There’s a photo floating around of Steve Jobs looking rather ill.  It was posted by none other than TMZ, less than 48 hours after Jobs announced his resignation from Apple as CEO.  It’s for health reasons that Jobs is finally stepping down, though he remains an integral part of the company as the Chairman of the Board.  And given Jobs’ recent medical leave, it’s certainly no secret that he is a sick man.  So why fan the flames by posting sickly images of a man who’s seeking peace and rest?

We’re not going to post the image here–we think it would be a hypocritical move.  The media has been singing Jobs’ praises since he resigned earlier this week, so it was only a matter of time before a photo like this cropped up, showing the less attractive side of Jobs’ story.

We don’t know if it’s a legit photo, but we do know that it’s a sad state of affairs when a media outlet publishes a photo like this.  It’s one thing to show a celebrity in a not-so-great light.  It’s another to harp on a celebrity’s illness after they proclaimed their personal desire to take time away from the spotlight in order to focus on their health, family and friends.

We’re certain this photo will cause another surge of interest from the media and its insatiable consumers, but we hope the public will see past these antics.  Remember Steve Jobs however you may, but also be respectful of an individual’s plea for privacy.  This is the downside of being a recognizable icon, and while any number of celebrities would be treated the same, that doesn’t make it right.