12 June 2004 - Saturday
Civil religion cannon fodder
Last night I saw some footage from the California service for President Reagan.
The American flag no longer covered the wooden casket. The flag had been removed, folded, and given to Nancy Reagan. The incessant clicking of a swarm of photographers roared in the background.
Mrs. Reagan stood before the casket, directly across from the television camera, clutching the flag in her left hand. She laid her hands and her head on the top of the casket. She hid her face against its wooden surface. When she raised her head a little, she was sobbing.
The television camera stared. Mrs. Reagan cried. The camera stared. We stared. She cried. The photographers clicked.
After a very long moment of loneliness, Mrs. Reagan's children broke into view. They glided quickly to her side. They held her and spoke quietly.
The cameras kept clicking and staring.
| Posted by Wilson at 19:06 Central | TrackBack| Report submitted to the Power Desk
They don't call them vultures for nothing . . .
The thoughts of Blame Jared on 12 June 2004 - 20:21 Central+ + + + +
They were having a private internment service later, if that helps any. The cameras were there for that with the family's full permission. Maybe the family decided to make their mourning public in part. They will certainly be doing enough mourning in private.
The thoughts of Milton on 13 June 2004 - 0:24 Central+ + + + +
Certainly, the family will mourn in private. Unfortunately, the nation wants them to mourn for the cameras too. The family were delivered up to the public decades ago, and they have not yet been given their freedom.
The thoughts of Wilson on 13 June 2004 - 8:06 Central+ + + + +
And it's no small wonder that a couple of celebrities get booked each year for assaulting the paparazzi. There is such a thing as refinement and dignity in dealing with this sort of thing... and unfortunately the photographers that were brought in weren't there for their ability to exercise restraint. Granted, this sort of thing is a result of the idiotic American public... so I can't really villify the photographers too much for giving the public what they were screaming for.
In short, I'm about to blame just about everyone.
The thoughts of Vengeful Cynic on 13 June 2004 - 11:56 Central+ + + + +
At any rate, it isn't about whether or not the family gave full permission for the cameras to be there...it's about the cameramen and the people they are serving with the camera who stare. We should not stare at someone mourning but rather either move to comfort or walk quietly away if it is not our place to comfort. It's a matter of respect for our fellow human being.
The thoughts of banana on 13 June 2004 - 12:43 Central+ + + + +
To throw the press one bone, at least during the long years of Reagan's altzheimer's they pretty much respected the family's wish to be left alone.
The thoughts of Bill on 18 June 2004 - 6:44 Central+ + + + +
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They've shown that clip every few minutes on the news channel. It must be terrible to have to let the public in on your mourning.
The thoughts of Rachel on 12 June 2004 - 19:07 Central+ + + + +