For those too young to remember "The Dover Incident."

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=2&aid=158630

The big blowup that was the beginning of the end of open casket arrival ceremonies has been called "The Dover Incident." On Dec. 21, 1989, the U.S. had just invaded Panama, and the first U.S. military casualties were returned to Dover Air Force Base. At the same moment the TV networks were broadcasting the images of that grim arrival, President George H.W. Bush held his first news conference since the invasion. He appeared to be joking, evening laughing, at the very moments the caskets were arriving. ABC, CBS and CNN showed the strikingly different images -- the joking president and the caskets on split-screen, live. The practice of allowing coverage of arriving caskets stopped right away.

The Dover Incident is just one of many times that the government has opened the coffin ceremonies to the public when the publicity suits the government's purposes of stirring emotions or drumming up support for a war effort. For example, the National Security Archive lists these exceptions to the ban:

1980: President Carter was photographed at Arlington praying over flag-draped coffins bearing the remains of the eight U.S. airmen killed in the aborted rescue of the Tehran Embassy hostages.

1983: President Reagan was present at Andrews AFB for a ceremony for American diplomatic and military personnel killed in the April bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut. He was photographed in front of a row of flag-draped coffins bearing the remains of military and diplomatic personnel. Within a few days of the ceremony photographs were provided to the media by the White House.

1985: President Reagan attended a ceremony at Andrews AFB for military personnel killed in El Salvador, pinning purple hearts on their flag-draped caskets. The event was covered by the media.

1989: The media covered ceremonies at Norfolk, Virginia for 47 U.S. sailors killed in an accidental explosion aboard the battleship U.S.S. Iowa.

Some journalists will undoubtedly turn the photos into multimedia presentations. Irby and McBride said journalists should be especially cautious when using music or production techniques that may heighten emotions.

[BeHereNow]

1. The BBFE thinks the deaths of serfs entertaining...

I get sick when I see that clip of GW joking about WMDs at the
White House Press dinner.

What must families of lost loved ones and soldiers watching
thought of that atrocity?

Disgusting, the whole filthy lot of Bush dynasty members and associates.

BHN

[trotsky]

2. Don't forget Babs' opinion of it all.

"Why should we hear about body bags and deaths? It's not relevant. So why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that?"

[BeHereNow]

3. Like I said, disgusting, the entire lot of them.

Traitors to the people of this country because they
actually believe their blood money makes them better
than the "average" person.
They think nothing of wasting other people's children lives for their profit.
BHN