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New York Times
New York Times front page on Wednesday, Dec. 7., 2011.
There were many gruesome images of the death and devastation from yesterday's suicide bombing on a Shiite Muslim shrine in Kabul, Afghanistan. In our PhotoBlog post on the attack, we made the decision not to publish some of the more gory pictures that depicted dead bodies and people with severed limbs.
The New York Times published one of these pictures today at 4-columns on the front page of their paper. We saw this powerful image yesterday, and chose not to publish it at the time because we thought the dead bodies of children would be too disturbing to our readers. The photographer, Massoud Houssaini, was on the scene when the attack took place and was able to make strong images of people immediately reacting to the devastation. According to Houssaini's Twitter account, he sustained a "small injury on his left hand but its ok now." The image is now included in this post, below the graphic warning.
What are your thoughts about the picture? Should we have published it yesterday?
Massoud Hossaini / AFP - Getty Images
An Afghan Shia Muslim's cries near dead and injured after explosions during a religious ceremony in the center of Kabul on Dec. 6. At least 60 people were killed in an explosion at a Kabul shrine where Shia Muslims were marking the Day of Ashura Tuesday.
NBC’s Atia Abawi reports from Kabul:
A suicide bomber struck a crowd of Shiite worshippers who packed a Kabul, Afghanistan mosque Tuesday to mark a holy day, killing at least 56 people, and a second bombing in another city killed four more Shiites. NBC's Atia Abawi reports from Kabul.
See more images in the slideshow Afghanistan: Nation at a crossroads.
Related:
- NYT: Amid a horrific scene, tears
- Washington Post: The Post, NYT and WSJ show same scene of Kabul carnage via different photos
Leave a Comment:
The pictures show how evil man can be. It's sickening and I hope and pray that people can find a way to value one another, rather than have such hatred that it manifests itself into taking human lives.
Yes, people need to see what happened. We've become inured to the many suicide bombings that have occurred over the years. Many of us have become hardened to the photos of men and women being killed, however by showing the children this puts a different spin on an already horrific situation.
But if the violence continues, we will become hardened to the photos of the children as well. Then what?
The most common victim in a civil war is a child
The religion of peace.
The religion makes no difference, the point is that there has and always will be killing in the name of god. Have any doubts reflect on extreme Christians hellbent on murdering abortion doctors. Like many other aspects of "Civil" life, we do not learn from history and are in constant repeat mode.
How ironic, murdering abortion doctors?
If one person is less indifferent about the Middle East then it's worth publishing the photo.
sad and pathetic... unfortunately we will see more of this as US troops leave and the different sides struggle for power, but I am still glad we are getting out.
i just dont understand how you can wake up in the morning have your coffee and cocoa puffs and then blow yourself up and kill like 80 people and then think that you're gonna go to heaven.these people must have a learning disability and something of that nature....
It really doesn't matter whether or not you post the pictures...it will stop nothing. I would bet that in most instances these suicide bombers have no idea what they are killing for...they just don't think for themselves and blindly follow some insane persons reasoning for doing it.
As far as I'm concerned no religion is free of guilt when it comes to this. Religion will be the downfall of us all.
No, evil under the guise of religion will be the downfall of us all.
religon has got nothing to do with this kind of barbarity.all the religons known to thisdate dont preach the wsy to hell.who had gone astray from religon indulge in this kind of satanic work.these are followers of devil,only he preaches genocide and bloodbath to his students.cananyone name a religon who preach this kind of inhumanty.only following any religon in its true spirits can save us from this subhuman behavior
tabasam javaid- Uh, read the Koran much?
Religion...something created and invented by HUMANS (not any type of 'god') to give us explanations to the unknown...what is the world going to do when we find out the truth. I know many of you will say "God does exist" and maybe ridicule me for MY beliefs (or lack thereof) but the bible, koran, etc. was ALL written and created by humans...not some supernatural being. I feel very sad that innocent men, women and children die on a daily basis because "God wants it that way"...I say if you want to give your life to Allah, get yourself a group of suicidals and blow each other up...good riddance. Hell, let's broadcast it worldwide so everyone knows how you feel...then no innocents will have to perish. We do not see too many photographs showing children as victims (resulting in death) of violent extremism, and I feel that is unfortunate...captivating photo...horrible results...
There is no freedom of religion without freedom from religion.
and that will never exist in a true muslim society because of sharia law, that's because
laws, religion and government are one, anyone disagreeing is branded as deserving death.
Helluva cycle huh??
Let the world see what a bunch of un-civilized heathens these people are. They have been fighting each other their whole lives and that will never change. America should save its money and support our own people at home. Bring our troops home. Nothing will ever make these people live in a democracy. I say let them kill each other, the world will be a better place.
Dan B, that was ridiculous. Turning your back and letting people die will make this world a better place? You couldn't possibly believe that. Guess that makes you just as evil.
@ BeeKayPopN-3525826 yes making a comment that everyone else is thinking is just as evil as blowing up a bunch of kids. You're an idiot.
the US went in blew up some in iraq ,yemen ,there in afganistan what is the difference?
Bigotry in any form can become just as disgusting. now this new bill that turns the US into a military policed nation if it goes through............ Freedom is dead in this world.
The world will never be a better place when innocent people are killed because a wacko thinks his sect of a religion has more of a right to live then another. These pictures only show that even the people in Afghanistan are being killed at the hands of ruthless religious thugs, doing the devils bidding in the name of their god. This place has in been fighting for generations, it only goes to show us why our presence is needed, they will only revert back further. We as Americans have a chance to show the people of other countries that we wont turn our back on the messes we cause. The acts are savage that we must go through, don't you think the Afghan people are tired of it too? Id like to believe so.
By all means, show the idiocy of what we humans do to each other on a daily basis...
My belief is give people a choice to whether or not they want to see a picture like this. Put it on the front cover, no way. Putting on front page the Graphic Warning message the picture can be found on page X, yes.
Yes they should be published because people need to see what these "peaceful" people do.
The one kid slumped over in the front right looks like my son. This picture makes me sick. You think those kids parents would want this picture blasted all over the internet?
The extremists who revel at the killing of all women and children not of his particular brand of fear and sectarian murder, rejoice at these images. His beliefs are spread through die or convert messages. Anyone want to publicly draw Mohammet as a swine. Note, that even you are affected by these killers of human spirit and decency.
nato just killed so much ppl libya in the name of demokery it isnt funny and u ppl talking about the religion of peace....jews and christians still killing today this is a religion of peace,,,self rightous idots......
I definitely think that they should have published these. I think American readers need to see the truth of what happens in the world and most are FAR too protected with blinders. Not that I want to see violence and devistation, but I know that we need to be more exposed to the truth rather than have our hand held all of the time. The warnings of graphic images ahead is good. But the readers deserve to make that choice on their own.
The Muslim factions will continue to kill each other long after the U.S. leaves Afghanistan. They are hopeless people.
Since this Administration has decided to say that the Muslim people are NOT VIOLENT or our enemy, you should do your journalistic job and show all of us what they do and who they are for balance and let the public make a well informed decision about the pics and the Muslim Faith. Withholding evidence in criminal matters is a crime, what is going on around the world with these self proclaimed "Holy Wars" should not be withheld by the media as that is part of informing the people about the whole story. Our rights are under attack on all fronts, at least allow us the right to think & choose what WE think is offensive or not.