# National Archives doctors photo to remove Trump criticism **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 19, 2020, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-archives-doctors-photo-to-remove-trump-criticism/846646 "2020-01-19T03:18:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-archives-doctors-photo-to-remove-trump-criticism/846646/1 "2020-01-19T03:18:19Z")
This is bad even though they admitted it and will use the real photo. [National Archives Apologize For Caving To Trump With Doctored Pics](https://www.politicususa.com/2020/01/18/national-archives-apology.html) ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-archives-doctors-photo-to-remove-trump-criticism/846646/2 "2020-01-19T09:49:43Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > This is bad even though they admitted it and will use the real photo. > > [https://www.politicususa.com/2020/01/18/national-archives-apology.html](https://www.politicususa.com/2020/01/18/national-archives-apology.html) > [@](#): > > What’s interesting is that the decision to “Photoshop” the signs was reportedly made during the development of the exhibit by a team that included David S. Ferriero, the Obama-appointed head of the National Archives. > > “As a non-partisan, non-political federal agency, we blurred references to the President’s name on some posters, so as not to engage in current political controversy,” Archives spokeswoman Miriam Kleiman tells the Post. “Our mission is to safeguard and provide access to the nation’s most important federal records, and our exhibits are one way in which we connect the American people to those records. Modifying the image was an attempt on our part to keep the focus on the records. > > “We do not alter images or documents that are displayed as artifacts in exhibitions. In this case, the image is part of a promotional display, not an artifact.” > **[National Archives Edited Photo to Remove Anti-Trump Messages](https://petapixel.com/2020/01/18/national-archives-caught-doctoring-photo-critical-of-trump/)** > > The National Archives is an independent government agency that's tasked with preserving and documenting government and historical records. An authority on I think that is fairly reasonable. Imagine a great picture of the 1963 March on Washington but there’s one guy with a placard that says “Fuck Kennedy!” There’s kids that are going to see the picture, and the purpose of the picture isn’t to degrade Kennedy (or as she stated to preserve a completely authentic picture), so what do you do? I can see the argument for keeping the picture as is or not displaying it at all. I can also see a reasonable argument for altering the picture for the purposes that the spokeswoman stated. I don’t think this is some grand design to protect Trump. If they used this as promotional material and kept it unaltered, there would be complaints of young children seeing the words “pussy” and “vagina” on the giant picture, and more complaints that they were engaged in a political hit job on Trump as they did not display rallies that were approving of the President. Really a no-win situation. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-archives-doctors-photo-to-remove-trump-criticism/846646/3 "2020-01-19T11:32:51Z")
But… the edited picture kept the word “fuck” fully readable, but blurred the word “Trump.” Your concern for the children makes no sense. The director of NARA should resign. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-archives-doctors-photo-to-remove-trump-criticism/846646/4 "2020-01-19T12:20:36Z")
My apologies, I misremembered the picture. Other vulgar words were indeed edited out. The boss should still resign. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-archives-doctors-photo-to-remove-trump-criticism/846646/5 "2020-01-19T12:48:12Z")
Doesn’t matter that the guy was appointed by Obama it’s still a big mistake. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-archives-doctors-photo-to-remove-trump-criticism/846646/6 "2020-01-19T13:03:22Z")
> [@](#): > > “We do not alter images or documents that are displayed as artifacts in exhibitions. In this case, the image is part of a promotional display, not an artifact.” That’s not a reasonable distinction. I’d say this guy’s head should roll, but this being the Trump era, odds are overwhelming that his replacement would be a total Trump stooge who’d be happy to alter as much of the historical record as necessary to please Dear Leader. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-archives-doctors-photo-to-remove-trump-criticism/846646/7 "2020-01-19T13:18:32Z")
amazing Trump did not fire the guy when he took office but maybe now he will since he has an excuse to use. Or maybe the guy is a Trump donor. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-archives-doctors-photo-to-remove-trump-criticism/846646/8 "2020-01-19T13:26:47Z")
"Alterations included removing the president’s name from a sign that read “Trump & GOP — Hands Off Women”, and blurring out the word “vagina”, the newspaper reported. In a statement to the Washington Post, spokeswoman Miriam Kleiman said the National Archives, as a “non-partisan, non-political federal agency”, had blurred the president’s name “so as not to engage in current political controversy”. The decision to blur references to women’s genitals was made because the words could be perceived as inappropriate to students and young people visiting the museum, it said. The American Civil Liberties Union hit out at the move to alter the image, saying: “The government can’t airbrush history or erase women’s bodies from it. It is the job of the National Archives to document history, not alter it to serve the president’s ego.” > **[National Archives sorry for censoring 2017 Women's March signs](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51165023)** > > The US agency says it was wrong to blur out signs critical of the president at the 2017 Women's March. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-archives-doctors-photo-to-remove-trump-criticism/846646/9 "2020-01-19T13:28:06Z")
So, one person on the team was an Obama appointee? And how many were Trump appointees, and did that one Obama appointee have any part in this decision? And “provide records without engaging in political controversy”? The political controversy is what they’re providing records _of_. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-archives-doctors-photo-to-remove-trump-criticism/846646/10 "2020-01-19T14:03:53Z")
I’ve explained to our son that “vagina” is not a dirty word but he still needs a different name for his hamster. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-archives-doctors-photo-to-remove-trump-criticism/846646/11 "2020-01-19T14:08:34Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > I’d say this guy’s head should roll, but this being the Trump era, odds are overwhelming that his replacement would be a total Trump stooge who’d be happy to alter as much of the historical record as necessary to please Dear Leader. Trump U doctorate, utility belt full of Sharpies? ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-archives-doctors-photo-to-remove-trump-criticism/846646/12 "2020-01-19T16:53:32Z")
Paging Mr. Orwell, Mr. George Orwell. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-archives-doctors-photo-to-remove-trump-criticism/846646/13 "2020-01-19T17:03:07Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > I think that is fairly reasonable. Imagine a great picture of the 1963 March on Washington but there’s one guy with a placard that says “Fuck Kennedy!” There’s kids that are going to see the picture, and the purpose of the picture isn’t to degrade Kennedy (or as she stated to preserve a completely authentic picture), so what do you do? What exactly is everyone fearful of happening if kids see and/or hear the word “fuck”? Will their heads explode, killing them? Will they turn into demons? Stop eating vegetables? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-archives-doctors-photo-to-remove-trump-criticism/846646/14 "2020-01-19T17:04:35Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > What exactly is everyone fearful of happening if kids see and/or hear the word “fuck”? Will their heads explode, killing them? Will they turn into demons? Stop eating vegetables? 😕 They might vote for a liberal when they turn 18! ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-archives-doctors-photo-to-remove-trump-criticism/846646/15 "2020-01-19T17:12:01Z")
Or worse yet, they may start to engage in [DEL]dancing[/DEL] **critical thinking**! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-archives-doctors-photo-to-remove-trump-criticism/846646/16 "2020-01-19T17:29:52Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > What exactly is everyone fearful of happening if kids see and/or hear the word “fuck”? Will their heads explode, killing them? Will they turn into demons? Stop eating vegetables? 😕 A co-worker once told me a story about catching his son listening to rap music, saying _“I told him I didn’t want that kind of fucking language in my house.”_ I suggested he might be sending his son mixed signals. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-archives-doctors-photo-to-remove-trump-criticism/846646/17 "2020-01-19T17:39:58Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > Or worse yet, they may start to engage in [DEL]dancing[/DEL] **critical thinking**! :eek: Yes, philosophical discussions often break out when 11 year old boys see the words “fuck” and “pussy”. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-archives-doctors-photo-to-remove-trump-criticism/846646/18 "2020-01-19T17:51:24Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > What exactly is everyone fearful of happening if kids see and/or hear the word “fuck”? Will their heads explode, killing them? Will they turn into demons? Stop eating vegetables? 😕 According to George Carlin, it will “infect your soul, curve your spine, and keep the country from winning the war.” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-archives-doctors-photo-to-remove-trump-criticism/846646/19 "2020-01-19T18:17:41Z")
Not really about the horse race. Off to GD. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-archives-doctors-photo-to-remove-trump-criticism/846646/20 "2020-01-19T19:35:18Z")
So, you know that one photo of Stalin with a few political friends that, over time, turned into a photo of Stalin period ? Yes, that. ETA : also, when government agencies knowingly publish fakes ; who the hell can one trust ? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-archives-doctors-photo-to-remove-trump-criticism/846646.md?page=2)