Moving

Washington Sketch: Khartoum Karl seemed to follow the steps of the daily show. It took what would otherwise be an unnoticed news conference in the nation’s Capitol and gave it some exposure. The tone was obviously skeptical, and the ambassador played into those skepticisms. I found the threat of withdrawing Coca-Cola especially amusing.

The content of the video allowed them to take a different view than many hard-line news people would. Dana Milbank is a serious journalist. This story would not have worked as a print story. The irony of the Ambassador’s words doesn’t work in print. By using shadows of the speaker, close ups on a gaudy watch, and interspersed commentary, Milbank and Akira Hakuta achieved a piece that was both informative and critical.

On Another Note....

I found the photo of a Mary McHugh lying in front of her fiancé’s grave far more striking than it's equivalent multi-media piece. I assume that is why it won for best magazine photo.

Last year I attended the funeral of a friend’s cousin. What struck me about the funeral was that it was so, uniform. Yes it’s military, and yes they carry out several of them a day. Still, it seemed almost rehearsed. Everything was done at the appointed time. The family met, drove to the gravesite, buried the young man, and then came back to the main building for another short reception before heading to lunch.

The entire experience did not offer closure. It was strange to attend. This young man, from a military family, received full honors. He died after throwing himself on top of an IED in a house in Iraq, saving 7 fellow soldiers. Still, when leaving Arlington Cemetery there wasn’t a feeling of honor, pride, or even finality. Instead there was echoing loss and a $100,000 check along with a flag. Small compensation for the bereaved, and barely enough to see his two-year-old daughter to college.

The photo brought back these memories and expanded them. The empty field across the road in the photo is the final resting place of my friend’s cousin. He is buried about 10 yards from the road unseen through the trees. His grave is below the hill shown, and slightly to the left. The grief expressed by the young woman in the photo could be that of any number of young people who’ve lost a loved one.

John Moore captured her pain and grief. He also captured the innumerable losses not only in this war but also in previous ones. The fading tombstones, combined with the trees and cars show the number of losses. The fact that the tombstones around the grave are fresh indicates that many of graves in the photo are recent. The details to the gravestones show that these men and women were loved. Balloons and flowers indicate family members, while the flags honor the service to our country.

John Moore did an exemplary job capturing a moment. He also captured the pain that so many feel.