Sunday Best: The photos you cannot shake

A Vietnam War journalist on why we can't, and shouldn't, look away.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story April 17, 2022 Photos have an uncomfortable way of getting to you – of pulling you in and lingering in your mind long after that first glance. That, David Hume Kennerly argues, is precisely the point. Kennerly flew to Vietnam in 1971, when he was just 24 years old, as a staff journalist for United Press International, "determined to see what was killing my high school classmates." It was there that he learned that photography can capture the moments that words struggle to convey. And it is why, as reports of death and destruction in Ukraine become cruelly commonplace, journalists continue to risk their lives so we never forget the humans behind the casualty counts or the policies that led them to their fate. Some of the most iconic, and unsettling, images of war can be found in Kennerly's graphic visual essay. It does not make for easy viewing. But as he says: "The best photographs of war might make us want to look away. It's imperative that we do not." — Jennifer Brown The Taliban Promised Them Amnesty. Then They Executed Them. An Opinion Video investigation reveals the Taliban have been on a crusade of revenge killings against former U.S. allies. By Barbara Marcolini, Sanjar Sohail and Alexander Stockton Courtesy of the artist and Et Al. Gallery, San Francisco Tressie McMillan Cottom What's Shame Got to Do With It? How and why we confuse shame and stigma. By Tressie McMillan Cottom Anthony Gerace America in focus These 8 Conservative Men Are Making No Apologies A group of conservative men spoke with Times Opinion about what it's like to be a man in America today, touching on cancel culture, race and gender. By Patrick Healy and Adrian J. Rivera Eleni Kalorkoti Guest Essay The Cruel Lesson of a Single Medical Mistake A Tennessee nurse is facing prison time for a medical error. By Daniela J. Lamas Liana Finck Guest Essay In This Time of War, I Propose We Give Up God Why would we emulate such terrible behavior? By Shalom Auslander Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT EDITOR'S PODCAST PICK Courtesy of Thomas Laisne How Michelle Yeoh Took Jackie Chan's Role The star of 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' talks about how the film flips the script on tradition. By 'Sway' Subscribe Today New York Times Opinion curates a wide range of views, inviting rich discussion and debate that helps readers analyze the world. This work is made possible with the support of subscribers. Please consider subscribing to The Times with this special offer. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Sunday Best from The New York Times. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018