Shocking photos have a role in telling stories
Re Photo captured sickening face of humanity, Letters, May 28 A few letter writers were upset about a Toronto Star front-page photo. One suggestion was that “descriptive writing” should be adequate to relay the information instead of a sensationalist approach. It reminded me of a recent Canadian citizen who was the subject of a Pulitzer-winning picture. Phan Thi Kim Phuc was photographed after tearing off her burning napalmed clothes in Vietnam. I’m sure some letter writers of the day would have complained about depicting children in agony and the nudity of a defenceless little girl. But, this picture had more of an impact on an ongoing war than any expressive writing would have provided. The same should apply to the photograph just published by the Star.
Photojournalists are risking their lives to powerfully expose injustice and some of us are worried about our stomachs. Russell Pangborn, Keswick, Ont.
Unlike letter writers Mimi Khan, Maureen Roy and Maurice Parker, I appreciate and admire the Toronto Star for publishing the torture images that tell of what humans do to humans. Words can’t describe the true impact of such an act, nor can they arouse emotions. Only photos of atrocities show the true, basic and brutal instincts of man — hatred and anger.
The Toronto Star is doing a great service to the community by giving facts and news in an unbiased way. In fact, you are the only voice of the poor, marginalized and the voiceless. Keep up the good work of exposing illegal, unfair and shameless acts of people and governments in our society. Satendra Ganjoo, Toronto
Thank you for publishing the report and photos about torture in Friday’s Toronto Star. I write in response to letters chastising you for not simply writing about the horror. One asked: “Has descriptive writing gone completely out of style . . . Can we not imagine the pain and suffering sufficiently based on a well-written story?” To which I reply: body of toddler washed up on beach in Italy; young naked girl runs along road in Vietnam. No and no. Sometimes a photo really is worth a thousand words. Sometimes, unfortunately, we need a photo to push us to change the status quo. Sharon Jennings, Toronto