Boston Marathon Explosion

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WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,979
I don't have a problem with people taking pictures as we have combat photographers in war to document what happens. As you say a true professionals job is to document and many have died doing that job plus the pictures are very important in a crime like this.
And I agree, but I am still very ambivalent.

The image that always pops up in my mind is a man and a young girl standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon. A sudden gust of wind comes along and the girl looses her balance and is tottering right at the ledge. Instead of reaching out to grab her hand and steady her, he instead grabs his camera and records her going over the edge and falling to her death. No matter how powerful the resulting image was, no matter how much impact it eventually had (and there have been photographs that have changed the world), I will always believe his first responsibility was to reach out and save that girl's life.

And I understand it's not that simple. The guy that took some of the first video (heck, he caught the explosion itself) walked right over the the barrier and was filming people lying there bleeding profusely before anyone else had gotten to them yet. For all we know, one of the three that died might have lived had he simply set down his camera and pressed a hand over a wound for a minute or two until someone else got there. But what if the video he recorded during those few minutes ends up capturing the key to tracking down those responsible and it turns out they are apprehended just before getting ready to plant another set of explosives? In hindsight, even I would have to agree that "the greater good" had been served. But that's really part of the point. In my view, a person's actions should be judged based on the knowledge they had at the time the decisions were made, not on what eventually resulted from those actions. At the time he chose to continue filming, he had no reason to believe that his video during those minutes would ever amount to anything but he had good reason to believe that some of the people he was taping might die but for his assistance.

As I say, I am very conflicted on this point and I suspect I always will be.
 

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,087
As I say, I am very conflicted on this point and I suspect I always will be.
I have experience in a few third-world countries where this type of violence was happening long before modern electronic communications showed us how gory exploded bodies are. Press people react the same everywhere. Their professional training limits and focuses actions during events like this, you don't even think about intervening as that would stop you from doing the best job possible. If it were one-on-one like the girl on the edge I would be critical but in Boston their reaction was the right one IMO.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/im...s/Images/Boston_Marathon_Explosions_0c378.jpg
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,979
I have experience in a few third-world countries where this type of violence was happening long before modern electronic communications showed us how gory exploded bodies are. Press people react the same everywhere. Their professional training limits and focuses actions during events like this, you don't even think about intervening as that would stop you from doing the best job possible. If it were one-on-one like the girl on the edge I would be critical but in Boston their reaction was the right one IMO.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/im...s/Images/Boston_Marathon_Explosions_0c378.jpg
As I say, I definitely understand.

I guess, for me, the test for whether I will give them a pass is if they are truly consistent in their positions. For instance, if they were in a control studio talking to someone via radio that was out filming something and this happened and they then saw THEIR daughter dying on the monitor, would they tell the photographer to keep filming or would they tell the photographer to set the camera down and save his daughter?
 

praondevou

Joined Jul 9, 2011
2,942
Until now they have only been called suspects. I wonder what I should have done if it was me the suspect on the photo. Turn myself in probably.

Could be difficult not to get shot though with all the nervous police men having their finger on the trigger...
 

DerStrom8

Joined Feb 20, 2011
2,390
Until now they have only been called suspects. I wonder what I should have done if it was me the suspect on the photo. Turn myself in probably.

Could be difficult not to get shot though with all the nervous police men having their finger on the trigger...
While that may be true, it's already obvious that these men are insane. Bombing a marathon, getting in a high-speed pursuit with police, throwing bombs from the car and shooting. Sounds like something right out of an action movie. Now this guy's friend is dead and his mind is probably blank. He's not going to be thinking straight at this point. He's going to be trying to get away, because he knows there'll be severe punishment for him no matter what. But like you said, after all he's done, I wouldn't be surprised if he's shot on sight. He's going to try to run, but he won't make it far. The police, national guard, fbi, and other organizations are top-notch. Once they're on the trail, they don't give up. This guy is going down, whether it's done by the feds or by his own hand. He won't last 48 hours.
 

praondevou

Joined Jul 9, 2011
2,942
This wasn't a suicide commando. Why did they not try to hide their faces? They must have known about all the digital evidence that will appear afterwards.

Did they think they would get away with it?

We all made some stupid stuff at the age of 19 but I really can't imagine what would drive me to attack a Marathon.

If they don't like the foreign policy of the US then why not attack gov buildings etc? To difficult?
What does the Marathon have to do with it?
 

Thread Starter

strantor

Joined Oct 3, 2010
6,782
This wasn't a suicide commando. Why did they not try to hide their faces? They must have known about all the digital evidence that will appear afterwards.

Did they think they would get away with it?
They were from Chechnya. Maybe they're not used to cameras everwhere. Maybe they were counting on blending in with the crowd (which they did).
 

DerStrom8

Joined Feb 20, 2011
2,390
This wasn't a suicide commando. Why did they not try to hide their faces? They must have known about all the digital evidence that will appear afterwards.

Did they think they would get away with it?

We all made some stupid stuff at the age of 19 but I really can't imagine what would drive me to attack a Marathon.

If they don't like the foreign policy of the US then why not attack gov buildings etc? To difficult?
What does the Marathon have to do with it?
According to the article, they have been identified as Cechens. They have been terrorizing Russia and other countries for a long time. They are terrorists. They try to harm as many people as possible. The boston marathon was the biggest event in the city, and they targeted the thousands of people who attended. They had no interest in damaging buildings, they wanted to damage people.

They probably thought they could get away with it. Either that or they didn't care.

But like I said, the other guy won't last long.
 

killivolt

Joined Jan 10, 2010
835
Until now they have only been called suspects. I wonder what I should have done if it was me the suspect on the photo. Turn myself in probably.

Could be difficult not to get shot though with all the nervous police men having their finger on the trigger...
These guys aren't interested in turning them selfs in, this was a suicide mission.

They're worth more alive more than dead. It's to bad one of them died, a lot could have been gained, maybe finding information to more terrorist cells.

If you were innocent or guilty the cops would want you alive to interrogate you.
 

Thread Starter

strantor

Joined Oct 3, 2010
6,782
My thinking was actually how to react if it was ME on the photograph and I am NOT the perpetrator.
Assuming you did not throw bombs at the cops when they tried to take you into custody, I think your chances of not being shot on sight are better than 50%.
 

praondevou

Joined Jul 9, 2011
2,942
They have been terrorizing Russia and other countries for a long time.
If you go back in time it is actually Russia who invaded this region. Always the same thing. If everybody just stayed in their own country we would be fine.

It's crazy how the death of the 8 year old boy watching a marathon can have something to do with a terrorist group in Chechnya.
 

DerStrom8

Joined Feb 20, 2011
2,390
I guess I should not have worded it the way I did.

My point is that the Chechens are known terrorists, not just in Russia but in other countries as well. Now two of them are here in Boston. Well, were. Now one's dead, one is about to be caught.
 
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