Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Project Never Forget


I looked up project never forget as well as the remembering 9/11 section on the young America's foundation.  I could not find the picture that we talked about in class but I did find the base image of project never forget to be somewhat disrespectful as well.  Here is the link so you can see for yourself.  http://www.projectneverforget.com


I contacted the leader of our campus Conservative/Republican club to see if I could get ahold of the image talked about in class this morning, but while I am waiting on that I want to say something about the image on the front page of project never forget.  I am no longer shocked by pictures, I guess I'm just that desensitized, but I am not a fan of this picture at all.  Why is America supposed to be represented with a man with a gun?  I understand that this project is about honoring the lives of fallen soldiers who do carry and use guns on a daily basis, but is that really the image we want to remember or have associated with a human?  I am anti violence of any kind and living in a world in which the supposed greatest country on earth needs to be represented with a large gun literally jabs at my heart strings.  In many ways I think this project is a great idea as it does honor the life of fallen soldiers and that's something I fully respect.  I have not been able to find out too much about the politics behind this project but as they are strong affiliated with YAF I'm going to go ahead and guess that it is pretty conservative.  That part aside, however, I can't understand why anyone, no matter what their politics are, wants to remember a soldier by having a flag and a man holding a gun.    

Does anybody else feel this way?  Or am I being far too critical of this picture?  I would venture to say that a good percentage of our class is probably not "for" the war in Iraq or Afghanistan, but what does this picture say to you?  Does it say "American, we've got guns" like it does to me or does it say something a little more profound an meaningful?

Update 9/19.....I just uploaded the picture from the remembrance on our campus.  I am not positive that this is exactly what was talked about in class, but this is what I was sent.

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