Dear Congressman Lamborn: Sometimes photographs are difficult to look at

[dogberryjr]

A member of Congress calls a photograph documenting the human impact of mountaintop removal coal mining in Appalachia child pornography. He may wish to consider the true meaning of obscenity.

http://www.denverpost.com/politics/ci_20791925/rep-lamborn-panel-blocks-bath-photo-over-child#ixzz1x0f1FhVN

And here is a link to the photo in question at the photographer's site: http://www.katiefalkenberg.com/#/the-human-toll--mountaintop-removal-mining/004

[Lauffray]

One day, even shooting landscapes will also be wrong and controversial

[Mark A. Fisher]

And he didn't even see the image! Wow! And Double Wow! These are our leaders, these are the folks we elected. How very sad.

Thanks for posting this. Indeed, he may wish to consider how obscene his own actions might be perceived.

Mark

[rpsawin]

This has nothing to do with photography. It is about a "bought & sold" politician doing the bidding of his masters. File this under "Best defense is a good offense".

The photographer was making King Coal look bad and they could not let that go unanswered.

Bob

[Steve Bellayr]

I agree with rpsawin. In America there is one party that is owned and operated by large corporations. Investigative journalism is an anathema to them.

[Peter^]

And he didn't even see the image! Wow! And Double Wow! These are our leaders, these are the folks we elected. How very sad.

Thanks for posting this. Indeed, he may wish to consider how obscene his own actions might be perceived.

Mark

All he sees is the little girl. What an obscene, filthy mind he must have.

[paulfish4570]

that colorado congressman doesn't have a clue about coal mining of any type. as for that photo being pornographic, that is absurd (and most of y'all know where i stand on nudity in photography).
coal mining is a valuable industry and it can still make profits by mining cleanly and safely. that is the way we do it around here nowadays.
i'd guess some kind of oxidation is staining the water in question. dangerous? no idea. but it sure as shootin' should be looked into, for any possible ties to mining ...

[rxmd]

"Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself." - Mark Twain

[paulfish4570]

oh, and steve: you really ought to check on west virginia's congressmen and see which party they belong to, from 1959 through today. and as for a party belonging to business, how about george soros and the "other" party?

[dogberryjr]

The photographer was making King Coal look bad and they could not let that go unanswered.

Bob

You're correct. And I'm not going to let the opportunity for Rep. Lamborn to show his ass to go by either.

[dogberryjr]

you really ought to check on west virginia's congressmen and see which party they belong to, from 1959 through today.

The Republicans are not alone in belonging to corporate interests, it's true. As to West Virginia Democrats, well, I think they bear very little resemblance to the rest of the Democratic Party in thought or action. The sad fact is that King Coal continues to absolutely dominate politics here in the Mountain State and party branding has little to do with anything.

[hipsterdufus]

oh, and steve: you really ought to check on west virginia's congressmen and see which party they belong to, from 1959 through today. and as for a party belonging to business, how about george soros and the "other" party?

I think he was saying that both parties are one and the same and they're both owned by corporations.

[oftheherd]

This has nothing to do with photography. It is about a "bought & sold" politician doing the bidding of his masters. File this under "Best defense is a good offense".

The photographer was making King Coal look bad and they could not let that go unanswered.

Bob

Yep, all politicians pay attention to money. We need campaign finance reform in the worst way.

I agree with rpsawin. In America there is one party that is owned and operated by large corporations. Investigative journalism is an anathema to them.

Both parties do it. Sometimes with the same financial masters, sometimes with different financial masters. But both do it. See my comment above.

I think he was saying that both parties are one and the same and they're both owned by corporations.

No question about that, only the particular corporations.

[oftheherd]

"Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself." - Mark Twain

Mark Twain was a master with words, was he not?

[paulfish4570]

wherever any particular industry is king, things can get stinky indeed.
witness king cotton ...

[filmfan]

Mark Twain was a master with words, was he not?

What if I said he was not? What thennnnn?
(A: I would be an idiot, but I just wanted to make fun of your "...was he not?" attempt to be masterful with words yourself )

[Lauffray]

I agree, the real problem isn't the girl, or photography in general, it's just the industry interests

[f16sunshine]

You can close your eyes to the things you don't want to see but, you can't close your heart to the things your heart wants to feel.

Congressman Lamborn may need some therapy and may have some ugly skeletons to hide.

[seakayaker1]

. . . . . his ruling is absurd.

From the article.

Lamborn on Tuesday said he still hadn't seen the photo and didn't intend to.



Could rant about politicians but this is not the forum for it.

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

Congressman Lamborn may need some therapy and may have some ugly skeletons to hide.

The best definition, which I have yet heard, of the word oxymoron: "honest politician".

:D

[tom.w.bn]

The objective of having a staff is not doing everything yourself. You can either trust the decisions of your staff or you play the control freak and control everything they do. This congressman trusted the decision of those people responsible for handling the media stuff. Pretty normal behavior I think.

Why did he deny to look at the photo afterwards? Because he's a professional. If he admitted that he's seen the photo, the next question would be "do you think this is child pornography". Boom....killer question, like "have you ever smoked pot?".

[paulfish4570]

or pot ... :)

[paulfish4570]

my favorite no-right-answer question is: have you stopped beating your wife?

[zauhar]

I think the congressman didn't care about the content of the photo, and I am sure he would not be personally offended by it (it is an excellent and striking image, by the way ).

He simply had the opportunity to attack an opponent with the phrase "child pornography" and cynically took the cheap shot. This is about the lowest politics has sunk in my lifetime.

Randy

[tom.w.bn]

or pot ... :)

You're right! Perhaps smoking "pod" is no fun :D

[rxmd]

You're right? Perhaps smoking "pod" is no fun :D

Unless you're a Pod Person from the Seventh Dimension, of course.

[semilog]

Lanborn: a rabid, corrupt, malevolent shell of a man. And those are the good things I have to say about him.

[dogberryjr]

I see this thread has been moved to "Off Topic," and I suppose it did—inevitably—stray off topic, and quickly at that, but I do want to say that the reason I brought it to this forum was to discuss the potential for photography to be misunderstood, whether accidentally or more cynically, on purpose.

I also think that the photographer did a great job documenting a troubling issue while preserving her subjects' humanity.

You may now resume your film-is-dead and which-bag-makes-my-butt-look-big? conversations. ;)

[gdi]

What if I said he was not? What thennnnn?
(A: I would be an idiot, but I just wanted to make fun of your "...was he not?" attempt to be masterful with words yourself )

Just can't help yourself can you?