Respect The Fourth Estate
For lack of a better word, I tell Indians that I’m a journalist. To my surprise, they react well. But why am I surprised? Because for years the reaction to that word has been ‘oh, you’re going to die.’ From out here I realise that this isn’t normal at all.
Journalists
Being a journalist is a profession, and a service. Many journalists do find money and power, but many more labour in obscurity. It is really a life of sacrifice for most, leavened only by the fact that it is fun. The money’s not very good, the hours are bad and it’s not something to get into with those motives.
I think most journalists honestly like to be read. They also have a sense of decency and truth and that informs the work they do. There are bad apples, but on the whole journalism is noble work and it helps people. So why the bad name?
I must admit that I do have some dislike for journalists. Many are, by profession, looking for trouble and normal people end up grist for their mill. I’ve been misquoted and mischaracterised and I understand those concerns.
Politicians
If there’s one profession more reviled than journalists, it’s politicians. And that’s who’s pointing the finger. We should consider that. The ones demonizing journalists as threats to national security are politicians. How trustworthy are they?
Personally, I think politics is a noble profession, also a service. But a politician is a public servant. Any politician hiding from the public eye is not doing noble work. By pointing the finger at journalists they are trying to take the spotlight off themselves. Journalists are not a threat to national security, they’re a threat to the job security of politicians.
A journalist’s work
I pick up the Indian papers and they’re just leathering politicians. Like Tendulkar, just not stopping. In Sri Lanka most papers are just feathering political nests. The Nation has been bought, the Mirror just kinda records the obvious and most real stories get buried. Very few people are actually going for sixes, the kind of stories that actually reach the audience and change things. Most journalists just take a few singles and are happy that they haven’t been hit in the head. Which is understandable.
But it’s not right. In Sri Lanka, you should see people’s faces when I mention the Leader. Perhaps it’s your face. It is fairly common for people to ask when I’m going to die as if I don’t have a mother and as if that doesn’t scare me. You don’t know what a relief it is to mention ‘newspaper’ to someone and have them actually smile.
Respect
That is nice at the end of the day, to just be a bit appreciated. I don’t get paid much for this column, I don’t have any power and it gets me in more trouble than anything else. If you come to the Leader office you’ll see that there’s no NGO money, there’s no UNP money, there’s no filthy lucre. It’s just a bunch of people on old computers who care about the country, care about the truth and care about you. In that sense I guess I am a journalist, and we’re getting hammered out there. We could use a little respect.
He today who stands with me and sheds his blood shall be my friend forever.
Often, a tragic price has to be paid by the brave few for the cowardly many.
I often think of that brave man standing in front of those tanks in Tienanmen Square. Why was that man prepared to make the supreme sacrifice (and ultimately paid with the loss of his freedom) for such foolhardy symbolism ?
But didn’t it (his stand ) make cowards like me hide our heads in shame ? Didn’t we all wish we were as brave as that man ?
It is a brave man that values his freedom more than his life. But, such men do exist. It is just a matter of waiting for them to become the majority. The tyrants of this word only survive until this transformation takes place. Tyranny is eventually overcome. The tide will change – history is littered with examples. But nothing was ever achieved without great-sacrifice.
When brave men lead – good men are sure to follow. Keep ‘chipping’ away . Education is the only way to progress. When educated people begin to ‘question’ the tide will turn. You can’t fool all of the people; all of the time – Even in Sri Lanka !
Finally, you do not have the right to ask for my respect. YOU EARN IT !!! It will be my pleasure to let you know – WHEN YOU HAVE IT !!!!!!!!!!!
Yes Mr Indica jounalist are the drivers of the country into the right path,with
respect honesty & integrety, which is lacking in this era.
The entire journalist are against the JVP, why because they dont treat you
all with 5 star treatment with alcohol etc.
Why criticize them in every turn repeatedly the same subject of their insurrection of 1971& 88/89 period.
After coming to mainstream politics they reformed it to be the most deciplined honest vibrant party upholding democracy, they have many good sides such as stopping the privatisation of state sector at cheap
rates to political henchmen,stopping the sale of water resources to multy
national companies through rogue politicians including the Electricity Board. Preventing Tsunami Fund reaching the LTTE, demerged the North & East etc etc why dont journalist make an investigative jounalism, about their day today activities to see what an enormous sacrifice their
making it was the JVP informed MAhinda Through their intelligence service that the LTTE is not powerful as the people are made to believe by the UNP & NGOs. they are very patriotic on their thinking which were copied by Mahinda through their traitor The Pacha Auda (Wimal) who betrayed the party for money & perks which are shunned
by the party policy. These are Truths which should be revealed to the
public by loyal journalist which they have failed so far instead of criticizing them with their past history which is stale & out of context to
this present era. thats why Sarath Fonseka leaned on to them instead
of the UNP elephant as they have a Vision & policy.
[...] one thing, the media is (relative to Sri Lanka) free and profitable. As I mentioned in my last Leader column, when you say journalist people are actually impressed. They don’t ask you when you’re [...]
Respect to you and The Leader, from India- God bless you.