A Mean Meme Story

Some people are posting this meme as a direct response to people being outraged about the treatment of “the illegals”. It was bothering me over the weekend and it was made worse by the fact that my daughter had to be without her mother for a few days. But who would purposefully put this out there and who would give this a like, love, happy or sad face?

A woman and a child in a sleeping bag on the street. I have a wife who is someone’s daughter and we have a daughter. I can relate. It only includes 21 words. It mentions “democrats”, “American Family” and repeats “American”. I looked into the source and I was not surprised at the hate, bigotry, violence, and false information they spread (their header and profile pic was also trying a little too hard).

As I watched my daughter taking a nap with a couple of her stuffed animals that she had gently covered up to sleep, I began to break apart this meme. only democrats could be outraged about the mistreatment of those being refereed to as basically ‘others’? non-democrats shouldn’t or don’t care? It doesn’t try to defend the “treatment” as much as it makes the case that you can’t care about everyone.

The people

Then, being a photographer, I started to think about the image being used. I studied the subjects. You can’t really see their faces. I started to think about the image of the father and daughter who had recently drowned while trying to reach the U.S. There was even video of them. We later found out who they were; Óscar Alberto Martinez Ramírez and his 23-month old daughter, Valeria. We got to see a family portrait of them. So, I kept looking at this meme. Maybe they are sisters. Did the person behind the meme also take the picture while trying to help this “American Family”? Where was it taken?

Curiosity

Then I noticed a faint copyright on the bottom left corner. It was very hard to read. I decided to find out. Long story short- I found photographer John Rudoff. For some reason I felt I should write to him. I had no idea what sort of response I’d get. I wanted to ask him about the image being used with this meme. Just wanted to understand his involvement and any clarification on the subjects. To my shock, I received an almost instant response. It made my day. It brought me tears.

Photographer

John thanked me for reaching out and explained that “It has been going on for years despite a formal take down notice from FB.” and he added “I don’t like this any more than you do”. After my emotional reply with more background about me and my feelings towards these images, he added the following full answer in case there was any question by anyone about how he feels:

“Friends: I have now been made aware by at least 10 different people that a photo of mine is being widely shared in a way such as to disparage refugees, and to attack American attempts to offer aid or solace to refugees from other countries. The photo is one I made during homelessness protests in Portland, Oregon, in my work as a photojournalist. It shows a mother and a young child asleep on a blanket on a street. (I am not re-posting the photo here.) I wish to state categorically, unequivocally, and for/on the record that such use of my photo is unlawful and is theft. (Often my copyright notice in the lower left corner has been cropped out.) It does not, repeat does not express my own attitudes towards refugees, which are plainly evident in work I have posted here over the years. The despicable comments that I have seen attached to the stolen uses of my photo are repugnant to me, and as a humanitarian and as a photojournalist, I reject them absolutely. I am sorry about the inappropriate and unauthorized usages of my photo, and on behalf of the decent people of America I apologize to those who are properly affronted by its use.”

I know a little bit about empathy and that last part really means so much. He hadn’t done anything wrong. He’d been doing the exact opposite. The people in those image were actually protesting in support of homeless people. They were actually concerned about where people slept, or if they could even sleep. Yet, he was apologizing and saying that I had every right to be “affronted” by the meme.

Knowing more about those people on the image made me feel so much better. They were safe. They were heroes! They were actually actively trying to improve the lives of homeless people. I was right to also worry about them as much as to also be outraged at the “treatment” of other brave and vulnerable families. The people using their image as just a prop were disrespecting them, the photographer, people who care, and other “Americans”.

THAT MEME LOST ITS POWER. I started to feel some joy.

SUDDENLY!

It was actually at this moment that a message came in from my manager. He said to call him because he had “really incredible news”. I had just received the incredible honor of being nominated for an Imagen Award for my supporting role in the film Icebox on HBO. The film’s subject? A Central AMERICAN boy’s journey through the detention system we’ve been reading so much about. I played his uncle. I helped tell a story that is putting a spotlight on those like him living in the shadows (or “al bajo-bajo” as he says).

Affirmation

You can work from your heart and turn on some light even when some try to darken your existence or those around you. No human is Illegal. Odds are that if you really care about people on the streets, you don’t care what streets and if you care about children, you care about all children. So much can be done with 21 words and a stolen image. Guess what’s being used by our enemies these days to create division? Why are we our own enemy as well?

A lot more can be done with a little empathy.