THE HAUNTING photograph of Manhattan subway passenger Ki-Suck Han, taken moments before he was run over and killed by a train, is already burned into the memories of millions of people, and not just New Yorkers. It has also spawned a torrent of discussion, across TV, radio, and the Internet, about the New York Post’s decision to publish it on the newspaper’s cover, with a sensational headline (“Doomed”) that seemed to emphasize voyeurism over any conceivable news value.
The Post’s exploitative handling of the photo is the one truly objectionable aspect of the affair: Whether or not the photo served a useful function, it shouldn’t have been displayed in the way the Post did. But the other questions raised by the photo — such as whether the photographer should have dropped his camera and attempted to rescue the man, and why no one else on the platform did so — defy easy answers. They suggest that however painful and objectionable the whole affair may be, especially to the dead man’s family, the photo served to bring important issues to the forefront of debate.
Comments
Taking the photograph was one thing. The tawdry use of it to sell papers is another. There really is no safe way for untrained "civilians" to rescue somebody from such a situation. The best lesson for transit riders to take from this is to keep back from the edge of the platform. What really is the need to stand so close? You won't get anywhere until the train arrives anyway.
Reports today say that the pusher was a homeless man who was hearing voices. Let's educate ourselves about public policies for the homeless and make some changes. Why do we as a society, in New York or Boston, tolerate this chronic situation of people who are unwell living in streets? It's not good for anyone.
This whole affair reminds me of the Kitty Genovese story in 1964! How many times do we get to give New Yorkers a pass? In that story Ms Genovese screamed for hours in a hallway while a man stabbed her repeatedly, and no one looked out their apartment, opened their door or called the police. I would like to think we have grown into a society that will act to right a wrong and at least save a life, but I guess not we would much rather gawk and take pictures for the Internet .