The Haliburton Link revisited

[raVeneyes]

I just wanted to post this in it's own thread since it got buried....it's something that is of great concern to me as an artist and photographer.

A letter I received from the Fifty Crows foundation www.fiftycrows.org - a non profit organization dedicated to supporting Documentary Photography.

Dear Friends,

Over the past few days someone with an excellent command of digital-manipulation and a sharp sense of irony has been emailing "photo commentary" of the Bush response to the Hurricane Katrina Disaster. As you will see below, Bush & Son are pictured happily engaged in leisure activities on the backdrop of a devasted New Orleans. It's a fitting and frustrated response to a very serious situation.

These were the photos previously posted of Bush JR & SR fishing with a backdrop of New Orleans under water.

But these photos speak to a deeper problem: our ability to get at the TRUTH is under siege.
If you happen to be carrying a camera or a microphone in New Orleans right now, it is almost certain a gun will be raised in your direction. There are reports of photographers having guns pointed at their HEADS; their cameras confiscated.
Yes, even the corporate media is feeling the pinch.

WHY are mercenaries patrolling the streets of New Orleans with M-16s?
WHY are they are using a natural disaster as an excuse to implement martial law?
WHY, while doctors, nurses and more than a thousand patients waited in the Charity Hospital for rescue, was the National Guard busy clearing the area of the "enemy"?

The private security firm Blackwater, professional mercenaries, have been contracted by the Department of Homeland Security (paid for with our tax dollars) and deployed to the streets. These are fully-armed, trained killers freshly imported from the streets of Iraq. To bypass the decree that only "law enforcement officials" are allowed to carry weapons, the Louisiana governor is "deputizing" them.

How many more examples of betrayal, lies, strong-arm tactics, and general disregard do we need to experience before we demand more from ourselves and our leaders? These retouched photos offer up sardonic commentary, but how can we answer the call more responsibly?

Documentary photographers are some of the bravest and most earnest people I have ever encountered.
We need to hear their stories, see their pictures. It is their unadulterated work that is especially important at this time.
Citizens all over the world are struggling to find ways to get clear and accurate information about the conditions that affect their lives—let us be part of telling the story with authenticity and truth. We remain steadfast in our continued support of documentary photography and independent media as a responsible action in the recovery of our civil society.


Sincerely,
Lillian Sizemore
Program Director
International Fund for Documentary Photography
lillian@fiftycrows.org

Links supporting the letter:

Documentary photos from the streets:
http://www.magnumphotos.com/c/htm/FramerT_MAG.aspx?V=CDocT&E=2K7O3R1U0QE7&DT=DOC

Articles on Blackwater Ops in NO:
http://www.alternet.org/katrina/25320/
http://www.blackwaterusa.com/

Articles on Assaults on Free Press:
http://www.mediainfo.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001055768
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article10086.htm
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/09/09/1411231

 

[raVeneyes]

Nothing...the most relevant and documented information brought to light about Federal involvement in Katrina relief and nothing. The most poignant visual coverage of the disaster and nothing.

It's very sad that only 18 people have even viewed this...and I'm counted as two of them.

 

[JohnnyBz00LS]

I hear you loud and clear. It seems as if at times we are living under a communist regieme. Armed killers patrolling the streets, controlling the press and the truth. Perpetuating propaganda. Welcome to BuSh country!