barack Obama and a Democratically controlled Congress. JMO

[StarryNite]

23. That's true

But it might even motivate him even more to put an end to this mess bush got us into.

[eppur_se_muova]

24. Gates is reviewing the policy ... (xpost)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5033268&mesg_id=5033268