I always feel this way when I encounter evil in the world around me. I want to be directly involved and stop the violence. I've always wondered how journalists could stand in the middle of a riot in a war-torn country and not do anything to help the people around them. Well one of the students who contributed to the book, The Freedom Writers Diary by the Freedom Writers with Erin Gruwell, felt the same way. When listening to their guest speaker, Peter Maass who was a war correspondent during the Bosnian War, the student stood up and boldly asked the same question that has been running through my mind all this time. His response was this:
"He wasn't letting evil prevail by watching and doing nothing. By writing about the images he saw in Sarajevo, he was ensuring that no one would deny that ethnic cleansing was taking place, and that thousands of innocent men were being taken to their deaths." - The Freedom Writers Diary
Maass wasn't standing by letting it happen. He had his own way of fighting the violence of this world. He used his writing to fight back and never let anyone forget that it happened. Each person has a place and a purpose in this world. It's not always one's place to be in the action stopping the violence. I've learned that sometimes, like journalists, we have a different job. Our job whatever it is is not insignificant or less important than any other job however. Every person works together in some way to make a difference.
Oooh I like that! Just because you don't feel like you are doing nothing does not mean that you are doing nothing. Great example too, I did not even hear about the genocide that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina until my junior year of high school, about 4 years ago. Journalists are definitely needed, and under-appreciated. Pictures are a way of remembering things, as the saying goes, "A picture is worth a thousand words."
ReplyDeleteThank you Jenny, I look forward to your future posts :)