CRAWFORD TEXAS, and the PRESS
Last Saturday I went to Crawford Texas to support the anti-war effort. What I found was America in Action. I was very, very touched by the show of patriotism from both sides, and the mostly respectful honoring of everyone's passionate beliefs, and divergent ways of showing their love for America.
While I am vehemently against any killing or war of any kind, and sometimes have a difficult time understanding why any human being would want another person killed, I do have a belief in the freedom of speech. And I was happy to see that on this day, Judith Miller aside, we were all Americans, gently but staunchly exercising our right to protest.
As I held a 100 foot banner by the side of the road, and watched while the cars and trucks from local residents and the 'other side' drove by in silence, I had a profound learning experience, one that made me understand some of the issues we face in this country right now.
A man in a truck stopped in front of me, leaned out his opened window (in blistering hot 105 degree heat) and kindly said, "Do you realize that if we got our troops out of Iraq now, that we'd suffer over here?"
SDM: "What makes you say that?" I was truly surprised.
Man: "Because if we don't kill them over there, they'll kill us over here."
SDM: "WHAT? Do you really believe that?"
He nodded his head yes. At that point I realized that most people wouldn't spend 4 hours a day listening to news (including from 3-6 a.m. to hear non-U.S. news so I can get different viewpoints), and get their news from conventional news sources. And, our press has a lot to answer for these days.
As a journalist myself, I see daily evidence of us not being given the whole truth in print, on TV, or on the radio - or at least enough sides of the truth so I could make up my mind with any degree of certainty that I might have something approaching a complete picture. Even while at Crawford, my friend's husband called to say how impressed he was that both 'camps' had so many thousands of people that showed up to demonstrate. That's what he saw on the news. But we were right there: there were appx 3,000 people at the Camp Casey (named after Casey Sheehan who was killed in the Iraq war), and maybe 200 people who were picketing and showing their support of us remaining in Iraq.
I was right there. I saw the number of people, and heard what was said in the press - not only about the numbers of people but about the alleged hostility. There was no hostility, only kindness and support and love. Similar to the Love Ins of my youth. And the press made it out to be mayhem.
I am proud to be an American. I am also proud to be a journalist. I look forward to the time when I can find a place in this country where I can be supported by the freedoms that I so dearly covet, and ensuring that all the world over, we each can raise our voices to express ourselves.
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