Reters reports U.S. agency blocks photos of New Orleans dead as if this were a bad thing. I'm not really clear on why they think taking pictures of dead bodies would add any value to news reports or why they think that they deserve to take up space on the rescue boats.
An agency spokeswoman said space was needed on the rescue boats and that "the recovery of the victims is being treated with dignity and the utmost respect."
One would think that rational people would understand this. Many of the victims will be beyond recognition. For the ones that aren't, is a news report with pictures the best way for surviving family members to find out about the fate of a loved one?
The Bush administration also has prevented the news media from photographing flag-draped caskets of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq, which has sparked criticism that the government is trying to block images that put the war in a bad light.
This didn't start with the Bush administration, but, you know, facts aren't really a requirement for some bash Bush rants news reports.
Marybeth -
Thought you'd enjoy this bio taken from the FEMA web site of Clinton's man in New Orleans -
Raymond Lloyd (Buddy) Young
Regional Director, Region VI
1993 - January 2001
“Mr. Young is a veteran of 26 years of service for the Arkansas State Police. He joined FEMA after serving as director of security for then-Governor Bill Clinton, a post he had held since 1983. During the 1992 presidential campaign, Mr. Young coordinated state security matters for the governor's office, working with federal law officers responsible for protecting presidential candidates.”
Posted by Peter Porcupine at September 10, 2005 01:38 PMI'm not surprised. Political paybacks aren't new.
Clinton's federal director, James Witt, was fairly qualified but he was also an old Arkansas buddy which makes me wonder how intense the search was for a director and whether the confirmation hearings were just a matter of form.
Not that this has changed any with more recent appointments. Handing out political jobs as rewards may be unfair but it doesn't necessarily mean that the person isn't capable of doing the job.
Witt did well enough. He (and the country) also had the good fortune not to have anything of the magnitude of Katrina happen during his tenure.
Regardless of Micheal Brown's credentials (or lack of them) he seems to have handled Dennis, Frances, Ivan, Charley, Claudette, Isabel, along with other storms, floods, earthquakes, fires, and mudslides without serious problems. Personally, I think the best qualification for this type of job is the ability to manage people but how do you manage people who aren't under your authority and aren't doing their jobs?
Posted by marybeth at September 10, 2005 04:30 PM