Image of Neda from a cell phone camera.
I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t watch it.
I thought about it, given what it means to the delivery and consumption of news in today’s rapidly changing media world. It’s part of my job to keep up with these things — to explore new ways to use social media. To leverage these outlets to deliver messages and reach audiences.
I even went to YouTube to search for the footage, but I couldn’t bring myself to type in the key words. In fact, the closest I came to watching it was reading this NPR opinion piece by Avie Schneider about its impact.
Of course, I’m talking about the cell-phone video and resulting blogosphere coverage of a young Iranian woman dying in the streets of Tehran. Her name was Neda. According to NPR, she was shot during anti-government protests this week.
Young and beautiful, she has quickly become an iconic figure of the post-election protests and of the power of citizen journalism. The video of her death was sent out via Twitter, YouTube, Facebook — spinning out into the galaxy of public consumption with a speed that takes your breath away. Literally.
I’ve seen people die. It’s not something I ever want to see again. While I hope her death isn’t in vain, and that coverage of this horrific event results in something positive, I can’t watch that video. Death, to me, is a private thing, even if it happens on the streets of a war-torn country and is broadcast around the world. Out of respect for Neda, I won’t watch, but I will say a prayer for her and her family. And for her country.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
I felt the same way….it has haunted me. Bless her and those that struggle for freedom with her.