DAY 280

SOCIAL & POLITICAL COMMENTARY

War

REMINDERS OF WHERE WE DO NOT WANT TO GO

Most symbols of war qualify as universal in their understanding—missiles, guns, tanks, and people attired in varying levels of military dress allow viewers to draw similar thoughts and expectations. War journalists and photojournalists are charged with approaching this topic objectively—without manipulation or conscious forming—by simply photographing what they see. These images are disarming, disturbing in many cases, and often grab the attention of the world. Eddie Adams’ photograph of the execution of Nguyen Van Lem captured a moment that revealed the brutality of the Vietnam War.

Varying states of hostility, antagonism, and conflict occur in society and never reach the proportions of a declared war. Photographs of these incidents brim with power and can become a symbol of a particular struggle. John Filo’s famous photograph taken at Kent State (while he was a photojournalism student) was awarded a Pulitzer Prize and catapulted a 14-year-old girl into the limelight. The girl’s reaction to witnessing the shooting of a protester became the symbol of the grief and shock of a nation. The photo does not contain a gun, missile, tank, or military personnel—just the emotional aftermath of their presence. —MLR