Letter: Reading of names was courageous

Friday, May 14, 2004 | 8:54 a.m.

ABC's "Nightline" did something beautiful and courageous with its April 30 show, which consisted of a reading of the names of each soldier who has fallen in Iraq, while his or her photograph was shown on the screen. But some ABC affiliate stations around the country were prohibited from airing the special because they're owned by Sinclair Broadcasting Group.

Sinclair, in a statement, said that to honor the men and women who died in this way would be a political act "contrary to the public interest." Censoring images of the fallen serves the right-wing ideologues who pushed the war in Iraq, but it certainly doesn't serve our country to hide those who were killed.

According to ABC News, "The 'Nightline' broadcast is an expression of respect which simply seeks to honor those who have laid down their lives for this country."

According to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, Sinclair executives gave $136,000 to Republicans and the Bush administration since 2000. It's clear that their partisan bias outweighed their responsibility to the public. Sinclair is essentially saying that any public recognition of the fallen soldiers is a political act against the war in Iraq. That trivializes the sacrifices these men and women made for us.

Honoring the dead is not a partisan act. In a news environment often focused on celebrity and pop culture, "Nightline's" willingness to take time out of its usual schedule to pay tribute to the dead was a great service.

RICHARD A. NELSON