We Need the Renowned.
I write this with a heavy heart. Yes, a good book can still move this calloused beating object in my chest. Marie Colvin passed away several years ago in Syria. Many knew her. I did not. A few weeks ago I purchased the book called In Extremis. The Life and Death of the War Correspondent Marie Colvin. She died so others could know the truth concerning the lies of war.
Outside sitting on a handmade Yugoslavia bench in front of my house while smoking a cigar, a madness starts to take hold of me. Across the street is one of the Navy Seal Bases located in Virginia Beach. Brave men tough as they come train often to protect the rights of prideful, ungrateful and always demanding Americans, that I call sadly on certain occasions my countrymen. Those that never served routinely throw out words such as Communisms and tyranny without having the slightest knowledge of what those words mean to so many that have suffered under true oppressions. I served Uncle Sam for 26 years all over the world in the military and without a doubt Marie Colvin was in far more dangerous places than I could dream of. What makes me grind my teeth is the words Fake News. This statement makes a mockery of the men and women working hard to capture and report news from various hot spots. As I sit in one of the most democratic and richest countries in the world, many scoff at the slightest thing that may rub up against their hard ideologies. Instead of being open minded they cringe at the thought there may be another way of viewing certain situations.
Where are the men and women like Christopher Hitchens or Marie Colvin today. With their reputation of word mastery and straight forward truth telling? One dare not fall into the field of battle with them and expect to come out unscathed by trying to deceive an unaware public. We have today a small group of respected historians from Britain and America that can articulate the perils of a certain political track. What is pressing and needed for this hour is a graveled whiskey and tobacco smelling breath of a renowned writer/reporter willing to raise the bullshit flag.
Marie Colvin spoke the truth at the cost of her life, when she informed Anderson Cooper in her last interview “It’s a complete and utter lie that they’re only going after terrorists”. She stood up to the Syrian soulless dictator. Now we find reporters and politicians having a difficult time with overweight, sliver-spoon, pudgy caviar smelling fingers being pointed at them from narcissist leaders demanding loyalty and respect. Lies being created and regurgitated on propaganda stations. Commentary presented as factual news to a Tic Toc watching national populist. It could be called The Two Minutes Hate in the book 1984, that is played on the phones and tablets in both our nations. Many Americans will not understand that comparison. We rarely read in my country.
I’m writing this from the comfort of my home office. It carries little weight. There is no reputation to keep my words from falling on deaf ears. Yet, I am confident that the spirit of Hitchens and Colvin live in a few today.
“Do you hear the calls sweeping across the glassy lake? Voices shattered by violence. Bravely singing now in comfort and peaceful triumph. Secure knowing that the life they lived no matter how short made a mark on someone. Does your heart beat faster when you hear them whispering ‘ it’s up to you to pick up the banner, run to fill the gap.”
The Pretenders have a line in a song that says, “Bring on the Revolution. I want to die for something.” Marie Colvin reported from various revolutions and did die for something. So I ask again. Do you hear the sweeping calls? A begging for the renowned.
