N.Y. Times (July 14, 2008)

July 14, 2008

Editorial
Witnessing the War Dead, From Afar

There’s a propaganda edge to waging every war, and a sad hallmark of the Bush administration’s approach has been to deny the nation the candid sight of flag-draped coffins of sacrificed soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. A nation at war should confront the reality of war.

The muting of bad war news, which started at the Pentagon, is now an issue as well at Arlington National Cemetery. A public affairs director at the cemetery was recently fired after complaining that rules were tightened to isolate the media 50 yards away — well beyond the point at which news organizations could hear, never mind photograph or videotape, burial ceremonies.

The Pentagon says it is only following the wishes of families and that it has not changed its procedures. But there are serious reasons to doubt both protestations.

Gina Gray, the fired director, said last April that the rules for the media at Arlington were indeed tightened, and she promised the Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank that she would work to ease them. In the ensuing controversy, military officials promised to work out some middle ground. But that did not save the job of Ms. Gray, who complained that cemetery officials had been calling families to encourage them to deny media coverage of their loved ones’ burials.

The cemetery denies coaxing the families — and the wishes of families that do not want news coverage should be taken into account. But surely eulogies for fallen soldiers and respectful depictions of final rituals should not be denied a place on the public record when grieving families wish coverage. Graveside is the last chance for a nation to remember those lost on its behalf.