Dead Bodies and Pesky Questions

Terry Neal of the Washington Post raises an interesting point about FEMA's efforts to censor news coming out of New Orleans.

"Cadavers have a way of raising questions. When people see them, they wonder, how did they get dead?"

FEMA is trying to bar journalists from photographing dead bodies lying in the aftermath of Katrina. Stopping that sort of thing could be kind of hard, since journalists were in the heart of the city long before FEMA was, snapping away at all the death and destruction.

FEMA leaders have been burned repeatedly in television interviews by denying things were going on in New Orleans -- which videotape and photographs clearly showed were happening. So it's logical if they can stop those darn pictures from coming out -- they can paint whatever picture they want of FEMA's work.

And pictures of death and destruction raise issues of accountability -- and hold politician's and bureaucrat's feet to the fire over "how they got dead."

Officially, FEMA says the attempted photograph ban is because "the recovery of the victims is being treated with dignity and the utmost respect."

FEMA should have provided dignity and respect -- and help -- before the people died. (WashPost)