My Hero

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FINALLY I am back from my long-standing hiatus and intend to remain in my non-hibernating phase from now on...and diligently write more articles just to keep my husband and father off my back.

Phew! These last months have certainly been eventful. The 6-month anniversary of the 
9-11 attacks, Daniel Pearl’s death, suicide bombers in Israel, communal riots in Gujarat, re-opening of the Ayodhya issue, more deaths in Gujarat, more suicide bombers, church attack…the list is endless. Ever wonder if something is wrong here? The Muslims blame the west (read America) for their wrong doing, Hindus and Muslims killing each other in the name of religion, Israelis and Palestinians killing each other for a piece of land. Maybe we are getting closer to the doomsday.

Poor Pearl.

In these extremely nationalistic times a single word "hero" conjures images of different people. The policemen, firefighters, soldiers, journalists, politicians - these extraordinary people have risked their lives every day to preserve our safety, quality of life. Of course, frequently overlooked are those printed not in the body of the article, but in the byline- the journalist.

We live in a society where the TV and the print media are often considered as evil by the public. Yes, they tolerate them but wished the journalists disappeared from the face of the earth. More often than not, the public misconstrues a journalist's search for a story as a charade, or pretense. What else would motivate a reporter to jeopardize his/her life just to get a story? Is it for a Pulitzer? Or is it the element of risk which entices them in to pursing a story? Are they justified in their means go into the front lines of war for an interview or capture the news?

We will never know what went on in Daniel Pearl’s mind seconds before he was executed. But in my humble opinion, reporters who risk their lives for a story are heroic in their own right. Whether it is reporting from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Palestine or the streets of Harlem to LA, they risk everything.

As the battle against terrorism goes on, journalists all over the world will play an important role in ensuring proper timeliness of news. 

Though we turn to soldiers to defend us and maintain safety, more reporters than soldiers have died so far in this war on terror. Because Pearl was a reporter and therefore just a civilian, many people will not look hard enough to see what a hero Pearl was, and what every foreign correspondent, as well as every beat reporter, really are. American heroes.

-LKS

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