Is it censorship to have a policy on the images that can be posted in a blog?
Should Mindsayers have a right to have graphic, (porn or distrubing) imagery removed from other peoples blogs? Should Mindsay have a policy regarding the images that are placed on individual blogs? Or Do you think that doing that is going to far?
Is a person's right to free expression and speech worth anothers right to proctection from mental and emotional trauma due to graphic photos?
I am not for censorship, however there are things that I believe go to far, and have no place in certian forums of presentation. It is one thing to have graphic images that are representative of the media, it is another entirely to bombard someone with images that are distrubing and the only recourse is the back button. The back button is to late sometimes for what you expose someone to. People argue that if you don't like the things they post don't come to their blog. Well thats all find and dandy however, you have to see what you dont "like" to know you don't like it. Your choice is taken away the second you click on the link and are brought to that page.
The back button will not remove the images from your mind, and nothing will erase them. Images can leave scars. Yet should we want to take away the right to use shocking images for the impact they have to bring about realization in the reality of what we as indivudals believe is horrific? Some people believe abortion is murder, that its horrific and deserves to have images published just as a gencoide or a war crime picture makes its way into the news papers, and other media outlets. Yet I have to ask myself, is any of it worth it? Are words that useless that mentally branding images into potential viewers heads is the only way to express yourself, your opinion and to exercise debate or true understanding?
I am a firm believer in media representation. I understand as a photographer the need for images to go along with words as better discriptors, but for the life of me I cannot understand the use of some images.
Then there are those images that are illegally obtained, yet justified by their end result. Fear, intimidation, agression and exteremism to get a point across. Once you take that step and cross that line there is no accepting what you do as face value fact. To "reshoot" an image for impact is to falsifiy it. To steal an image is to steal an image. To illegally take photographs of things you do not have the right to photograph is a crime, esp if its on private or government property. So that means it is illegal to go into a hosptial facility, sneak through their garbage to find a first trimester sack of a baby, and then deface that child by photographing it for your own alterior motives. Agends. Media. Proof. All this force feeding has not changed the minds of the world.
Sometimes the images are educational, they bring about awareness to things we do not know, or we hide behind and pretend they do not exist. However, repeating multiple graphic images is not only hurtful, and distasteful its unnecessary.
People must change for themselves. Thus education, understanding and overall growth, not through aggressive push tactics that force them into situations that are unhealthy and mentally destructive.
If you have ever looked as some of these images and have not been negativly affected I am glad for you. I for one know that these images have brought me nothing but sadness, anger and emotional anexity. My mind remains unchanged on my original opinions though, thus all the images did was add to a burden of society and the miscarriages of justice and disrespect that one can have for another.
