All or Nothing

Reading long chapters has already become routine for me in the week that I've been at college. I've acquired the skill of skimming and zoning in on key passages. In preparation for class on Thursday, I was going over chapter 15 in my Mass Communication textbook and I stumbled upon something that made me take a closer look.

The sub-heading read "Dangers to Journalists." After reading 20+ pages on the state of the mass communications systems around the world, I understood that in other countries, freedom of press can be difficult if not impossible. Government censorship is rampant and in some places, commercial press is virtually unheard of. Something I hadn't yet considered was the very real threat to some dedicated journalists' lives when they cover sensitive topics, especially war.  I was reminded of the stories of Bob Woodruff, Doug Vogt and Jill Carroll, among others. These journalists risked their lives in the effort to bring real stories from the war zones to the American public. These men and women knew their responsibility to communicate to the masses. They were willing to give up everything to carry out the task. A career in the world of journalism requires commitment and dedication in the face of rejection, obstacles, and even literal threats. I have a great deal of respect for those who are willing to take on the task of bringing the truth to the world.