Charge
Of The War Correspondent
Go then to the places where compassion is left behind in favor of
violent agendas.
Root out the Truth buried in the rubble of human suffering, rage
and chaos.
Go then to the sources of these terrible times and ask the right
questions with out fear.
Be a witness to the Truth so you can testify in the court of human
understanding.
Go then to all of us who slumber in our comfortable lives and frightened
ignorance.
Shake us from complacency and insecurity to our responsibility for
each other.
Go then to a place where you may heal your soul wounded by tortuous
observations.
Know you are loved and your work is valuable regardless of popularity
or profit.
Go then again to where strife meets madness in the hearts of ordinary
people.
Begin again the work of learning and teaching us why we kill each
other.
During the war
in Iraq a number of journalists have died. These brave individuals
risk everything to bring us testimony of events around the world;
which are not just dangerous, they are deadly. I have heard interviews
with journalists who talk about why they do this work. Some are
not ashamed to reflect on the adrenalin rush and the addictive nature
of their work. Ernest Hemmingway among others have made the war
correspondent's job appear to be a romantic adventure.
But their tales
of heroic exploits and amazing experiences only get people part
way there. Once in the field, no one can witness devastation and
extreme cruelty and not be affected. Regardless of the motivation
driving journalists, as long as they are unbiased, they are crucial
to our understanding of what is being done in our names during war.
We have a duty to support a free international press now more than
ever.
During the attack
on Iraq there have been incidences, which are still under investigation,
of what may have been deliberate firing on locations housing international
journalists. The people in these places may have been used as "human
shields" by the Iragi government. Certainly the coalition bombing
of Iraqi media outlets was intended to wreck the regime's military
and civilian communication abilities. The truth about these matters
will hopefully come out soon. Please hold in the Light, not only
the citizens of Iraq, coalition military personnel serving there,
and their families, but the loved ones of journalists who lost their
lives in the recent hostilities. But especially - please keep praying
for those brave people around the world who are willing to put themselves
in harm's way to bring us unbiased accounts of world events. One
way we can support them is to act on the information they give us.
Vote and communicate with your elected officials on matters of concern
to you.
No
one can terrorize a whole nation unless we are all his accomplices.
- Edward R. Murrow, Journalist
(raised a Quaker in North Carolina
Conservative Yearly Meeting)
Journalist Fatalities During Iraq War
Casualty numbers from Reuters as of April 16, 2003
International Freedom Of Expression Exchange
Distress Funds: Support for Media Workers in Danger
Committee To Protect Journalists
Nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to the global defense
of press freedom.
Reporters Sans Frontières - International
Charter for the safety of journalists working in war zones or dangerous
areas
Institute For War & Peace Reporting
Strengthening local media through training, information & dialogue
European Center For War, Peace, & The News Media
Non-profit, non-partisan
organization dedicated to supporting journalists and news organizations
in their efforts to sustain an informed, democratic citizenry
Dana
Kester-McCabe is a freelance graphic artist, writer and designer
from Bishopville, Maryland.
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