I'd rather fight than switch
Last Wednesday, we published a photo of a weary, battle-dirtied, cut-up Marine in Fallujah. A cigarette was stuck in his mouth, its bleached white paper contrasting with the black grime and red blood on his face.
I didn't get a single phone call or e-mail about the photograph. My colleagues at the Akron Beacon Journal did, though. In a column, the paper's public editor talks about the photograph, the response and the interesting complaint that the photograph encourages young people to smoke.
The conclusions of the editor: "Yes, once you look at the grime on his face, the grit packed in his ears, the blood on his nose, the pain and exhaustion in his eyes -- well, in this poignant portrait of war, I don't even see the cigarette anymore."
Comments (5)
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When I saw the photograph, I thought it was amazing. I suspect there is a Pulitzer Prize coming for the photographer.
Posted on November 15, 2004 5:32 PM
I thought it was a great photo.
And the only thing that made me want to smoke was the choade that said looking at a photo might make people want to smoke.
Can't stand those anti-smoking nazis. I'm going to light up now.
Posted on November 15, 2004 6:40 PM
Ha, ha. It's funny because we had a little debate over photos that day. We had another good one of a bunch of Marines running, weapons ready, toward the camera. But that photo of the Marine with the cigarette illustrated a side of the war that we hadn't seen or shown much. It blew us away.
Posted on November 15, 2004 8:14 PM
it's a great photo. did not make me want to smoke, or join in urban combat, for that matter.
Posted on November 16, 2004 9:58 AM
Combat's dandy, but smoking kills. There's some perspective for you.
It's a great photo, by the way.
Posted on November 16, 2004 1:52 PM