Bush Dilemma

[TheYak]

I'd heard something like this before.. now updated a bit:

Here is a hypothetical situation that poses an important ethical test.
Please give the question serious thought before answering.

You are an AP photographer in Florida... in Miami, to be exact. You are
surrounded by complete chaos and huge masses of water, the result of a
Force 5 hurricane that has brought on severe floods. Though used to
witnessing disasters from your work, you are overwhelmed by one of the most hopeless situations you have ever seen: houses float by, bodies disappear under water and mud. Nature's awesome power has never seemed so destructive. Suddenly you see a man in the water, fighting for his life, trying not to be drowned by the masses of water and mud. As the torrent brings him ever nearer to you, you realize that the man looks familiar. Suddenly, just as the raging waters are about to sweep him right by you and take him away forever, you realize who it is: It's George W. Bush!

You have two options. You can save him. Or you can take the most
important photo of your life. You can save the life of the President of
the United States, or you can shoot a once-in-history photo capturing the death of one of the world's most powerful men. You can be invited to the Oval Office or win a Pulitzer Prize.

And here's the question (please give an honest answer):

Would you select color film, or go with the simplicity of classic black
and white?


[Credit where it's due, this was posted by John Shirley on his forums, credited to Jean Fong]

[Meowster]

Huh? I'm thinking color.

[[Cameron]]

Im more for black and white. Make it look classy, plus you get to imagine all the colors of his asphyxiating body.

[DGMacphee]

STOP THE FUCKING PRESSES!!

1) I'm a journalism student -- that pic would make all my hard years of work worthwhile.

2) Bush is a moron -- We lost a moron? GOOD!!

3) There's something ironic and poetic about nature taking away the life of a man responsible for a shitload of destruction on nature.

If anyone asked me why I didn't save him, I'd say it was God's will: Bush would have wanted it that way.

[Pessi]

That's a good one, YakSpit/John Shirley/Jean Fong!

[Timosity]

I'd use colour cause it's cheaper.

and for the hypothetical situation I just had to answer:

Seriously, I'd pretend I was going to save him so he would seem all happy, I'd put out my hand to grab him, then put my camera in his hand and laugh as he floated away. Also if possible I'd watch and make sure he actually drowned. It would be more risk to this world to save his life.

Losing a camera for a good deed, the memory would be more priceless than any sort of fame.

[Kairus]

That's an old joke, I think I've heard it many times with different personalities being drowned.

Now, getting serious, have you heard about this photographer, I think he worked for the Time magazine. He took a photograph of this African kid that was starving to death and there was a vulture a few meters from him waiting for him to die.

The photographer won dunnowhat-very-important-photography-award but later on he went mad and killed himseld. He couldn't stand the guilt for not saving this child and just using him to win a prize. I don't think he could've saved him, anyway. It's a sad story.

[Squinky]

I've often wondered why photographers don't ever intervene and help people...And truthfully, I would never allow anyone to die, regardless of my political views or career aspirations...

[Timosity]

Yes Squinky, you're right, I think most people would do the same if they had any morals, even if they're someone you don't like. As long as you're not putting yourself in as much danger as them in the first place.

Assess the danger to yourself first before proceeding any rescue, it's common sense and the way professionals work anyway. just remember DRABC

[Nacho]

I´ve heard something about that talking of reporters of National Geographic and other documental producers... they can´t intervene. It is sad, but sometimes they must film how their favourite baby lion gets sepparated from its mom, and they can´t join them back. In the last documental I saw the lion´s mom find it, but in a previous one it didn´t and the baby lion died.

Of course, we´re talking of different things when we talk of people... But I think that the camera becomes some kind of shield for the reporters...

[Minimi]

I think you should all stop the anit-bushinism. I respect the man, and I'm glad im not in his position, because I would have messed everything up. I think Bush could do alot better, if the people were standing behind him, as one nation. Just stop the useless discussion, and save Bush, before it's too late!

[DGMacphee]

I think you should all stop the anit-bushinism.

Too bad -- we're going to keep on doing it.

I respect the man, and I'm glad I'm not in his position, because I would have messed everything up.

But Bush messed things up anyway.

And I'm not just talking about Iraq -- Iraq is small beans compared to the other shit he's pulled.

I think Bush could do alot better, if the people were standing behind him, as one nation.

That's ridiculous logic -- A president (or any politician) doesn't perform any better if they gain higher public support.

A president could the most popular bloke in the world and still do a shithouse job.

For proof, look up 'Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen', Queensland's most popular premier (and one who did more harm than good to the state).

Higher public support doesn't increase a politician's performance -- if anything, it's the opposite: if the president performs well, he gains higher support.

The fact that he has low support only shows what a shitty job he's doing.

Besides, Bush doesn't need the public -- he's got the large oil and military companies behind him.

And he still does a shitty job.

Just stop the useless discussion

No, piss off!

and save Bush, before it's too late!

I could save him by sending him to rehab and AA meetings, but that won't fix the fact he's a shitty president.

[Pessi]

I agree with DGMacphee. I think you need to give more reasons to your arguments, Minimi. It's also a good idea to show respect for other people's opinions on the issue. And this probably goes to all of us.

[Darth Mandarb]

I'd set the timer on the camera, frame the shot, jump in and catch on film my dramatic rescue of the president!

Not only would I be a pulitzer prize winning photographer, I'd also be a hero!

But seriously ...

Saving the life of anyone in danger is far more important than any picture, color or b&w.

Even if it's the vile George Bush.

[bspeers100]

I would hastily construct an elaberate giant hand that stuck out over the water and a large multi-output speaker device with a voice distorter, and then stick the arm out to save the man, with the speakers blaring the following message.

"George! This is the hand of God! I am giving you a chance to save yourself.  Admit all your inner workings with major corporations to the public, reform the political system..." Etc, etc..  Then, as Bush reached for the hand, I would construct a crude "devil hand" and start blaring an alternative message from the opposite bank "No Georgie boy! Choose me!  Choose eternal damnation!  The rich will inherret the Earth" etc, etc.

Then I'd turn on the digital video camera portion of the camera and film what happened.  Presumably Bush would go for the devil hand.  At that point I'd bring in all the religious leaders of the United States (and I mean all of them) to witness what happened next.  This would of course necessitate the invention of either instantaneous teleportation/direct cloning or time travel, but I have some friends in Engineering and Computer Science, so I'll just get them to write an algarythm or something.

[Minimi]

I think you should all stop the anit-bushinism.

Too bad -- we're going to keep on doing it.

You say that, because of your convinced you have the truth in hands. If you'd start listening to other opinions once, you might learn something

I respect the man, and I'm glad I'm not in his position, because I would have messed everything up.

But Bush messed things up anyway.

And I'm not just talking about Iraq -- Iraq is small beans compared to the other shit he's pulled.

So you do refer to Iraq, because you can't come up with anything else more foundated statements. I'd like to say this... You do not know what might have happened if Bush(and the whole parlement), decided to not attack and wait for Iraq. I'm not saying war was good, because I'm against any war, for whom or whatever, but sometimes there gotta be sacrifices made for the better good. All we (the public) get to hear are stories like oil, and saddam... but have you seen the confidential papers of the governments, and all the incoming and outgoing mail of the whitehouse, listened to the phonecalls, and all other background information? No! And neither did I, so you don't know the whole truth.

I think Bush could do alot better, if the people were standing behind him, as one nation.

That's ridiculous logic -- A president (or any politician) doesn't perform any better if they gain higher public support.

A president could the most popular bloke in the world and still do a shithouse job.

For proof, look up 'Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen', Queensland's most popular premier (and one who did more harm than good to the state).

Higher public support doesn't increase a politician's performance -- if anything, it's the opposite: if the president performs well, he gains higher support.

The fact that he has low support only shows what a shitty job he's doing.

Besides, Bush doesn't need the public -- he's got the large oil and military companies behind him.

And he still does a shitty job.

I respect ofcourse your opinion, im just saying it doesn't make anything better by flaming bush.

Just stop the useless discussion

No, piss off!

I love you too  

and save Bush, before it's too late!
I could save him by sending him to rehab and AA meetings, but that won't fix the fact he's a shitty president.

Ok, I guess we'll never agree  :

[shbaz]

So you do refer to Iraq, because you can't come up with anything else more foundated statements.

You don't read the news much to you. How about how the US is trillions of dollars in debt now, rather than moving to a balanced budget as we were. What about his "clean air" act that actually allowed looser restrictions on polluters. The "no child left behind" thing that he pulled funding from to go to the war in Iraq. Schools are actually at risk of closing, because some are operating on 1/6 the budget they had 4 years ago! Then there is the "Patriot" act that basically allows people to be held for no reason if they're suspected to be terrorists.. which means all they have to do is call you a suspect terrorist, you don't need to do anything or have any evidence. Bush protesters are labelled as "suspect terrorists" and cleared out when he is near them.

Dude, sure you have the right to an opinion, but frankly, most Bush supporters don't even know what they're talking about. Why do you like him?

[bspeers1000]

Don't forget allowing American soldiers to die for neverending unsettling causes, cutting pay and health insurance for soldiers and veterans, sending Americans to war on false pretenses (remember the WMD that they got soldiers into the war on?)

Anyone who loves Bush and ignores how harmful he has been to real people fighting in these wars really shows disrespect to "the troops," and that's sad.

How about his poor spelling and pronounciation?  His alienation of most of Americas allies?  His attack on the separation of Church and state?  While Clinton vastly reduced support for safe abortion in the US, Bush worked even harder on this front.  How about gutting social programs, enraging Islamic countries, illegal deportations, unmitigated arrests, further funding of Columbian paramilitaries, damaging the peace process in Israel and Palestine, and suporting the Enron disaster with backroom deals and arrangements?  Not to mention that a further recount showed he didn't even win the election.

Of course, the only difference between Bush and Gore in the debates was about the % of the tax breaks to the rich, so don't get your hopes up about the "democrats" either.

[shbaz]

I didn't mention the war in Iraq because it was a good thing justified for all of the wrong reasons.. basically he took advantage of public fear by labeling Iraq as a lot of things it wasn't. Saddam is evil, I don't think anyone can argue with that, just as Bush is a liar.

It is really sad that he took benefits away from soldiers after sending some of them to their deathbeds before age 25.

[Squinky]

I'm sitting on the fence with this one....I can't put all the blame on bush for all the problems of today, becuase these things don't just pop up over night... I think the economy issue was begining to happen when Clinton was president, this is just when things started to come down....

As for all the other stuff, I can't blame it all on one guy...And I really don't think Bush is as stupid as everyone claims. How did he get to be president if he's so dumb? I don't get that part....

It's my belief that all this hatred for Bush started way back at the elections. Now, I watched (Didn't vote though) and what got me all mixed up was that the news channel was saying that Gore won states before they had %30 of the votes...what the hell was that about? So, in an hour or so, what happens? They have to correct themselfs and say that Bush won....So, then the re-counts happen, which everyone is mad about. Who started the Recount? Gore.

Now, I'm sure Gore wasn't the first guy to lose that way, but he was the first to be a big goddamned baby about it. I believe his actions caused a major rift right then and there, and a lot of people hated Bush right of the bat....Which seems silly, becuase the only one doing stupid crap (At least then) was Gore.

What worrys me the most though, is that I watch coverage of the Presidantial race going over here, and all the Democrats are saying "I don't care who gets into office, as long as it isn't Bush".Holy crap, thats scary! I'd like to think it should matter what the canidates views and history are, not just the fact that he isn't Bush!

Bah...politics suck...