What is your take on the front page picture on Newsday.tt on August 31st?

I think that front page picture is a DISGRACE!!!

I read that story in the Trinidad Guardian online and I was saddened by the incident. There was actually a lot of positive discussion on the guardian website discussing laws, better public education etc. to tackle issues such as speeding, not wearing seatbeats etc.

Why, why, why does the Newsday need to put the picture of a dead baby on the front page of their paper? Have they no respect for the family? The question Mr. or Ms. Editor should ask himself/herself is, if that was my wife speeding and crashed and killed our baby would I post my dead child's picture on the front page of the paper to 'SAVE THE NATION' from the road carnage. No one is saying that the father is not to blame. But at the end of the day the man has lost his wife and child. Suppose he go 'mad' after seeing that picture and decide to speed down the highway and clear away ten cars in a suicide attempt. Will they take credit for that in a similar manner that they think they will stop the carnage by posting that picture?

The editorial states:

"...If by publishing this utterly shocking photo we succeed in getting drivers to stop speeding, to stop driving drunk, to secure their babies in the back seat and by so doing to save the life of at least one innocent baby we would consider our decision, which was not taken lightly, to have achieved something..."

RUBBISH!!!...You not going to stop drivers from speeding by publishing that picture!!!...

Ok...so in closing, sorry if I offended anyone in my post. And I don't mind if I get 20 thumbs down because this is how I honestly feel. I normally post replies on primarily logic and reasoning but this one is purely on passion because this newspaper piss me off.

Regards

I was shocked at first, but after reading the reply; I see their point.

I am always of the opinion that we need to shock people into right thing. It may nothing stop all the recklessness BUT it will stop some. A good few people will now slow down. I am sorry for all the offended but it needs to be done to help make this society a civilized one.

The reply did state that in a civilized country, a baby would have never been seated on her mother's lap. It's time we change and if pictures like that will help some, then so be it.

nam for me is not a page from a history book, it is friends and relatives who lived it. And some who didn't live through it. Anything becomes sanitized (either direction) when it is "history". Thus, people can make all kinds of judgements with nothing behind it except emotion. You know the real answers here.

Sick.... My heart goes out to the Family ...Newsday had options of getting the same results .... But showing a dead baby as if its nothing shows a lack of respect...btw ...A dead person is usually covered up to out of respect for the dead person and to keep the curious public from Staring and having to view the image of seeing a dead body...So the newsday was disrepectful both to the family and the reading public. In journalism you hold an ethical obligation towards the family and the public. IF this was the Cheif Editors baby on the highway ... More than likely that would not have been the headlines ... it would of read more like condolences to Mr. Cheif Editors family... vs a dead baby making Headlines. U shocked us Newsday ... U shocked us to know how insenstive u can be to a father who has lost his wife and little baby ... I dont have any kids but i can certainly feel the lose for this family... ITs tragic yes ... but come on newsday ... YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT... Be sympathetic... Show the DEAD MURDERERS ... SHOW THE CRIMINALS ... Scare the criminals into behaving ... The father of this baby didnt need to see that head lines ...

i think that Trinidadian Government needs to make new laws and regulations for drivers.

1. Passengers should wear seat belts at all times wether they are siting in the back seat or front.

2. car seats for infants and toddlers

3. make it harder for people to get there drivers license if they only have a basic understanding of how to drive .

4. serious penalties/fines

I will never drive in Trinidad because its to hectic and people drive crazy. But i still love the Country

Well the editor of the newspaper said he thought long and hard about it, but decided that we need to be 'shocked' into realising that we're losing too many lives on the road, and I think the pic had the desired effect.

i think it was in poor taste and only served to make me aware of how insenstive that newspaper is ......really come on man

dear lord. i will be sick for the rest of the week.