People At Ground Zero Debate Whether Bin Laden Photo Should Be Released

Professor: America's Image Would Be Tarnished By Images

May 3, 2011 11:58 PM

An undated file picture shows Osama Bin Laden. (credit: AFP/Getty Images)

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NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — As officials in the Obama administration continue to debate whether or not to release photos of Osama bin Laden’s killing at the hands of U.S. Navy SEALs, the issue was being widely debated at ground zero on Tuesday.

WCBS 880′s Paul Murnane With Reaction In Midtown

Of all the images seen of bin Laden in the days since his death, there is one that remains tightly under wraps and for many is the most sought after one.

The White House confirms two sets of bin Laden pictures — graphically showing a gunshot to the head — exist. However, because the government buried the Al Qaeda leader at sea to prevent a shrine in his honor, there is a growing push for photographic proof.

“Personally I think they should release the photo and put it to rest,” Vincent Merry of Crown Heights told CBS 2′s Scott Rapoport.

At ground zero — considered by many to be hallowed ground where nearly 3,000 innocent souls perished under bin Laden’s master plan — some are demanding to see proof of the Al Qaeda leader’s death.

“I think people want to see them,” one woman said.

It is a sensitive issue for the Obama administration, which is still considering whether to release the photo. They are trying to balance the gruesome nature of the picture and the reaction it might cause. There is demand from some circles to see it as final proof bin Laden was killed and that he is gone for good.

“Yeah, most people want to see that he’s completely dead,” Dana Baskerville of Bayonne, N.J. said.

“If you release the pictures, it will serve as evidence,” said Pamela Geller, Executive Director of the American Freedom Defense Initiative told CBS 2′s Derrick Dennis. “I vehemently disagree that we should subjugate ourselves because it might hurt the sensibilities of the people that want to kill us.”

Other people’s opinions on the issue were more varied.

“I would lean towards not releasing it. I think it is going to incite a lot of anger,” Melissa Lemos of Carroll Gardens said.

Ghassan Shabaneh, an Islamic studies professor at Marymount Manhattan College, said going public with pictures of bin Laden’s body would tarnish the United States.

“Many Muslims around the globe look at the United States as the beacon of human rights and values and when the United States allows itself to go and do such a thing like this, this hurts the image of the United States,” Shabaneh said.

“It’s a hard decision and it can inflame people. And it can be seen as disrespectful to the Muslim culture,” John Delibero said.

“I think they should hang him by the crane…is what I think. And let everyone see him dead,” Frankie Sturiano said.

On Tuesday evening, CIA Director Leon Panetta said in a broadcast report that the photo would “ultimately be presented to the public.”

SOUND-OFF: Should the photos be released? Share your thoughts in the comments section…

People At Ground Zero Debate Whether Bin Laden Photo Should Be Released

Honest

“Stooping down to their level”
nathan

it would be a sensitive issue of course but couldnt they exibit the photos like say at the white house that way anyone that wants to view the photos would have to go to such a place and view them first hand.that way they would eliminate any possiblilty of the pictures circulating on the internet.i doubt there would be any islamic extremeist that would go to the white house and be on survielance to view the photos but i am sure many american people would take the trip to view it.

zeke

Nathan:
A very good idea. I’m an American living in Brazil and most likely would never make it to D.C. But still, you have an excellent idea… GOOD FOR YOU!!!
Gerry Damato

I think that copies of the photo should be available to anyone who wants to see them thoughout the USA, and at a small charge. This could be done at a local movie theater, for example: Post a warning sign that, prior to the main feature, the photo with bin Laden (dead) and a bullet in his head with a few good words of commentary from those who serve, will be presented. No cameras allowed!Then anyone who doesn’t want to see the photo doesn’t have to. Half the proceeds could go towards the betterment of the lives of those permanently injured by the 9/11 attacks, and the other half could go against the Gross Federal Debt. What do you think?
P.E.R

Very good idea, if only white house advisors will see this comment

P.E.R

My reply was to nathan’s good idea

P.E.R

Very good idea, if only the white house advisors could see this comment

Gushka

Obama is a liar, and con artist, running a game on gulible americans. Osama been dead a long time. Obama and his conspirators are trying to get his rating higher, cover up his fraud with the birth certificate, hide the economy problems, and get votes for 2012. Obama and his whole administration are wicked evil NWO clowns destined by Yahweh to the eternal lake of fire.
Gushka

It’s a con job by Obama and his NWO criminal buddies.
DeWitt

Of course the photos should be shown! If they’re too graphic the wounds can be pixelated out. Who gives a damn about Muslim sensibilites anyway? They danced in the street on 9/11 and we’re dancing now! Why was he given a Muslim burial, too? How many 9/11 victims never got any burial at all? He should have been mounted on the mast at the top of the Empire State Building and left to rot!

Honest

The ones that danced on the streets were only the hardcore anti-american palestinians. We, the muslims in Malaysia and Indonesia mostly watched in horror as the towers collapsed. USA isn’t my country but I have spent a great 6 formative years – I respect your country as much as anything. I met my wife in the States and I’ve gained a degree, as well as many friends there. But if you clump all muslims in one generalization, I think you’re no better than those muslims dancing on the streets almost 10 years ago.

P.E.R

Well said

Leon Hall

I understand that many people want to see this mass murderer’s death picture. But we are supposed to be better than that as a country and as a people. It serves no realistic purpose. Leaving nothing out there is better then giving Bin Ladens followers something tangible to hold on to and use as some rallying cry against us. As for the victims, nothing changes. Our loved ones are still lost and no picture of a dead Bin Laden will change that.

Arif

I agree totally with commenter Leon Hall. If you are an American, Leon, I hope more people in your country think as maturely as you do. America needs to show itself as the bigger nation, not in size/power, but in heart, and combat the negative stereotypes that people from other countries have of it and its people. Maybe if assurance is really needed, they can show the hard-copy photos to selected members of the American people, maybe family members of the 9/11 victims, and don’t allow them to bring any recording device whatsoever. But don’t make it a public spectacle, for reasons you stated.
Yogi

Gushka, If Osama bin Laden is long dead, why didn’t the Bush’s administration take credit for it?

Well said, Leon! In addition, didn’t enough people in Afganistan, Irak, and Pakistan already been dead since? Will we ever know how many?

schmoo

“Relased”? FAIL journalism!

schmoo

Thank you for correcting your spelling in the title, 1010WINS.

D

they don’t and never will care about our feelings we were bold enough to go and get him weren’t we? what about now? a Muslim was NOT killed but a pashto Hitler was. when will we accept that
they will only stop when we convert to their religion
or after they totally destroy us in the name of their god.
geez weez

If the gov wants a closure on this issue. They should have a video of his death in all angles and the corpse completely shot up like what obama said. Well if they want the truth, just give them the damn truth. After all, the truth does hurt you know.

Yogi

I wonder why so many of you want to see blood, blood, blood? Shouldn’t we be bigger and better human being than these people are? Sometimes I wonder!!!

Joe

I smelled and watch the towers burn for days! I want to see pictures of him with a bullet through his head. My only wish is that he knew they were American miltary men that were killing him. He ruined so many lives that awful day
Brighthenz Parksonwright

well i can see the extremists in the united states of America, the God blessed country are totally ungrateful to God in the President Obama’s good job in bringing down the inhuman nature innocent killer, O.B.L. therefore I would personally urged Sarah Paulin and fans, to be admitted in any Psychiatric Hospitals in the united states , to inculcate more good memory and senses into them.
Sarah Paulin isn’t fit to be a president of America, she is a PETTY Period.

gen wildemann

totally agree

Pete Peterson

Good lord people, Bush, Obama, Obama, Bush, what difference does itr make? We got him is all that matters. It won’t get anyone elected either by election time there will be a lot more to think about than who got Osama. His body was fed to the sharks and we can’t change that either. There is no one fool enough to claim he’s dead when if he isn’t he will easily prove that to the world on video so he’s dead and everyoen iinvolved from beginning to end should have some credit. Most of all the men that went in after him and not Obama, not bush, not the CIA or secretary of defense, the men who took him on should be praised and collect the reward too.
wootieup

I think the photo should be released. The attack on the Twin Towers was publicized and shown for all the world to see…thousands of people were dying while everybody watched. Wouldn’t it do them a little bit of justice to show that the person responsible finally came to his end?
Roy

I beleive that two bullets placed into his head would be a gruesome unidentifiable photo and serve no real purpose other than to aggravate some radicals. The ooner we forget him the better.
disbeliever

obama is not black as black pride contnds he is mulatto-half black-half white. he certainly has no respect or regard for his white mother or grandparents by denying his ancestry. as for ossa, obama should release the photos and video so we all know he is truly dead. with obama’s track record of not always telling the truth, he needs to show proof. why the rush to dump the body? was it really osama? why doesn’t he give more credit to the seals. much of the ingo leading to getting ossama was gathered during the bush administration. he obaama so small and insecure that he can’t share the credit. this will certainly not influence me to vote for him in 2012

badman

frickin muddle headed wierdo

lia

i’m surprised we haven’t heard from greenpeace yet….we’re contaminaating the oceans!!!!!!!
Edwin Loveland

Did anyone consider exhibiting the body on ground zero as a closure?
kevin

I have the highest regard for the U.S. Navy Seals. get one who was on the raid and ask him if it was O.B.L., says yes, I will beleive him b/4 I will beleive any one in Wash

Replace a POLITICIAN with a NAVY SEAL
Edwin Loveland

Did anyone consider exhibiting his body on ground zero?
Edwin Loveland

Did anyone consider exhibiting his body on ground zero as a closing?

Brian Branco

I would be the first one in line – I would love to spit on his lifeless body, maybe drop kick him once or twice.

What an opportunity that would be.!!!

Black Snide

I’d drop a deuce on his bullet-riddled face.

Black Pride

Bush (white man) couldn’t do it….. Obama finally did it….4 more years!

dante

uh obama half white and intel from the last 4 years when bush was prez
christian

for real? everything was set in motion by bush, obama (half white) only gave the final go-ahead and watched everything on video. the only reason there was even a go-ahead to give was because of info provided by a guy captured during the bush administration who, thru bush-era interrogation tactics shut down and then restarted by obama, gave up info on the personal courier who eventually and unknowingly led us all to bin laden. get your facts straight and don’t be so damned ignorant. its people like you that continuously prevent blacks from emerging from stereotypes.
christian

for real? everything was set in motion by bush, obama (half white) only gave the final go-ahead and watched everything on video. the only reason there was even a go-ahead to give was because of info provided by a guy captured during the bush administration who, thru bush-era interrogation tactics shut down and then restarted by obama (cuz they work), gave up info on the personal courier who eventually and unknowingly led us all to bin laden. bush started it all. actually, bin laden started it all and bush started osama’s end. get your facts straight and don’t be so damned ignorant. its people like you that continuously prevent blacks from emerging from stereotypes. obama probably won’t even have the balls to allow photos and videos of it all to be released, even tho i hope i’m wrong on that.

badman

you want to type you soliloquy a third time? I suggest you learn how to use your computer machine. and your brain. though that might be asking too much. “christian.” figures – what a freaking joke.
christian

Up yours, d-bag!

Bettwe Majore

Who cares about the photo’s they of course will be released what
I wanna know is who gets the $25 million reward?
Cami

Why is there even a decision to be made about this? WE DESERVE PROOF!! How many pics did I see of people jumping to their deaths from the World Trade Center? INNOCENT PEOPLE WITH NO OTHER CHOICE!

Show the pictures and prove that this man is dead. Burial at sea? REALLY?????

What the hell is going on here? Why is this even a question???

A Muslim

1. Osama’s buried at sea because they’re afraid that if he’s buried on land, then there will be a burial location, which extremists can then think as some sort of a “jihad shrine” or “hallowed grounds” or stuff like that.

2. This is “a question” because nowadays people can do anything with photos anyway, I personally can make realistic photos of Osama, or Obama, or every single cast member of Jersey Shore or anyone, with bullet holes in their heads with Photoshop, and it’ll look gritty and realistic. Photos are NOT proof. Not these days. So I think the administration’s worried that photos will fail in satisfying lots of American people, and succeed in riling up and angering the Muslim extremists (who don’t need a lot to get riled against the USA anyway). Just an objective outsider’s take on the situation.

Brent White

It may be disrespectful to muslim culture and it may enrage some people but the muslims and their culture had no respect for American life with the attack. People may feel enraged but will also have closure by being able to see the picture. As a former United States Marine that was serving when the attacks happened and also being from New York, I want to see the photos. Until they are produced and proven to not be altered in anyway I will continue to disbelive. I also agree with the comment above, they should at least show the sea burial so we can the trash has been disposed of accordingly.

Shawn Ryu

And when did they have respect for us? Decent Muslims wont have much issues with this.

Nick

There are “decent” muslimes?????

And the fascist libs censored the following. Free speech only applies if you agree with their lunacy:

People talk about “enraging” muslimes like it’s not their normal condition. The only peaceful muslime is a dead muslime. As Osama had just proved.
badman

Nick, how long has it been since your pendulous lard gut blotted out your view of your own genitals?
Honest

Nice one Nick. Really showing the World why America should be the center of morality in the universe.
Nick

badman,

howzabout you lick the cheese out of my folds, wiseguy!

Arif

Oh man, I usually don’t respond to posts like this, but you need to be smarter Brent (and other people of similar mindset). “the muslims and their culture had no respect for American life with the attack”? Really? you equate a few men in a plane and a terrorist organization with the whole of arguably the largest religion in the world today? I am a Muslim and I’m proud of it. And I wept at 9/11. And I am happy that they finally get Osama. And so are, and did, and are, the majority of the billion of others around the world. Don’t generalize. Be smarter. It’s never the religion that’s bad, it’s always the extremist followers of the religion. It happened on a larger scale with Christianity in the Inquisition era, it’s happening on a smaller scale now with Islam, only much more dangerous because of our technology (both in information and weaponry) today. We just need to grow smarter as humans and it’s traits like you and some other people here exhibited that needs to be outgrown. Or we will never know peace.

CADOSH

MMmmh thats it Arif. The only tool to harness peace is through Good and effective public relation. The silly mistake we do is ‘generalizing’. One persons sin/mistake is assumed to cover the respective specimens. Lets reason CAREFULLY and THINK BIG!
Arif

@Brent: BTW, I responded to people like you because you seem intelligent, just (understandably) clouded with emotion and perhaps having a rather narrow perspective of life. But I’m confident there’s hope for most of us. People like ‘Nick’ a few comments up, however, trying to talk logic and reason with that kind of people will be about as useful as talking to my bathtub. It’s funny how that kind of people are the same inside, whether they wear turbans or Nike hats.
Annoyed

Thank you! I cannot stand people that want to put muslims into the same category. I was raised Lutheran, but that doesn’t make me who I am. These morons don’t seem to understand that Islam isn’t the problem, its just used as a tool by terrorist to recruit. Osama probably didn’t even believe the bs he was spewing. It’s called Propaganda.. Hitler used it, Mussolini used it. Religion itself has the power to do untold good or evil, it depends on the individual person.

Nick

Show the video of him being dumped into the sea with the rest of the trash, as per Naval procedures on garbage disposal.

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People At Ground Zero Debate Whether Bin Laden Photo Should Be Released

Professor: America's Image Would Be Tarnished By Images

May 3, 2011 11:58 PM

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