The Failures of The Bush Administration: A Photo Essay

Wow.

Those graphic images with those downright evil faces. How did this administration get this far? How did we let them??

Wow.

Those graphic images with those downright evil faces. How did this administration get this far? How did we let them??

The asinine, delusional religionist rightwingers elected them. That's how.

The war has already started - it's now your responsibility to SHUT UP, and stop supporting Al Queda by demoralizing OUR TROOPS

The war has already started - it's now your responsibility to SHUT UP, and stop supporting Al Queda by demoralizing OUR TROOPS

Fool. Nobody if supporting Al Queda by speaking out. I don't think "the troops" have such fragile egos that my free speech would demoralize them. Perhaps there are those in our fighting forces that agree with me.

I was as interested to see this as anyone, but some of these images are suspicious if not downright fake.

The guitar shot? Come on! The guy's dumb, but he ain't that dumb. Graphs are definitely suspect as well.

Check your facts; this type of propaganda is equally evil.

I was as interested to see this as anyone, but some of these images are suspicious if not downright fake.

The guitar shot? Come on! The guy's dumb, but he ain't that dumb. Graphs are definitely suspect as well.

Check your facts; this type of propaganda is equally evil.

Well, prove us wrong! If you think we've got fakes here then show us the evidence. I mean, you may be right but you need to back up your accusations…

This is a nice example of how the "new" media (ie the blogosphere) can learn from the old. There are two primary reasons for CITING your source:

1) credit: to give credit where credit is due

2) authority: so people know where your material is coming from.

Here you have not cited where any of these photos came from. Even worse, you have not even placed captions on these photos to place them in context. Some of those pics of injured children could be from any number of conflicts unconnected with current US activity.

I have been strongly opposed to the Iraq war from the start and pretty much everything Bush has done since assuming office. Considering how badly he bungled the job, it should not be hard to criticize him accurately and thoroughly.

And, the guitar pic is definitely chopped. The original can be viewed here: http://hughesforamerica.typepad.com/hughes_for_america/2005/08/august_ 2930_200.html

1) The photos speak for themselves. Their sources are irrelevant here.

2) See one.

Yes, the guitar pic is photoshopped. The two pictures were however taken on the same day. I'll let you take that for what it is worth.

I was as interested to see this as anyone, but some of these images are suspicious if not downright fake.

The guitar shot? Come on! The guy's dumb, but he ain't that dumb. Graphs are definitely suspect as well.

Check your facts; this type of propaganda is equally evil.

Well, prove us wrong! If you think we've got fakes here then show us the evidence. I mean, you may be right but you need to back up your accusations…

No, everybody knows by now that the guitar image is a fake. You took what could have been a really strong project and undermined it through just plain sloppiness. Next time check Snopes at least. I like Josh's comment/point that they were taken on the same day though (joking Bush/weeping woman)

Bush is our president and not supporting him is just as unAmerican as flying a plane into the WTC. Whether you voted for him or not, he is doing what he thinks is best while taking all the flack for what he AND a panel of highly qualified people decided. And no we don't know that anyone would have done better, so you can't gripe about America's "wrong choice" in electing Bush as president. Furthermore, if the majority of soldiers that are fighting side with Bush, and they are the only ones with a true view (without all of the media smutt and spinning), then why can't we all just trust our president? You and people like you are tearing America apart.

As far as the sourcing issue, I would like to make it clear that insofar as I (as only one founding member among four) am authorized to speak for an "official Seminal perspective," it is our official perspective that we believe in maintaining the highest journalistic standards possible. Therefore everything that needs to be sourced will be sourced. However, I read Josh's piece - and he can correct me if I'm wrong - as more of an artistic statement than a journalistic rendering of facts. Artists, unlike journalists, do not have to cite their sources (I'm talking aesthetically, not legally here - copyright is obviously a different issue). I knew the guitar pic was a fake the first time I saw it, and I'm surprised there was even a question in anybody's mind. But in an artistic work designed to produce an emotional impact, photos like the guitar picture have a place.

And to our readers who equate not supporting the president with treason and crime, I would like to ask the following questions:

If we eliminate dissent from our democracy, would it still be a democracy?
Do we lose the right to dissent the moment we hand over our ballot on election day?
Are the 60% or more of Americans who currently do not support Bush all unAmerican?
Is there no way to support the troops without subscribing to one party's - or one ruling clique's - specific political agenda?

For those who answer yes to any of those questions, I would refer you to the writings of America's founding fathers, and to the history of this country's establishment - namely, as a haven for dissent and free political and personal expression.

American freedom won't mean that much if it all it means is that I can only go along with what you think or shut up.

No, everybody knows by now that the guitar image is a fake. You took what could have been a really strong project and undermined it through just plain sloppiness. Next time check Snopes at least. I like Josh's comment/point that they were taken on the same day though (joking Bush/weeping woman)

Thank you, I happen to think that image is really powerful, photoshopped or not. The point of that photo is to illustrate that while New Orleans was drowning, Bush was having a good time. It was widely distributed in the days following the Katrina disaster.

I have to say, I have a hard time believing anyone who claims that they thought that image was real.

Ish nailed the other two issues I would go into detail on otherwise.

1) Yes, this was meant to be an artistic piece. It was designed to tug at hearts, not to change minds.

2) Brittany: The questions Ish raised are quite appropriate given your confusing remarks. I'd love to see your answers. All I'll add to that is a quote from one of the most respected American journalists of all time, Edward R. Murrow:

"We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. When the loyal opposition dies, I think the soul of America dies with it."

Bush is our president and not supporting him is just as unAmerican as flying a plane into the WTC. Whether you voted for him or not, he is doing what he thinks is best while taking all the flack for what he AND a panel of highly qualified people decided. And no we don't know that anyone would have done better, so you can't gripe about America's "wrong choice" in electing Bush as president. Furthermore, if the majority of soldiers that are fighting side with Bush, and they are the only ones with a true view (without all of the media smutt and spinning), then why can't we all just trust our president? You and people like you are tearing America apart.

funny you never said the same thing about clinton. bill clinton is a man the reuplicans cannot seem to forget. it's always the same thing,when things go bad for the republicans bill clinton got a blow job