Watergate, Woodstein, and All the President's Men

I had no knowledge of the Watergate event before reading Mightier Than the Sword. It was shocking and fascinating to learn about the history of such a massive conspiracy that affected the same country I live in. In reflection, I thought about the dynamic face of America, today, and realized that from a political and journalistic point of view, all aspects of society have been shaped by historical grievances. And it is without a doubt both useful and interesting to descend the iceberg of our modern societal structure to discover what lies beneath the surface of the times.

The dynamic duo, Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, deserve all the credit and praise that have been showered upon them for their unparalleled public service of exposing governmental corruption and political vice. Streitmatter succeeds in shining the light brightly on the famous news reporters; in none of the other chapters in the book have I read about journalists directly attacking a force as strong and as deeply corrupt as President Nixon and his entire government agency. Even though the monstrosity of the situation was not revealed until much later on, the steadfastness and tenacity of their endeavor was unprecedented and enabled them to progress their investigation until the very end, even when their very lives were threatened, which is clearly expressed in the Chapter, "Watergate Forces the President to His Knees."

In examining the Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics, it is even clearer why the journalism practiced by "Woodstein" was exemplary of the craft: they never sacrificed their professional integrity in obtaining and exposing the truth. The first declaration demands that the journalist "test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error." Woodward and Bernstein remained loyal to this rule; they tried their hardest to verify every leak of information with a second source and never exposed anything without this ensuring its utter accuracy first. Another indispensable law in the realm of journalism is the minimization of harm: "Ethical journalists treat sources, subjects and colleagues as human beings deserving of respect." The most impressive and praiseworthy part of their investigation, in my opinion, was the humanity of their tactics; as badly as they wanted the story, Woodward and Bernstein never burned a bridge--their words were as solid in their promises as they were in their stories.

The historical legacy of Woodstein and Watergate serves as a lesson to be learned by the journalists of our time and onward. The world is changing as technology advances and human development progresses, but we find that as journalism keeps up with the times for as long as people want to know, the essence of it remains constant. It is there to light the torch of humanity when people lose themselves in the dark, and people will find that it has always been there, waiting for someone to reawaken its spirit.

Mightier Than the Sword: McCarthyism

Mightier Than the Sword's chapter ten helped clarify the "climate" of the 1950s and the role of journalism by focusing on the prominence of Joseph McCarthy. The chapter centers McCarthy's manipulation of public opinion during the Red Scare, and the examination of his methodology is fascinating. The man was brilliant. He knew exactly how to work the mechanics of the news industry at the time to his advantage, from the immaculately timed blows to the exploitation of journalistic rhetoric (objectivity).The main idea behind exposing his tactics is that the knowledge of the power of the press--the power of journalism--is what gave him control. I guess you can say he established a specific interpretation of "knowledge is power."

The spotlight then shifts to Edward R. Murrow. Again, Streitmatter emphasizes the indispensability of public opinion. Murrow's journalistic reputation and persona earned him public trust, which I believe substantially aided him in his brave stand against Joe McCarthy. If America did not know Murrow, people might have been more hesitant about risking their lives to support such a bold move. Murrow also constructed a case in which journalism gives a "voice to the voiceless," and this voice helped reinforce our "culture of accountability." In the midst of all the fear and paranoia, people forgot the foundation of their country's values and beliefs, and McCarthy was able to run a fascist operation under the pretense of justice and democracy. However, by rising above the vice grip of fear, Murrow challenged the tyranny of McCarthyism while changing the face of journalism with television broadcasting in the process.

This also brings to mind the idea of journalism changing, or rather, evolving with the times. The flourishing of television broadcasting manifested another dimension to journalism in that it strengthened the power of its usability and impact. Albeit McCarthy demonstrated the magnitude of the power of journalism in a negative way, its potential is still significant to the ultimate good it contributes to society. The dynamics of its structure does not change the essence of its purpose; "broadcasting recaptured its soul" as soon as it once again served the people.

Women Inspiration

In the interview with Monica Bertran, I found her stories of how she integrated herself in the journalism world most interesting, especially as a colored woman. She was inspiring as she talked about the things that she did to get where she wanted to go--she took risks regardless of what was expected of her. It made me think about the kind of people who succeed in the realm of journalism. Although there are many different kinds of people, it was interesting to see how her personality worked for her. She exuded strength and independence but in a way that was unpretentious and somewhat amiable, and I could see why she was able to keep her "bridges" even after moving from place to place. I utterly admired her for it. It was also interesting to acknowledge the fluidity of her personality in moving with the times (e.g. starting off in the radio industry). I think that her apparent passion for her work was what really captured her listeners. I could see this in the response to the question that I had for her after the interview: I asked, "During which time period would you choose to thrive as a journalist, in terms of the issues that speak out to you?" Her reply, after a moment's pause, was that she would remain where (or when) she was because of everything that is going on in the world. I felt an implication of a genuine interest and enthusiasm for the world as she sees it as well as an allusion to a personal history with no regrets.

Election Day 2012

          It is six in the evening, and I am in P.S. 112, Queens, in line seventy, the longest line to vote. There are four lines, filled with people of varying ages and ethnicities. Many children are running around while their mothers explain to them what they are doing there or where they are going to stand before they run off to play with the others in this crowded gymnasium. I walk up to an older black lady sitting at a table by the entrance of the gym to figure out what the voting process is, as I am only prepared with my state I.D. and my vote. I tell the Election Information worker that the last time I voted in this school was my first time, four years ago, when Barack Obama first ran for president. She looks up my address from a thick book in front of her, but before she sends me off to my line, she advises me that the best thing to do in the election process was to vote every year to secure my name in the voter database. I felt humbled by her lecture and as I reflected on the lack of activity on my part, even to learn who the senatorial candidates were. But I am here and it's a start. 

          As the line moves, a lot of confused faces search for their designated queue as the people who have already found theirs wait patiently to fill their ballots. I am filled with a sense of purpose that defeats my post-school lethargy, and as I look around me, I imagine others feeling the same way. How many of these people just got out of work or curtailed their schedules in time to be here? Which of these people were postponing dinner plans to make sure their votes counted? I entertain myself with a warm feeling of solidarity as I project my own sense of purpose onto the faces of the strangers around me. But whether I was creating imaginary realities for the voters that I saw, their presence at that place was intrinsic of volition and of concern for their lives, for the lives of their families, and perhaps even for the lives of those standing in line beside them.

Mightier Than the Sword: Abolition

  The subtitle of this chapter Abolition: Turning America’s Conscience Against the Sins of Slavery, in Mightier Than the Sword, by Roger Streitmatter, already stopped me and made me wonder about the meaning of that phrase. I have always thought of personal conscience, in which every person has an innate and instinctive idea of what is right and what is wrong. I’ve also thought about the discourse on morality and ethics between people but have never thought to see it as being one solidified conscience of a people, more specifically, the American people. In turn, that also makes me think about other peoples’ conscience—that is, the conscience of other nations and how their lifestyles, norms, and idealities affect that conscience.

     It is hard to imagine now coming across anyone who would view the concept of slavery as even being a debatable issue in terms of morality. Yet during the Antebellum America, the idea of slavery was either strongly debated for or against, or not at all. According to this chapter, after the martyrdom of Elijah P. Lovejoy did people realize that the obstruction of the freedom of the press was a direct threat to the freedoms they felt was natural to them, and who were “previously indifferent to the issue of slavery.” That indifference I felt was a real issue, and as tragic as Lovejoy’s death was, it was probably necessary to awaken the citizens into seeing their world for what it actually was. This is even relevant in today society, where so many people are “indifferent” and/or ignorant of the issues surrounding us today.

     Garrison, on the other hand, was someone whose actions spoke as loudly as his words. I deeply respect his style of journalism and the path that he paved for the future of it. If an important aspect of journalism is to speak to the times, then Garrison fulfilled that obligation; it was a time that needed big changes and big voices. Another imperative contribution was also his endorsement of African-American journalists who were able to speak for themselves and also for the all the slaves and Blacks who were not fortunate enough to be free and as educated as Frederick Douglass and Marie Stewart—they gave a voice to the voiceless. It was absolutely necessary for them to address some of the serious charges that the States have been so ignorant and led to believe, such as the mythical kindness of slaveholders and the assumed inferiority of the intelligence of the Black race.

It's Never Too Late To Start

"If I were asked what came to mind upon hearing the word journalism not too long ago, I would probably have evoked images of pesky news reporters, The New York Times, television icons, crimes, hurricanes—basic and pretty stereotypical images of journalism. Journalism has really only meant one thing to me thus far: something that had to do with the news. I didn’t delve deeper into its definition, roots, and impact on society, and I did not care to. For many people, it’s easy to keep your head inside of your own little bubble in your own little sphere of reality and only care about what happens within the vicinity of that sphere unless you become exposed to what’s going on outside. I never took the initiative to find out what was happening in the world beyond the fence. This was me for as long as I can remember. "

This excerpt was part of the first blog that we were assigned in Journalism class. A great thing that can happen when reflecting on the past is acknowledging the sharp contrast of the present. This blog, for me, is not just the percentage it will contribute to my grade at the end of the semester; it is education in the shape of exploration; it is personal fulfillment and the everlasting dawn of a richer tomorrow.