Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Gopher]

Is it appropriate to publish video and photos of Saddam's execution? Is it necessary?

Why or why not?

My own opinion: too macabre. Inhumane. Too sensational and "snuff." I predict CNN and the internet will have it within 48 hours, however...

[alffy]

Absolutely it should be published/shown!

As a matter of fact, all executions should be thrown open to the public and broadcast live over the air. An execution is, afterall, the state taking the life of a human being at the behest of the people it represents. So, by God, they should be able/have to watch it!

If the people of the state are made too uncomfortable by the images, that's just too bad. They are still complicit.

As to the Saddam video/pictures- the people of Iraq want to see them (many for different reasons) and should be allowed to as they suffered under him for so many years.

And as to the broadcasting of the images in the West- damn skippy! We as citizens of the nations that are involved in Iraq are equally complicit in his execution, and therefore should also watch it. Hey, we may even find ourselves having visceral reactions- he was one hell of a bad dude, afterall, and we just might like seeing Justice executed.

This shouldn't be just a one-off showing, though, as that would lead to the aspects you indicated. Make this a regular feature (I understand Saddam's half-brother and some other hack are also scheduled for execution soon), that way we get a fuller appreciation of just what we are involved in over in Iraq.

For what it's worth, I think internet sites that carry images of the war and its costs are doing our civilization a fine service. A one-off airing of just Saddam being executed would be just some visceral eye-candy, but streaming images of multiple executions, heavy fighting, suicide bombings, etc., truly pull back the cutain and present us with our total complicity.

Air it all, baby, air it all!

[Ya-ta Boy]

CNN had a woman on yesterday (some kind of editor) who said it is common to show executions in the Middle East. I know several of the countries there have public executions. So culturally speaking, I guess it's OK for them to show it in the Middle East.

This is the kind of thing that should be shown on the internet. If someone does want to see it, it will be available to them there. CNN should not show it. Last night they showed a guy putting the noose around his neck. I thought even showing him in the execution chamber was too much.

The public has a right to know that he was executed at 6:05 local time. The public does not have a need to SEE the execution. A photo of the corpse after it has been prepared for burial is enough.

I personally have no interest in seeing it. Grusome. Morbid. More words like that.

[cbclark4]

One can always change the channel.

cbc

[cbclark4]

This is it!

http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=8DFB018F-2716-4FA2-8532-A33A79852F51&t=c2771&f=06/64&p=hotvideo_m_iraq&fg=&GT1=8816

cbc

[Wangja]

No: I am opposed to capital punsihment.

[Sister Ray]

[jinju]

Its just porn, but for psychotics. Whats the point of seeing it? I mean, ok, he was a dictator. Not in YOUR country. Nothing he did to Iraqis ever affected you guys in even the smallest way. Therefore YOU watching it is nothing but sick, perverted voyeurism. I say get help, psychos.

[caniff]

[jinju]

[Manner of Speaking]

He was wearing nice shoes, though.

[Junior]

seen it..unfazed...

Seeing it probably helps the Iraqis move forward. They need to know with their own eyes, that their former oppressor is dead. The dragon has been slain. Catthartic.

[jinju]

[Hollywoodaction]

I saw it. Was looking at videos on Youtube, or something, and it was in the list of the most popular videos, so I had a look since I read somewhere that some people were arguing the execution looks faked...Well, you don't see much. You see the noose being slipped around his neck and shortly after the image looks like the camera was accidentally dropped just as you hear a strong noise and some commotion (the trapdoor being opened). It looks very suspicious to me (It reminded me of a story I heard about how prison guard deal with unruly prisoners. First thing they do is inspect his room. The whole thing is videotaped to prove that the prisoner wasn't knocked on his ass, but the guard holding the video camera often 'accidentally' trips over his feet). The next thing you see are a few brief images of Saddam's face as he was already laid down. There were two or three camera cuts.

[Wangja]

Making executions public and enforcing attendance for a certain number of witnesses (a bit like making a duty similar to jury service) might increase public oppositition to what is state sanctioned murder and an ineffective deterrent.