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White House Posts Altered Photo Showing Arrested Minnesota Protester Crying

nytimes.com

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Re: White House Posts Altered Photo Showing Arrested Minnesota Protester Crying

#21

Post by dfxm12 »

myrmidon wrote: post #4

Having the government manipulate mass-media material is frankly insane. Everyone involved in something like this should be sacked immediately, but I have very little hope that voters are going to punish egregious misbehavior like this as long as it's "their" side doing it. If you had told republican voters in 2016 that within the decade, there were going to be widespread searches/arrests by federal agents without war…

The situation we're in today has obvious roots in the aftermath of 9/11 and the PATRIOT act, and the relative lack of voter outcry after the Snowden leaks. Voters seem all too glad to trade in freedom for fear of boogiemen & have a reverence for LEO that is wholly unearned. I honestly think the reaction would be closer to something like, "well, what did they do to deserve it?" (until it happens exactly to them, of course)

Re: White House Posts Altered Photo Showing Arrested Minnesota Protester Crying

#22

Post by nicpottier »

nomilk wrote: post #17

(very) Important to note this doesn't appear to be an attempt at passing off a digitally altered (/AI generated) image as real, but rather the creation of a digitally altered image with the intent of mocking the individual. When I stumbled across the altered photo I immediately knew it was a joke (i.e. had been created using AI), although I didn't notice it was created by the White House (although that wouldn't have…

This photo did not scream AI to me but I'm not deep into internet trolling culture.

I would love to be able to take photos that our government posts at face value.

I find any defense of this kind of wild. These are the people in power? Even if it is a joke is this how we want the powerful treating us?

Re: White House Posts Altered Photo Showing Arrested Minnesota Protester Crying

#24

Post by Someone »

myrmidon wrote: post #4

Having the government manipulate mass-media material is frankly insane. Everyone involved in something like this should be sacked immediately, but I have very little hope that voters are going to punish egregious misbehavior like this as long as it's "their" side doing it. If you had told republican voters in 2016 that within the decade, there were going to be widespread searches/arrests by federal agents without war…

> Having the government manipulate mass-media material is frankly insane.

It’s repeating history. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_of_images_in_the_So... with, for example

“On May 5, 1920, Lenin gave a famous speech to a crowd of Soviet troops in Sverdlov Square, Moscow. In the foreground were Leon Trotsky and Lev Kamenev. The photo was later altered and both were removed by censors.”

Re: White House Posts Altered Photo Showing Arrested Minnesota Protester Crying

#25

Post by nomilk »

nicpottier wrote: post #22
nomilk wrote: post #17

(very) Important to note this doesn't appear to be an attempt at passing off a digitally altered (/AI generated) image as real, but rather the creation of a digitally altered image with the intent of mocking the individual. When I stumbled across the altered photo I immediately knew it was a joke (i.e. had been created using AI), although I didn't notice it was created by the White House (although that wouldn't have…

This photo did not scream AI to me but I'm not deep into internet trolling culture. I would love to be able to take photos that our government posts at face value. I find any defense of this kind of wild. These are the people in power? Even if it is a joke is this how we want the powerful treating us?

Rule of law is so important, and society (especially the vulnerable) suffers when weak leaders fail to enforce the law. That said, we can have our cake and eat it too - strong law enforcement (a la Singapore style) can occur without mocking wrong doers.

Re: White House Posts Altered Photo Showing Arrested Minnesota Protester Crying

#28

Post by spwa4 »

epistasis wrote: post #7

> “Enforcement of the law will continue. The memes will continue.” The Whitehouse thinks digitally altering photos of people it arrests is a "meme"? That's just as perverted an understanding of a "meme" as their understanding of "law". Namely: the law protects but does but bind the in-group, and binds but does not protect those in the out-group. Thus the January 6 insurrectionists get pardons, and the killer of Renee…

Well if they're altered photos ... then it's really more like "lying will continue", isn't it?

Re: White House Posts Altered Photo Showing Arrested Minnesota Protester Crying

#29

Post by spwa4 »

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #6

During France’s Reign of Terror, executions by guillotine were public. It was considered distinguished for victims to go stoically, and many did, which left the crowds to have their fun. I recall, however, and this may be apocryphal, that one woman went to the stand screaming and crying and begging for mercy. This humanized her. The crowds, soured to their revelry, went home. I am curious if her pleas were heard beca…

During France's Reign of Terror, the line towards the guillotine is rumored to have been over 4 kilometers long. 30% of Paris died. This done to kill the bourgeoisie, despite that over 90% of those executed didn't hold any titles. It turned into a massacre, and was replicated across France. The son of the king was locked up at age 8, alone, until he died, before his 11th birthday. The youngest person actually guillotined was 13 years old.

... I don't think there was much "humanizing" going on at all.

Re: White House Posts Altered Photo Showing Arrested Minnesota Protester Crying

#30

Post by JumpCrisscross »

spwa4 wrote: post #29
JumpCrisscross wrote: post #6

During France’s Reign of Terror, executions by guillotine were public. It was considered distinguished for victims to go stoically, and many did, which left the crowds to have their fun. I recall, however, and this may be apocryphal, that one woman went to the stand screaming and crying and begging for mercy. This humanized her. The crowds, soured to their revelry, went home. I am curious if her pleas were heard beca…

During France's Reign of Terror, the line towards the guillotine is rumored to have been over 4 kilometers long. 30% of Paris died. This done to kill the bourgeoisie, despite that over 90% of those executed didn't hold any titles. It turned into a massacre, and was replicated across France. The son of the king was locked up at age 8, alone, until he died, before his 11th birthday. The youngest person actually guillot…

Oh I don’t mean to humanize the Reign. I’m just saying that even in those depths of depravity, tears were recognized for what they were, at least once, perhaps, again, apocryphally. The notion that tears would inflame an audience to more violence is interesting juxtaposed against that.
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