It’s Been Ten Years: What You Need to Know About Sandy Hook Survivors, with Nelba Márquez-Greene

Recently The Washington Post released graphic images, videos, and audio recordings from mass shootings, in a report called “Terror on Repeat.” Should news outlets attempt to push awareness through the use of graphic imagery? If so, do survivor families have the right to refuse to let photos of their friends or family members be released?

The answer, of course, is complicated. Complexity and nuance can be hard to find in the news and social media. Like so many things, the real answer comes down to sovereignty: the rights of the people directly involved to make choices about what actions are taken, and to what end.

In this special encore episode, Sandy Hook parent survivor Nelba Márquez-Greene and I discuss what cries of “release the photos!” means to survivors who have already had their private lives invaded, and their peoples’ images co-opted for others’ use.

That’s just part of our conversation, and all of it is timely: we discuss what it’s like to live such a public grief, and what it means to find joy – and hope – in an often violent world. Don’t miss it.