Ethics of Photojournalism and Boycott

Today, I had the privilege of attending a very interesting lecture. While enjoying my time OFF work, I have been challenging myself to use my time wisely and actually do some things that I claim I would do "if only I had the time...” So now I have the time, there should be no excuses to waste it away.

I attended a lecture as part of a series titled "Tuesdays with the Scholars". I entered the room and was quick to note that there did not seem to be another person under the age of 60. Whoops! But, I decided to stay and I am glad that I did.

While filming pictures of the present-day Iraq, would you pick the picture of the child with severed limbs? Would you pick the picture of a human body so badly burned, the blob that remains looks like a burned garbage bag? Or, would you pick the picture of American army doctors operating on an Iraqi civilian? The presenter, a retired photo editor for a fairly large newspaper and adjunct professor, said he wanted to show the awfulness of war. He hates war and feels that we Americans are disillusioned by the reality of what our soldiers and the civilians witness each day. His editorial board chose the happy photo.

What do you think about showing dead bodies? Does it better situations by promoting pro-active change? Or, is it too insensitive? I think like many things, there needs to be balance. As long as photos are used ethically to tell an important story, then we need to see the images. If the photos are used as propaganda, or to sensationalize, or promote hatred and racism, then they should not be used. Consider this link for examples of what our newspapers are saying: http://www.journalism.org/resources

Also consider that not showing pictures is a form of censorship. Surprisingly, the US continues to drop in the world-wide rank of free press. What we don't know ends up hurting us in the end.

Another point to ponder is that of the use of propaganda. Consider this: President Clinton submitted 100 photos opps. to the AP in his eight years of service. President Bush loves to toot his horn. This self-loving egomaniac has already submitted 500 self-promos in his six years of service. What is the image that George wants the American people to see?

Finally, remember that we must be careful of how we digitally shape existing images and present them as real. It is unethical to alter a photo and present it as a fact, unless it is presented as a form of art.

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Check off my list. I went to the Halal grocery store by myself. In Ohio, the stores were mostly run by Palestinian FOBs. The men would often give cold stares and the women almost always stayed behind in the cars. After a few trials whereas my DH and I went shopping, we decided it was best that I did not assist in this chore.

Today's market was very cool. I did not feel out of place at all. I bought Halal pepperoni for the first time, YIPPIE! My market has pulled all of their Danish products as a result of the disrespectful cartoons of the Prophet. Have your markets done the same?

Good night.

What Does Your Word Cloud Say?

Thanks to this cool site http://www.snapshirts.com, I created a Word Cloud (idea stolen from Jenny at Tales of an American Exile).

Funny that Aisha is so prominently placed :-)

PTSD

I may have already shared this story in a previous post. I felt compelled to write after reading Baraka’s post at

This story begins is about a neighbor of mine who could probably be characterized as someone with very little ambition. He was a drinker and he and his buddies were always hanging around the front to the building looking half-crocked so to speak. Nevertheless, he and his brother were always friendly and often offered casual conversation to me and my dh and the other neighbors.

The neighbor was a member of the National Guard and he was deployed to Iraq. The neighbor was home for a week for a visit. He approached me as I was walking through the front door. He had a very desperate and scared look in his brown eyes. He asked me if my hubby spoke Arabic. I thought this was a curious question and felt a little annoyed with the assumption. But, I quickly stopped my negative thinking in my tracks. I know that in order to fight the stereotypes, I must act as a positive leader with open arms.

I carefully explained that my husband is from Pakistan and that he speaks Urdu. He asked again whether or not he knew any Arabic. I said that he know a little, mostly from his Quaranic teachings. The neighbor asked if my dh could please come downstairs and speak to him. I could see that this young neighbor of mine was quite distraught and needed some guidance.

I went upstairs and told my hubby about the request. My dh hesitated for a moment. I think he felt that he was being set up as a target of this young man’s anger. I told my hubby about this man was very distraught and confused and was showing signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I told him that we should support him because he was reaching out.

My hubby went down stairs. I stayed behind, allowing the moment to be for the boys. The neighbor had witnessed a lot of violence and unnecessary death. He was unsure of why the US was in Iraq. He and his peers had been told during Basic Training that they were going as security forces to help the Iraqis create a democracy. This made him feel god and important.

He quickly learned that the US had no intention of using neither him nor the other soldiers to “help shape a democratic society.” My neighbor was upset that he had not even been taught how to greet Iraqis and he knew nothing of their culture. He felt like he was an intruder trespassing. My husband took some time to explain what a Muslim believes and how to greet with “Assalmu alekum.” They also talked at great length about the history of US and the mid-east relations. The neighbor was very grateful.

Grateful or not, I am sure he has suffered tremendously. He and many other soldiers are returning to the US with many unanswered questions, and feelings of grief and anger. People who experience PTSD need a lot of love and support. They need to belong to a group comprised of others who have shared the same experiences. They are prone to anger and paranoia and often self medicate with drugs and alcohol. Disproportionate amount of people experiencing homelessness are veterans.

It can be said that many of the men and women who engage in acts of terror and senseless violence do so because they have grown up in poverty and harbor a lot of anger toward the evils of the Western world. Many of these men and women value life differently than you and I and have un-wavering belief that they are soldiers of God. The same can be said about the young men and women who enlist in the US armed forces. Many enlistees come from poverty and feel that they have been slighted by the land of opportunity. They don’t see their “out”. They harbor a lot of anger and racist feelings toward the “Muslim enemy”. They feel that it is their duty and that they will honor the most important people in their lives: their parents, spouses, community, and God.

They return to the US very disillusioned and a new world-view which they are unable to share with their loved ones who could never understand life outside of their community walls. They find themselves unable to get ahead and with feelings of guilt, questioning the two things they had the most faith in: the US and God.

Today, we continue to deal with the aftermath of the destruction of the Vietnam “conflict”. Be sure that today’s “War on Terrorism” peace troopers will need a lot of supportive resources. Let’s all do our part, whether it is volunteering at your local VA, holding a fundraiser, or urging our local representatives to not cut the VA budget.

I have worked with many Veterans as part of a homeless advocacy program. What I have learned is that most would rather talk about their war experiences than not. Most have a lot to say about history and politics, etc., but have no one in their peer group todiscuss these topics.

And on a final note, thank you and God bless all of the World's soldiers. People are good; governements and dictators are the one with selfish agendas.

The Quartet Meme

I was tagged by Sister Surviving – Yeah, my first time tagged!

Four Jobs I’ve Had in My Life
1. Dishwasher at pizza shop (I was demoted from wait staff after spilling hot soup on elderly ladies-boy are they sensitive!)
2. Disaster relief for FEMA after flood 3. Community organizer (first week of the job I was photographed by the local newspaper wearing a shark costume while participating in a demonstration)
4. Warehouse staff assembling industry catalogs. Unbelievable experience; we would spend entire work days circling around a line of tables collecting hundreds of sheets of paper one by one, thus manually assemble catalog

Four Movies I Could Watch Over and Over, and Have
1. I really dislike watching movies more than one. I usually end up falling asleep if I do.
2. The movies I have seen more than once are gems from the 80s and 90s which I was subjected to multiple viewing by virtue of having no choice while “hanging out” with friends. Some examples: Sixteen Candles, Singles, Sid and Nancy, Friday the 13th, Pretty Woman, etc.

Four Places I Have Lived
1. Various places in Ohio from the North to the South
2. Minnesota

Four TV Shows I Love To Watch
1. Myth Busters
2. Various design shows
3. The Travel Channel
4. Everybody Loves Raymond

Four Places I Have Been On Vacation
1. New England trip including New York, Boston, and visits to Yale, Harvard and Dartmouth
2. Puerto Rico (technically it was a non-denominational missionary trip and not vacation)
3. Karachi
4. Toronto and Niagara Falls

Four Websites I Visit Daily
1. Blog line up
2. My local newspaper
3. A local non-profit job search site
4. I usually end up conducting one new random search a day which leads to various sites

Four Favorite Foods
1. Dark chocolate
2. Quema pollack with chaval
3. Chili
4. French dip sandwich with steak fries

Four Places I Would Rather Be Right Now
1. On vacation in a warmer city in which neither of us have ever been to
2. Camping with my hubby
3. Visiting family in Karachi
4. Visiting family in Pennsylvania

Four People Whom I Tag Next
1. Aisha
2. Mystic Soul
3. Southern Masala
4. Jaycie

Modern Woman

Thank y’all for your responses. At this time, I am not sure whether or not I will be traveling to Pakistan. If I do, we will decide in February for a March trip. At this moment, I continue to look for a right job that I am passionate about and that will benefit my career path. If such a job does not present itself, then we will consider other options for me including travel and starting my family (Insh’Allah).

Even though I have only been there one time, I do think that I would feel more comfortable than not, staying with my in-laws (especially since it would likely be only a month or so). I have spent enough time with my MIL to trust that she would be very supportive. I thank Allah that I am blessed with such a wonderful family. I leave it up to him to guide me to my hubby's homeland.

My friend was here in my new home visiting. She is a friend from college. We had some wonderful times. Each time a person on my past comes into my life, I am reminded about how great my hubby is and how much I have changed over the years.

We had a heart to heart talk with my friend. She is struggling. She is 31, not married and very lonely. She and I talked about how we American girls were brought up with the ideas that we were to not be foolish and marry and have kids young. We are expected to go to college, build our careers and become strong, independent women. Sometimes, we don’t find our future spouses in college nor in our first jobs. Then one day, we wake up in our late twenties and scared about becoming lonely single spinsters without children. But, of course our college education and work experiences help to shape the people who we become and we can’t imagine our life without them.

It is tough to grow up as a woman in a lot of places. We must remember that it is also difficult in a modern and free society. Believe me, there are days that I wish that I could have started my family by now.

I also think about some families (some first generation American) that encourage their daughters to go to college, but really have no desire for the woman to work. These types of families want their daughters to learn and to have the security of a degree, but are more concerned about them marrying out of college rather than working.

I think that there needs to be a balance. Obviously marriage and family are more important than anything. I also know that being a mother is the hardest job. But, I struggle with the vision of a work force, government, social service sector, etc run by men only. There are differences between men and women and women add such a unique and much needed flavor to our society.

My hope is that our educated and hard-working women will find their loved ones who will support them through the beginning phases of her career and then transition into family-hood.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

The dilemma… My in-laws have graciously invited me to come stay in Pakistan (Karachi). At first, I dismissed the invites as part of the Pakistani politeness. But, then my FIL personally e-mailed me and invited me saying I should take a break from working so hard and come.

I am very happy, because I know they are genuine. I am very excited by the prospect of having time to get to know my SILs and my nephews and nieces. My SIL has a new baby a few months old, which is good practice for me. They keep saying this, because they really want us to start our family. I could spend time with cousins and learn some Urdu, cooking, prayers, etc. I have only been there one other time (last year) and it was quite hectic with our wedding ceremony/dinners, etc. I think this would be a great opportunity to show my gratitude for all that my in-laws have done.

A part of me is scared. I would be traveling alone and would be going without my husband. I am not sure how I will get along with the day-to-day of staying somewhere so far from home. But, then I am so inspired by people like Tara and Dawn that have done this. And, besides, my MIL will be staying with us for the whole summer, so between this and my hubby’s crazy work schedule, we really cherish our time alone.

But, that is stupid. It would only be for a month or so. Seems like I am passing up a very good opportunity for some very stupid fears.

I need some support yays or nays appreciated.

Eid Mubarak!

Take Two

I was anxiously awaiting the return phone call regarding a particular job I very much desired. Turns out, it was not meant for me. The woman had called to tell me first-hand that she was sorry that she was not able to offer the job. She was very kind and complimenting me and said that there was just one more person with a little more experience. She reassured me that my resume was impressive and that I interviewed very well. She said that she had another possible opportunity in mind that she would advise me of.

I was crushed. I really wanted this and failed. My hubby handled it very lightly and I felt like screaming. But, he reminded me that Allah wants what is best and that I did my best, the rest is in Allah’s hands.

Maybe I do need this time to relax and do some long-overdue soul searching. For this time, I am grateful.

On the brighter side, my hubby and I had a relaxing weekend. Also, I applied for and was accepted into a training. It is a six week course in which I will learn about housing policies. I am very excited about the opportunity to learn and meet new people.

On a sad note, I read an article titled: Selective abortion blamed for India's missing girls. The link: http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticleSearch.aspx?storyID=15491+09-Jan-2006+RTRS&srch=india+abortion

This follows Aisha’s discussion about a movie calld Pinjar which depicts the horrors of a gender biased society which forces many to fear the birth of a female baby. I am shocked to say the least. Admittedly, I assumed that the problem discussed was remnants of ancient cultural practices which take a long time to dissolve in Third World nations. What the article points out is that the practice of selective gender-based abortion I on the rise with the advent of access ultra sound machines. I cannot believe that people have access to such technology, but still behave in such barbaric ways.

Alhumdalilah, I am grateful that women are valued in Islam and such practices are prohibited in the Quran.

Too lazy to write it all out

Some random tidbits:

1. New Years was great. A lazy weekend in with my hubby and lots of yummy food. We watched The Human Stain (love my netflix!). This is a very thought-provoking movie that gives an alternative view to racism-check it out.

2. I really, really want one particular job which I interviewed for two weeks ago. I have been holding my breath ever since. Today, I received a message from the interviewer. I hope that I get an opportunity for a second interview. I have not wanted something this much in a long time.

3. Despite my identity-crisis issues of being unemployed, I have enjoyed my time immensely. I finished The Alchemist and Cosmopolis. I have also caught up on several back issues of Wired, the New Yorker and Scientific Atlantic.

4. Today, I officially became bionic woman; I received my two new hearing aids. So far, seems to be going well. You can not imagine the number of sounds I can now hear. I heard kids yelling with glee as they sled down a hill far off in the distance. I went to Subway for lunch and was able to hear just about everybody’s conversations. This new-found gift can be annoying as well. I now hear every little shake and rattle of the car and the things like water running through pipes and the motor of the refrigerator.

5. I went to the library, got a card and checked out some books. I ended the afternoon with a cup of coffee and I am reading A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis. I have recently learned a lot about my father’s death and decided that I need to take a grief journey as a means pf re-connecting, creating a history, reviving memories, and bidding a proper farewell to my father. I am journaling my steps.

6. It is official II. I am chubby! I faced my fears and stepped on the scale. I am at my heaviest weight ever. I am taking action. Today was my first visit to the gym. I am going to keep a food log and hold myself accountable for my actions.