Reporting on Honor with Honor
The following is an excerpt from one of the finest examples of print journalism that I’ve come upon in recent months, not only in how well it is written but also in the talent and respect for subject displayed in the photography. This is a special report recently published by the Rocky Mountain News in Denver. It’s something everyone should read, regardless of how each of us feels about the war in Iraq and those who choose to serve. The full series of articles, with printable PDF’s, audio-visual commentary and photographs, can be found at http://denver.rockymountainnews.com/news/finalSalute/.
(Take note Dayton Daily News. This is how it’s done and done right.)
Farewell brothers. On Eagle’s Wings:
Near 11 on Saturday night, the gymnasium fell silent. Along with his first and last eagle feather, Cpl. Lundstrom was about to receive something even more enduring.”This evening I want to take a few minutes of your time to name my grandson,” said Birgil Kills Straight, Cpl. Lundstrom’s great-uncle. “Before he enters the spirit world, it’s important for him to have an Indian name, because that’s how the ancestors will know him,” he said.
Earlier that night, Kills Straight had gone to an Inipi, a sweat lodge, to pray for the name, and to ask the spirits to guide the fallen warrior.
After the ceremony, long after midnight, the Marines would take Lundstrom’s body into the tepee, where Lakota beliefs hold that the spirits of Lundstrom’s ancestors would communicate with his.
First, Kills Straight said, they needed to know who he was.
“His name is Wanbli Isnala,” Kills Straight said, and then translated: “Lone Eagle.”
With that, he took the eagle feather, walked to the open casket, and placed it on the Marine’s chest.
Sphere: Related Content
This image is a good example of how effective black and white photography can be for winter landscapes. I captured this image last week at Grant Park in Centerville, Ohio. The original image was a full-color, digital capture. I desaturated the image in Photoshop for the conversion.
No, not really. I just wanted to get your attention. Although some readers may think this is a professional photography trade secret, what I’m sharing over on my
The gunmetal sky of a winter’s day