a reply to:
Greven
Thanks for sharing that reporter's opinion. In this instance though, I credit the editor for letting someone leave who probably should not have been
there in the first place.
This reporter sounds overwhelmed, not emotionally equipped (not everyone is) to cover this broad of a story, and in the end makes it all about
themselves instead of Ferguson, by penning this. It does not do justice to the seriousness that is Ferguson. I understand many of the points, but in
this instance it seems the press and their freedom to document is vital to truth being told.
Yes, a reporter's job is tough right now, and dangerous, but what is happening on the streets of America in Ferguson, Missouri, needs to be
documented. What these cameras and stills have captured, does exactly what the press is chartered to do. They are the watch dogs and this reporting
has documented shocking militarization and willingness to tactically deploy on civilians that needed to be seen. They have documented lack of proper
procedures, abuses of power, insensitivity, way under trained officers (stop pointing guns at people) and a level of aggression and violent culture
within law enforcement - so violent that the ones joining to serve and protect don't stand a chance either.
Can you blame some of these reporters for feeling inadequate and becoming judgmental when you have the awesome Tim Poole type reporters
there...covering news in ways older network news services have been slower to learn? People can hardly believe what they have seen happen to peaceful
protesters at the hands of geared out army, lacking the discipline. It rocks the core of the kind of country most people thought they lived in.
I'm sorry this reporter is focusing on the minutiae of the reporting environment instead of the broad story here, it is tough in there, but somebody's
got to do it. This is reality, and it's raw, and heartbreaking, and so many other emotions at once. Feedom isn't easy to defend or preserve. But it's
worth it.
I give thanks to those reporters willing to report from Ferguson with so much on the line there, in spite of the tough and demonstrably dangerous
environment. Shine the light.
edit on 21-8-2014 by DancedWithWolves because: (no reason given)