Safety for Journalists

"War photographers have a right to safety"...

What? Rarely have I seen such an oxymoronical statement. Who, during war, is safe? If I am in a war zone, I can pretty much take it for granted that it isn't going to be safe.

I remember this wise quote from Fred the lion from the old Super Chicken cartoon series: "You knew the job was dangerous when you took it". War photographers have a great chance of finding themselves in the middle of places that anyone with sense would do the utmost to avoid. That is their job, but no one forces them to do it.

As a former soldier myself, I learned that no one is safe in a war zone. Modern weapons are not toys, and human beings are prone to err from time to time. These photographers were walking in close proximity to armed men while armed attack helicopters were orbiting in the distance. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that this is dangerous. Even when the helicopters are on my side, I keep my head down, I know what adrenaline can do to affect one's judgment and patience, and pilots are no less immune to it than anyone else.

No one has a right to safety in a war zone, because there is no such thing. If you want to be safe, stay at home.
 
To young KyleAHPhotog, search out One Crowded Hour, a book about the life of Australian war cine photographer Neil Davis, and his work covering various wars/conflicts in S.E.Asia. Also track down WARCO, by Pat Burgess,Australian Reporters at War. Now this being ANZAC Day, pause and reflect on the 52,000 Australian soldiers Killed on the Western Front in 2 years,out of a population of approx. 4 million. As for civilian deaths on the Western Front, was anybody counting ? On the Eastern Front in WW2, some 20,000,000 Russians perished, both civilian and military. WAR IS A Dirty,Filthy Business and best avoided. As for a photo/journalists right to safety in a War Zone, were they suppose to wear fluro safety vests or black & white stripes on their backs, get real sunshine, IT IS A WAR ZONE. People get killed,blown too pieces, 10`s of thousands of soldiers on the Western Front have NO known grave. As for photographers killed in action, see Tim Page`s book Requiem. Lest We forget.
 
Civilians have been killed in wars since the beginning of Civilization, which of course introduced the term.

Anyone that believes "it is an American thing" is a complete fool. The introduction of Aerial bombardment of cities was introduced by Germany before the US entered WW-I. The largest single-day death toll of Civilians was the bombardment of Dresden by the British RAF in WW-II. The casualties were greater than the toll from both atomic bombs combined.

As far as US civilian casualties, our Civil War was the worst of it up until the Twin Towers were hit. At least the Japanese launched a sneak attack on a military base.

http://womenshistory.about.com/library/pic/bl_p_judith_henry_house.htm
 
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