From: Joe Dees (hidden@lucifer.com)
Date: Thu May 20 2004 - 16:22:33 MDT
Reporting the Truth, Warts and All
Posted May 20, 2004
By Paul M. Rodriguez
With news that still more pictures of alleged abuse are emerging from Iraq the dilemma I found myself in the other day, and shared with you, clearly has been resolved as hinted at previously [see "Being a Newsman vs. Being an Ordinary Citizen"]. I've waited a few days to follow up on my earlier missive because, frankly, I've been poring over hundreds of reader responses containing advice, musings and critical viewpoints about the general press. All I can say is thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts - thoughts that almost unanimously favored having the press publish, broadcast and air all the images of alleged abuse by Americans that can be confirmed as authentic. Preferably for a reason and in context.
That said, the nearly unanimous verdict was that the press also needs to provide context for such images by explaining, showing and analyzing abuse committed by others - whether in the Middle East or anywhere. Failure to provide such a running context, the vast majority of those who responded said, would amount to publishing propaganda and slanting the news to suit the hidden agendas of newsmen and the media outlets they serve.
An overwhelming number of those who shared their thoughts with me - and thus indirectly with you - also felt very strongly that for the press to withhold or otherwise censor the bad news would amount to an assault on the foundation of our freedoms. It was as strong a statement about the role of a free press as ever I've seen. The impulse to just destroy these images was strong among most of you, but patriotic and thoroughly American idealism overcame that impulse - on the ground that to be free requires the press to present all the facts it can find so that Americans can decide for themselves what is true, what is false, and what should be done.
Indeed, the very fact that the American press and its brothers and sisters in other parts of the world focused 24/7 on the Iraqi abuse allegations appears to have strengthened not only our own resolve to see justice done but has shown the rest of the world how and why we in America expose wrongdoing and punish wrongdoers - with everything being done in public and without censorship.
Nonetheless the positive effect this exercise in free speech and a free press has had on overseas media has been all but ignored by the press here. For example, we're told by people on the ground in the Middle East -among the press, the military and ordinary civilians - that Arab and Muslim news outlets have been shocked not only by the images of the alleged abuses but by the fact that it's not been covered up by the American government and the American press. Equally astonishing in the region has been the authentic outrage expressed by Americans, from President George W. Bush on down, coupled with heartfelt apologies and quick action to investigate and punish wrongdoers.
It's been hard on Americans and on America's image of itself to be under such a barrage of negative reports, angry speeches and hateful commentary. But we have shown by our response that our national values are just what we have always said they are. One result is that Arab and Muslim newsmen, commentators, and your average Ahmed and Ali now are asking why an American president can apologize for the actions of a criminal few at an Iraqi war prison, and quickly clean up the mess, but no leader of any of the Middle Eastern countries that have for years run prisons filled with torture and maimings and sexual abuse has stepped forward to follow the American example.
Why indeed! This rhetorical question should have anchored the argument America's leaders made for overthrowing the sadistic regime of Saddam Hussein and his henchmen.
Given all that we now know about Saddam's torture chambers and mass murders, where is the condemnation of his widespread human-rights abuses from Muslim leaders and the emirs and kings and potentates of the region? Why did they stand silently by while the Hussein regime tortured, killed and terrorized the Iraqi people? Where are the apologies for the tens of thousands who were slaughtered, the hundreds of thousands who were imprisoned, the millions who were made to live in daily fear for their lives?
While the debate may rage for years to come about the reasons we had to overthrow the tyrant Saddam, there can be no doubt that Iraq will be better off without the butcher of Baghdad. And while there is anger against us in the region for having taken matters into our own hands, fueled hotter by the prisoner-abuse stories, the Iraqi people and all Arabs, Muslims and those living in the region under repressive regimes have learned a lesson at the expense of our recent embarrassment. Specifically, it is that U.S. government is responsible to the high values of the American people themselves who expect everything to be open and aboveboard - whether the truth is good, bad or ugly. We don't censor the press -- we act quickly to deal with wrongdoing among our own, we share information as it's developed, and we regret and apologize for our mistakes. That's what this democratic republic of ours is all about. To make it work we have to keep all the lights on and report every detail so that the people can make up their
own minds about what their government is doing.
Were it not for our free press, I think, this delicate thing called freedom would not long exist. The press is seldom liked. It is liked even less when it delivers bad news. And still less when it spins the news or ignores the context of a story. At least with so many voices in the press and reporting worldwide on the Internet, those who want the rest of a story can find it -- somewhere. As a newsman I'm committed to deliver the news honestly and strive for balance on whatever story I pursue and report. That's my commitment to you. And while I may not want to see any more images of abuse, I'll leave to you the decision of what part of a story you favor with your attention. I'll just keep doing my job to deliver the news as I find it -- warts and all. Even feel-good stories as they are available.
Thank you for sharing your many hundreds of thoughts about these matters. You reminded me once again how important it is to find and report the truth - plain or fancy, unvarnished or in an elegant coat - but always delivered as straight and fair and honest as the human condition allows.
Paul M. Rodriguez is the managing editor of Insight.
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