Some notes I left on Bluesky, slightly before and on the immediate aftermath of the shooting at the GOP rally, with minor elaborations.
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In every sane timeline, this should lead to a bipartisan (read: the GOP finally rediscovering decency), society-wide reform on gun safety and strengthened ethics oversight on incitements of political violence. In our timeline, though, this could become a full-blown propaganda machine powered by our own addiction to sensationalism.
(Case in point: people already spend way too much attention on that one photo, and stopped talking about the rightwing dictatorship wishlist Project2025).
Yes, about that “iconic” photo (I will not post or link to it; just credit it, Evan Vucci of AP). Ethical journalism is about serving the public good. In this case, the public good would be communicating a message that inciting social hate and political violence all the time results in chaos and destruction. Instead, the photojournalist simply chose to go Leni Riefenstahl. And people are… loving it.
As for how ethical journalism should actually write about this stuff, it is as simple as this one.
https://bsky.app/profile/thielman.bsky.social/post/3kxaxwoi4f72z
Or, let me suggest a simple formula, as someone fearing far-right authoritarianism, AND agreeing that Biden is well past his prime. I recommend every moral journalist to do the sandwich:
1. Start article with the unfitness of Trump.
2. Explain how Harris would do better.
3. End article by introducing segments from Project 2025.
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[Added a day later]
Seems many people didn’t get the Riefenstahl reference, so let’s try it another way: yes, that was a well-structured, dramatic “photo.” But it was simply crappy and unethical “journalism.” Instead of pursuing the truth of the social damage, it simply glorifies the person as intended by said person.
What should be done instead? One way would be to use the power of the image to DECONSTRUCT intentions, revealing the larger truth.
Example: in July 2020, Trump put reporters in specific seats so that every picture should become like the top image. Most photo “journalists” spinelessly went along with that. But Alex Brandon of AP took the picture on the bottom.
No further explanations needed, I hope.