U.S. agency blocks photos of New Orleans dead

The U.S. government agency leading the rescue efforts after Hurricane Katrina said on Tuesday it does not want the news media to take photographs of the dead as they are recovered from the flooded New Orleans area.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, heavily criticized for its slow response to the devastation caused by the hurricane, rejected requests from journalists to accompany rescue boats as they went out to search for storm victims.
[reuters]

This depths of this tragedy must not be hidden. The truth must not be controlled. Our government wants to hide reality rather than address it. Their are significant problems that need to be addressed and photographs like this can force change. Nobody wants to see these photographs, but they need to be seen. The press needs to do their job and the government needs to focus on relief efforts rather than censorship. It is of the utmost importance to the future of this rescue operation and the future of this country.

This photo turned my stomach. I hope it turns your stomach, too.