The Ghost of Snapped Shot

Sometimes, the surroundings of a photograph speak volumes about the "message" that a photojournalist is trying to convey to his readers. For instance, framing a group of people behind a police barrier conveys the message that, somehow, the subjects in the picture are being "oppressed" by a particular police force, even though other photographs in the same series show very clearly that the police barriers are not intended to surround the people pictured.

Here's another interesting case of selective framing, courtesy Kevin Frayer of the-wire-service-that-hates-me. I'll refer you over here for the picture, but allow me to "paint words" with the caption, if I may—and if you have problems with it, Counselor, you know the drill:

Palestinian Muslim women stand under a Christian mural as they look on, during the funeral of four Palestinian militants in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, Thursday, March 13, 2008. The militant Islamic Jihad group in Gaza fired more than a dozen rockets at southern Israel early Thursday after Israeli undercover forces killed one of its West Bank leaders in a raid in the West Bank town of Bethlehem. The attacks shattered a recent lull in Gaza fighting and highlighted the fragility of efforts to move Israel and Gaza's Islamic Hamas rulers toward an informal truce. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)

So, in this picture, we see about a dozen Palestinian women, all in deep scowl, watching a funeral procession for a group of self-admitted terrorists. And these women are framed by Mr. Frayer under a rather dramatic painting depicting the birth of Christ.

What's Kevin trying to convey in this picture, by selectively framing it the way he did?

Are these Palestinian women intended to be "as Christ was," back when He was in His away-in-a-mangerly state in Bethlehem? (Which, incidentally, is an historic Hebrew town, not "the West Bank"...)

Because, last I checked, Christ did not advocate killing the Kuf'r dead. Or at the very least, I can't seem to find the passage where He suggested such a thing in my copy of the Bible. (Maybe it was in the Qur'an...)

Or is the implication here that somehow, the Christians depicted in the background of this photograph are the ones persecuting these women?

I mean, we're obviously acting cruelly and unusually towards them, what with our billions of dollars in aid, which promptly gets stolen by their kleptocracy—a Zionist plot, no doubt.

Of course, our helpful editorial staff at the terror-supporting wire service decided to allow the subtle commentary right on through, so that readers everywhere can continue to be inundated with the tired old David vs. Golliath meme.

Then again, all the "ace editorial oversight" in the world and $1.50 still wouldn't buy much more than a donut.

Which reminds me—Mmmm, donuts.

 Tags: kevin frayer AP #Intifada

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Comments:

#1 captainfish 13-Mar-2008

mmmmmmmmmmm donuts.

Yeah, very skilled framing. "MidEast Conflict".. Right. Palestinian women being conflicted by Christians.

Is that what we are to take?

Why in the world are we still giving terrorists millions and millions of our dollars?!?!? This is similar to giving Iran and Syria our money in hopes of buying their peace. IT AINT GONNA HAPPEN. I understand Egypt because they have agreed to peace first. But the pallies have continued to demand war, death, invasion and elimination of the state of Israel.

#2 kristy mourtada 14-Apr-2008

One thing thier not Terrorists , second of all we hate isreal becuase its killing our people and takeing our land , its like telling a person to get out of thier house becuase you want it, this is the point of veiw.You call us terrorists becuase were trying to defend our selfs??Thts not right in my point of veiw I love all relegions and my own as a muslim. We muslims respect if they respect other then that, thats life.