Bondage photos shot in cemetery anger families of dead
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SEATTLE -- Their headstones line up in perfect symmetry, like soldiers headed to war; but for some of those who fought for the United States, their final resting place has seen a great deal of unrest this month.
"It kind of leaves you a little bit at a loss for words, really," said Scott Sheehan, general manager at Evergreen Washelli Funeral Home and Cemetery in North Seattle. "We care for the living and the dead and in respect to that, it's a direct impact to us when somebody violates that."
Police believe someone may have violated the law by breaking into Washelli sometime earlier this month.
Families say they were further violated by what happened next: A photography session at Washelli's veteran's memorial cemetery, where women were tied up in bondage situations, hung from cannons and statues, and then photographed. The pictures were then posted to a fetish website.
"Oh, good lord. That's terrible," said 88-year old Dom Chialante of West Seattle, who spent Tuesday morning tending to his family's plot, where his parents, wife, and brother-in-law are all buried. "This is a sacred area. The world is terrible today and it's getting progressively worse."
The photographer, in a statement, said his intent was for the photos to make people think.
"The title of this series is Spoils of War," wrote Patrick Andraste in a statement emailed to KOMO 4 News. "The model is Japanese American, and some of her family was interned in the relocation camps during WWII. Her grandfather was a combat vet during WWII and a long time peace activist. (She) wanted to show that the truth of our country's history is disturbing."
Seattle Police are now investigating the incident as a possible trespassing issue, said Mark Jamieson, a spokesman for the department.
Meantime, family members of some of the veterans buried near where the photos were taken have contacted Washelli, concerned with what happened, Sheehan said.
One woman "was distraught. She was upset emotionally. The photos violate just all principles that we have about the honor to this particular piece of ground," Sheehan said. "We care for the living and the dead, and, in respect to that, it's a direct impact to us when somebody violates that."
"It kind of leaves you a little bit at a loss for words, really," said Scott Sheehan, general manager at Evergreen Washelli Funeral Home and Cemetery in North Seattle. "We care for the living and the dead and in respect to that, it's a direct impact to us when somebody violates that."
Police believe someone may have violated the law by breaking into Washelli sometime earlier this month.
Families say they were further violated by what happened next: A photography session at Washelli's veteran's memorial cemetery, where women were tied up in bondage situations, hung from cannons and statues, and then photographed. The pictures were then posted to a fetish website.
"Oh, good lord. That's terrible," said 88-year old Dom Chialante of West Seattle, who spent Tuesday morning tending to his family's plot, where his parents, wife, and brother-in-law are all buried. "This is a sacred area. The world is terrible today and it's getting progressively worse."
The photographer, in a statement, said his intent was for the photos to make people think.
"The title of this series is Spoils of War," wrote Patrick Andraste in a statement emailed to KOMO 4 News. "The model is Japanese American, and some of her family was interned in the relocation camps during WWII. Her grandfather was a combat vet during WWII and a long time peace activist. (She) wanted to show that the truth of our country's history is disturbing."
Seattle Police are now investigating the incident as a possible trespassing issue, said Mark Jamieson, a spokesman for the department.
Meantime, family members of some of the veterans buried near where the photos were taken have contacted Washelli, concerned with what happened, Sheehan said.
One woman "was distraught. She was upset emotionally. The photos violate just all principles that we have about the honor to this particular piece of ground," Sheehan said. "We care for the living and the dead, and, in respect to that, it's a direct impact to us when somebody violates that."
Pixilated Fetish Pictures!!! Woot! kval's attempt to pixelate the naughty bits has not rendered the photos any less artsy. Â
Considering these were posted to a fetish site, rather than an art or activist site, it would seem the intent was sexual and not artistic or political. Merging porn with statements on political atrocities doesn't make sense, so I'm inclined not to believe it. That being said, if these where photoshopped together, then really there is no legal grounds to go after these individuals. Fact is, you can go to a cemetery and take pictures and what you later do with those pictures is pretty much your own business. If this wasn't achieved through photo editing, then fine, go after them on a trespassing charge. But really, it makes much more sense that it was photoshopped. I think the photos are highly offensive and I find the blending of sexuality and death quite revolting... but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be allowed to do it.
 @PleaseBeSmart Please, be smart, remember that what is art to you might be different than what is art to somebody else.
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And here in the US, regardless of if you like or agree with them or not, there are lots of people who do not find that sort of distinction valid at all. They don't really care if you consider erotic things to be separate from the rest of life, from the rest of expression. And luckily for them, they are Americans.
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So be disgusted at will, but please everybody, save your offense for the people that would limit art or tell others they are not allowed to decide for themselves.
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(And IMO, if you take the 2 seconds to understand the artistic message it is not even erotic. But that is not relevant.)
 @SkinnersGhost *Sigh* Did you even read my post? I said despite my personal feelings, it doesn't mean they shouldn't be allowed to do it. I also said the intent was not to be artistic BECAUSE it was posted to a fetish site and NOT to an art site. And erotic things separate from the rest of life? No. Separate from death? Yes. Honestly... go back and read what I said again. Either I'm speaking another language or your comprehension skills suck.
War is the obscenity not this expression of grief! We killed 90,000â166,000 people in Hiroshima and 60,000â80,000 in Nagasaki with the atomic bomb.
 @Nomorenakba and if we stormed the beach how many would we have killed,how many would they have killed how much damage would have been done,how many sex slaves did japan kidnap and use why did they attack us first,this is like a man starting a fight and then complaining that he got his but kicked to far and crying about it.just a little known fact dont start a war if you dont want to be killed.I am glad we killed them because now they wont try and kill us again,like the muslims,should we save lives and drop another one yup,that will teach them
@Nomorenakba How many Americans were killed in Pearl Harbor that Sunday without warning ? USA did not start the killing but we did drop leaflets to warn te Japanese that something very bad was going to happen if their leaders didn't stop attacking and murdering Americans. Our soldiers fight for you too.
@Nomorenakba And many many more would have been killed on both sides if we hadn't dropped the bomb. Go study up on some history, avoid the one-liner bumper-sticker jingoisms in the process and then come back and let's have a chat.
 @Nomorenakba Funny, I don't tend to express my grief through sexual content. =/
 @PleaseBeSmart I don't think it is funny at all that you would expect others to express themselves in the same way that you do.
 @SkinnersGhost It defies logic to believe that the intent was artistic or political given the location they chose to display it. That's not a difference in expression... it simply doesn't make sense.
I think people need to own their feelings and perceptions and not project them onto others. Her intent is clear: "The title of this series is Spoils of War," ... "The model is Japanese American, and some of her family was interned in the relocation camps during WWII. Her grandfather was a combat vet during WWII and a long time peace activist. (She) wanted to show that the truth of our country's history is disturbing." @PleaseBeSmartÂ
 @Nomorenakba I can read, thanks. I can also read between the lines. This wasn't posted to a political website. It wasn't posted to an art website. It was posted to a fetish website. So yes, the intent is clear.
War is not sacred.  Commemorating and glorifying wars is not sacred or honorable.  Military cemeteries are monuments to the ongoing stupidity of people who value patriotism and flags over human life and brotherhood of mankind.  It is this collective stupidity that provides the bodies that fill up our cemeteries with those who allow themselves to be sacrificed for profits for oligarchs and other psychopaths who play the game of Empire, who send our young to die for stolen resources and hegemonic control of others, our brothers and sisters all over our planet.  THIS is the giant stinking elephant in the room that is being overlooked with all of the talk about shame over a few erotic photos.  Shame on us all for missing this point!
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David Evans
Former Sergeant USMC
Veterans For Peace memberPalestine and Middle East Working GroupÂ
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 @David Evans Fought in Desert Storm PROUD OF IT and would do it again.  You Sir, need a psyche eval....
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Steven Manson
PROUD Former MA2
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 @David Evans ps lets cut through the dance soldier those photos were taken for perverts to use in sexual gratification.
USN Retired last deployment USS La Salle command middle east force Bahrain.anit Muslim
 @David Evans Your attack on the wars is justified. Your attack on our war dead is not.
@David Evans You find these photos erotic?
 @OregonOrator  @David Nice try, OregonOrator,  at attempting to slay the messenger, but your attempt is too transparent.
 @David Evans  @OregonOrator  @David strong advocate for justice generally intolerant of willful ignorance and selfishness,...so you dont think this act of taking these EROTIC pictures on ground that some hold near and dear to their heart is just a little selfish,and you dont think trespassing is just a bit ignorant?just to take some EROTIC photos
@David Evans @David . Quit being paranoid.  It was an honest question based on your pathetic attempt to excuse the behavious of these so-called "artists".
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Or did you not really type, "... with all of the talk about shame over a few erotic photos."?
As someone who has been following the story and is friends with the model, I feel I need to speak up. This is a hard fact that Mitsu and Andraste do not wish to be revealed. However, they did nothing illegal and did not trespass. They went into the cemetery and shot the backdrops for their scenes. Then, they returned to a friend's house afterwards  and did the rigging. That explains the difference in lighting for certain scenes. Also, they used photoshop to make it appear as if it were night. Simple enough, really. If you examine how the supports are angled, you could also tell that if she were really rigged there, it would simply slide down the cannon. Not to mention, they're highly amused that people honestly believe they brought equipment and rigged up a girl in the middle of the night or day, without the numerous cameras picking up on it. Also, being on that site does not make you a pervert. It isn't just sex and kinky games on there-- for many, it's support, sexual freedom, expression, and a way of life. Please do not bash the site or BDSM unless you've done research.
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@Rosetta Anderson its private property so yeah the tresspassing come in when your there for a reason other than what the property was intended for.call it art but its still taking pictures for profit and not ok to trivalize the sacred space of those loved ones,to many its insulting and on public property its against the law to expose ones self deal with fact not want
@Rosetta Anderson Sure, sure. We believe ya.
 @OregonOrator  @Rosetta You're extremely daft if you honestly believe that someone doing something like this was unseen by any of the cameras, one of which points at the Doughboy. Not to mention it's an obvious photoshop. For example, examine the shadow cast on the "graveyard" in the background of one of the cannon pictures. The shadow fits with a wall, but not with the light source present and the direction of the light. Also, the lighting on her skin for a couple are different than the surrounding lightsource.
 @OregonOrator It's disgusting... but I'm adult enough to realize that my personal feelings and the laws of this nation are, and should be, two entirely different things.
@PleaseBeSmart Then I can't help ya. Sick.
 @OregonOrator I don't see why that shouldn't be okay, legally speaking.
@Rosetta Anderson @Rosetta So by your logic, it would be ok to use a computer simulation of a child for nefarious purposes. I get it.
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@Nogod&Nogovt  (chuckle)
 @OregonOrator it's even funnier knowing it was deleted.
Seems like Seattle is getting a little out of control. No respect, no Honor. I feel sorry for the 88 year old person, ""This is a sacred area. The world is terrible today and it's getting progressively worse." The key word is "Progressively."
 @souptonuts I am all for free speech but this is private property and sacred to those who need to visit friends and family that are gone.find them and sue them in civil court
@Iam1woody @souptonuts I agree totally, and the sooner the better.