Bloodthirsty Children Or Media Missiles?

by **bvonahsen** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 2:01 pm

BAGnewsNotes is pvery good site that looks at media from an art historical standpoint. This recent post about Israeli kids signing the bombs to be dropped in Lebanon gives an excellent discussion on the issue. <blockquote>Quote:<hr><a href="http://bagnewsnotes.typepad.com/bagnews/2006/07/bloodthirsty_ch.html">BAGnewsnotes</a> Bloodthirsty Children Or Media Missiles. <a href="http://img382.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bombsigning2wq7.jpg"><img src="http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/4826/bombsigning2wq7.th.jpg"/></a> <a href="http://img528.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bombsigning1kn6.jpg"><img src="http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/118/bombsigning1kn6.th.jpg"/></a> So many of you wrote me about these images, I felt I had to address them. But then, I struggled for a long time to find my orientation. I even did a couple write ups based on the politics and ethics of these images -- feeling, the whole time, however, like something was off. The major problem, I finally realized, was that the moral fireworks were so intense, it was virtually impossible to "read" the pictures themselves. (In fact, the content was so emotional that I couldn't help feeling guilty for questioning or straying from the manifest level.) To get a little more perspective, I started searching. Not surprisingly though, most sites that ran the pictures were reacting from that surface level. Sabbah.biz, for example, framed the photos as "Israeli kids send(ing) gifts of love to Arab kids." The site author even created a mock letter, with Israeli kids actually wishing the death of Lebanese, Palestinian, Arab, Muslim and Christian children. In the long discussion thread, however, quite a few readers, keeping with the literal, emphasized that the actual target (and object of the twisted love message) was solely and specifically Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah. Nasrallah, it should be added, was also the man responsible for the bombs falling on Kiryat Shmona, the town where these children are from, and where the pictures were taken. (To better understand the context, the message on one missile -- based on two different views -- reads in English: "[To] Nazrala with love from Israel." A second message, translated from Hebrew, apparently reads: “I've been waiting for this a long time”, and is signed “Nasrallah.”) I also came upon a post and discussion thread on tinyrevolution.com. The post was disheartening, setting up a simplistic, cynical analogy implicating both Arab and Israeli children as sick little killers. Some interesting terms and phrases jumped out of the discussion, however. Specifically, references were made to these images being framed or staged. Different readers mentioned: <blockquote>Quote:<hr> "having elementary school kids write those messages ... as part of some State-run activity." "bringing kids into the proximity of high explosives" "Israeli girls .. apparently .. told to "sign<hr></blockquote><hr></blockquote> Reading further, still another theme emerged, this one suggesting the pics were either orchestrated, or at least co-opted and mediated by the media. Notice the comments and the terminology: <blockquote>Quote:<hr>The point is that pictures like this of Palestinian children are continually trotted out to explain why Palestinians are maniacs who can never be negotiated with.... (via boingboing) This unfortunate 'photo op' ... with the meme [of] bloodthirsty Israeli children....<hr></blockquote> You can read his entire post for yourself, but I think my friend Dennis Dunleavy -- a visual theorist and critic -- caught these photos just right. His discussion, Photojournalism and Propaganda: Are Photo-Ops Fact or Fiction?, is subtitled: Do photojournalists intentionally set out to stir up controversy and debate by making pictures that may later offend viewers? Here's a snip: [W]hat the photojournalists recorded presumably was a fact. There was a group of Israeli children gathered to write hate messages on bombs to be used in the escalating conflict in Lebanon. Is this news? By most journalistic standards, this ... would be considered as newsworthy as any other type of staged event. The only criticism I have here – something that I have encountered many times in my own career – is that many photojournalists forget about how the event is “staged” for the camera before hand. Many photojournalists, myself included, tend to get caught up with “getting the picture” and do not generally indulge in evaluating the moral complexities or consequences of a particular event unfolding before them and for them. In this case, we don’t know if the photographers just happened to come along at the time when the children gathered to sign the bombs or if someone had arranged for the journalists to be there. My strongest instincts suggest the latter may be the case. Let’s face it, the media are constantly be[ing] used to propagandize a particularly ideology. The visual message, especially when children are involved, is extremely persuasive. If uncertain how much innocence or spontaneity to afford this scene, a simple discovery seemed to pull back the curtain. Every email I was sent, and every blog I had viewed contained one or both of the images above, kindly selected for us by the Associated Press. These images were also the only two representing this situation on the widely-followed YahooNews. What I finally noticed, however, was that the sabbah.biz site (originating from Bahrain) offered up a third image, this one credited to AFP. <img src="http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/4731/bombsigning3rl2.jpg" style="border:0;"/> Bombsigning3 Interestingly, this shot featured not just the children "caught in the act," but a photographer "doing the catching." (Yes, this might be a parent. Notice the women in the first shot, above, seems to also sport a camera. But I doubt it.) In combination, these pictures reveal these children as the subject of a photo shoot, with multiple photographers (representing world-wide photo news agencies) shooting simultaneously from both directions. Given the context, it seems to appear that the woman in the blue-and-white dress, and even the soldier, a good distance away, on top of the tank, are something of an audience. Better for them that they see what's going down. For us, on the other hand, unaware of the stage (and unwitting consumers of "knock out" information product), we can only be outraged. (image 1 & 2: Sebastian Scheiner/A.P. Artillery position near Kiryat Shmona, Northern Israel, next to the Lebanese border. July 17, 2006. Via YahooNews. image 3: unattributed. AFP.) [/quote]

by **Hugh Manatee Wins** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 2:09 pm

This looks highly staged. Not "children," but GIRLS, girls are being brought into the men's game of war to reduce their resistance and to fill in for the males who won't play anymore. War sickness. Adults abuse children to get them to then abuse targeted enemies. In the recent documentary called 'Why We Fight' there are interviews with a NYC cop who lost a son on 9/11. He asks the Pentagon if he can have a bomb with a written message in honor of his lost son dropped on Iraq. The Pentagon eventually makes this happen. Later the cop finds out that the war was a scam, he'd been lied to. And he regrets that he got swept up in the thirst for revenge but forgives himself since he acted on what he thought he knew at the time. Stunning movie. See it. Edited by: <A HREF=http://p216.ezboard.com/brigorousintuition.showUserPublicProfile?gid=hughmanateewins>Hugh Manatee Wins</A> at: 7/22/06 12:47 am

by **Et in Arcadia ego** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 2:18 pm

That is fucking disgusting. I've been saturated in apologist war opinion since 2003 by army personel and I've never seen anything that fucking approaches this level of neolithical savagery.. ____________________ Oderint, dum metuant

by **The Omega Man** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 3:24 pm

In total accord et in Arcadia ego! It's even worse when put into perspective that an article from the San Francisco Chronicle's SFGate.com website states that the Israelis planned this a year ago!!! <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/07/21/MIDEAST.TMP&type=printable">Israel Planned Campaign 1 Year Ago</a>. I do believe this falls into the category of premeditated genocide and terrorist war provocation. If the children openly display this kind of sickness, one can only imagine how racist and pathologically sick the parents are. I'm hard pressed to think of a sanctioned terrorist state more egregious and wanton than the state of Israel at this point in time. They seem hell-bent to carry out their agenda regardless of morality, international law, public opinion or common decency.

by **slimmouse** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 4:54 pm

He who joyfully marches to music rank and file, has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would surely suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at command, how violently I hate all this, how despicable and ignoble war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be a part of so base an action. It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder. - Albert Einstein. When I saw this thread I was immediately thinking about his quote regarding the next generation of children refusing to fight being the ones who will end the madness. Imagine my shock when I cant find it. Its not the kind of stuff they want to teach children. Shame on them. Of course it seems that Albert wasnt just good with the numbers ; on what "they dont want you to know" A human being is a part of a whole, called by us 'universe', a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest... a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. On relativity <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/wink.gif ALT=";)"> "When you sit with a nice girl for two hours, it seems like two minutes. When you sit on a hot stove for two minutes, it seems like two hours that's relativity. And finally on Rigorous intuition ; "The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift."

by **Sepka** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 12:13 am

<blockquote>Quote:<hr>Do photojournalists intentionally set out to stir up controversy and debate by making pictures that may later offend viewers?<hr></blockquote> Gee! Ya think? -Sepka the Space Weasel

by **Et in Arcadia ego** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 12:26 am

Um..the photographer's doing the world a service by showing how these people are passing the torch and making their children as sick in the head as they are.. Would you rather NOT know this took place? ____________________ Oderint, dum metuant

by **Sepka** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 12:38 am

Are you sure they'd be doing that if the photographer hadn't been present? -Sepka the Space Weasel

by **havanagilla** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 3:03 am

1. one odd fact - they write English, so these are probably newcomers from THE USA, settler material, who are the worst troublemakers in Israel. 2. Its very possible this will happen with or without photo-op, except usualy kids are not around shells. so it had to be something organized. 3. children here are abused in that way, since whenever I can remember. I know its not fair to compare now the abuse of lebanese/palestinian kids to this primarily mental abuse, but still. I can remember myself at that age, another war, and we were made to make dolls of the enemy leaders (whoever they were at the time), and burn them on the stake (on picnic fires). I cannot forget it, and I see it as child abuse. the children are innocent and they cannot protect themselves from this brainwashing. In their mind they are helping Bambi or something, one of their cartoon heroe's against the evil ones. But the people who so abuse their children to make of them pawns of war, are evil. (except if they too were exposed this way, in which case they are repeating past abuse, atumatically). Sorry for being so self absorbed, but when I saw those pics I couldn't help crying for myself, remembering my early life in this DAMNED war mongering country. Do not be surprised later, or very righteous, about "Israelis" being this or that. If you grew up like those girls, you'd be THE SAME. It takes information and example, to know otherwise and better. most people never get the chance to see another option, maybe till very late in life.

by **Mentalgongfu** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 3:05 am

Photos can lie and "just the facts" doesn't always tell the whole story. Sepka and et in arcadia ego, your comments touch on an important subject for media analysis. providing a service by disseminating information. after all, being informed is the only way one can make informed choices and decisions vs. enabling and encouraging the spread of propaganda messages, publicity stunts and the like It's not always easy to tell the difference. Real journalists are aware you walk a fine line here, but artists and philosophers have probably given more time, thought and attention to how an observer and/or camera affects how people behave and how staged events are used to propel public opinion in a certain direction. voyeuristic tendencies are common, with the camera as extension of the eye. and while some are perpetually shy, most people have a desire to perform for an audience or camera. at the least, common sense and observation shows us people do act differently when they know they are being watched, whether or not they enjoy it.

by **The Omega Man** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 11:53 am

<blockquote>Quote:<hr>Do not be surprised later, or very righteous, about "Israelis" being this or that. If you grew up like those girls, you'd be THE SAME. It takes information and example, to know otherwise and better. most people never get the chance to see another option, maybe till very late in life. <hr></blockquote> Sorry, not buying that at all. I grew up in a war-mongering racist country called the U.S. and when I was younger than the age of those girls, I knew the difference between good and evil. There is no gun to those girls heads and they are quite gleefully signing away their innocence on those bombs. Those aren't Fisher Price toys or the latest set from Lego they're tagging up on. They're weapons of mass destruction that will be dropped quite indescriminately upon civilian-thick targets. I can honestly say that I, my siblings and friends would never have signed missives on WMD designated for the Viet Cong, Nicaraguans, Panamanians. Does that make me special? I would hardly think so, just applying common sense and human decency. There are children who's parents teach them all kinds of garbage around the clock and they seem, for the most part, to be able to reject crap that just 'doesn't sound or feel right'. Keeping in context, I don't blame the children who have been indoctrinated with religious zealotry and ugly racial hatred. But these girls aren't 5 years-old and should know better as betrayed by their smirks and smiles. A 3 year-old with a gun is just as dangerous as an adult with one. I ultimately blame the psychotic fervor of the parents, who push their children out like wind up toys for their cause. The mental abuse those children have been instilled from their psychopathic parents is readily apparent in those pictures. Let's stop with the excuses and address the reality. It's like the pathetic scum who recruit children into their armies and give them guns and indoctrination to fight their enemies. A sword of righteousness can be wielded by ANY who can readily discern GOOD from EVIL actions without prejudice.

by **Hugh Manatee Wins** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 1:32 pm

Who put little girls next to weapons and told them to write? A local 'left-oriented' bookstore has in their children's book section two books next to each other that shows this Hitler-based schizophrenian about militarism. One book shows pictures of little German kids in Hitler Youth activities complete with nuns and pretty school teacher women showing them how to raise their arms for the parade. The book next to it is a heroic first-person narrative purportedly by a teen-age Israeli girl uncomfortable with her mandatory military training complete with a pager calling her to duty until she talks to an old lady on a bus who tells her how horrible the Holocaust was. Then the girl soldier is inspired and proud to be in the Israeli army. And this is packaged as a girls-can-be-heroes-too children's book. Ironic, isn't it?

by **havanagilla** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 2:06 pm

omega, good for you to be able to grow up with normal people around. But don't bring it to the test. I believe people are the same all over, namely, if you'd be indocrinated here or in the USSR you'd be the same as the rest. Having said that, there are always exceptional individuals in every society who can step outside the herd. But that too, is basicaly the same in all societies. The vietnam war is nothing to compare to the Israeli conflict, in terms of indoctrination and fear. People have daily encounters with armed conflict here for decades, most have tasted fire, either as civilians or as soldiers. Comparisson is lame at best. The better comparisson, though, regarding your warmongering culture (a statement to which i agree) is to see how many from the USA truly resist the deadly foreign policy of your nation, which is responsible to our region's conflict as well, and to half the world's plights. The brainwashing seems to work fine in that department as i didn't see the millions protesting against your government pillaging and setting whole regions on fire and hell, for decades, to keep the standard of living under the pretense of moral superiority. go out to the streets and let your government know that you resent their policy in the mideast. because believe me, the dollars poured here are much more responsible for the war now, than those girls. Let's not be naive about who is running the show and who is cutting the coupons from this recent, and other, deadly conflicts here in Israel. I am perfectly willing to condemn my compatriots and in fact these days I feel no solidarity with my community here (I never felt one with my gov), but the last who can preach are americans. The public will know eventually who is responsible and I hope that one day we will see the posters, from vietnam, showing americans stabbed with knives, running away from our region, at last. No offense for you, but let's keep sane and together, at least us, the few in the world who resent this war, and others and see through the lies. The "people" are never at fault, and you should know that after so much reading on this board. take responsibility for yourself and your immediate cmomunity, and let others deal with theirs. and we can work together, respectively.

by **Hugh Manatee Wins** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 2:55 pm

This same tactic was used in the US right after 9/11. Here are some Miami Dolphins football team cheerleaders signing armaments about to be dropped on Afghani women. <a href="http://www.miamidolphins.com/cheerleaders/behindthescenes/behindthescenes.asp?docid=5610&photoid=6094">www.miamidolphins.com/che...otoid=6094</a> <blockquote>Quote:<hr>Lory & Lindsay sign bombs heading for Afghanistan<hr></blockquote> <img src="http://www.miamidolphins.com/images/cheerleaders/behindthescenes6094.jpg" style="border:0;"/>

by **Et in Arcadia ego** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 3:23 pm

wtf..Ok, someone get me off this fucking rock already, I've had enough. <img src="http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/images/smiles/doh.gif" style="border:0;"/> ____________________ Oderint, dum metuant

Bloodthirsty Children Or Media Missiles?

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