All The President's Men

Bob Woodward and Carl Berstein are the epitome of everything for which journalism stands. Their bust on the Watergate scandal is a perfect example of journalism as a "watchdog," keeping those in power accountable and making the truth known to the public that they would not be able to get any other way. They also show how important the discipline of verification is, as they have to get many sources to make their story solid, especially since their main source of information was anonymous. Another quality they possess is persistence. This story took two years to completely uncover, but they didn't give up because they knew its importance and knew they owed that story to the citizens.

A Minute Before Friday

The main character Jonna in Jo Kadlecek's novel A Minute Before Friday exemplifies some good and bad habits of journalism. It is clear that she has an obligation to the truth and a loyalty to the citizens. She persists with the story and doesn't give up, despite some dead ends. She gets multiple, reliable sources for a well-balanced, unbiased story. She is always prepared and professional in her reporting, and has a natural curiosity to the discover the truth and become a voice for the voiceless. She does run into conflict, however, when she lets her personal life and feelings for David interfere with the story. That's a big no-no for journalism, and while journalists are human, they have to put those human emotions behind them as they write their story.

Inspirations from the Newseum.

I had a marvelous time on our class trip to the Newseum last Tuesday. I could have spent another couple days there before running out of things to see. I was like a kid in a candy store--not to be cliche--but it's true!

Here's some things I wrote on my notepad that particularly inspired or interested me:

Vanessa Leggett was a freelance journalist, writing a non-fiction novel about a murder. Because she withheld anonymously provided information from the grand jury, she served 18 months in prison. How protected are journalists in using anonymous sources involving a crime?

Terminology:

"On the record" means the information can be used freely in the article, names included.

"Off the record" means means the information cannot be publicized at all.

"Deep background" means the information is used to help inform the journalist and give him a better understanding of the subject, but cannot be actually used in the article.

"On background" means that the information can be generalized and attributed in broad terms, but not directly.

"Not for attribution" means the journalist can use direct quotes, but must attribute them in more general terms, like the person's title or place in the story rather than using the person's name.

Nellie Bly was a pioneer reporter for women. This girl was a total champ! She went undercover as a patient in an insane asylum to write an exposé of the injustices happening there.

The O.J. Simpson trial got more airtime from 1987-1997 than any other event besides the Gulf War. This was interesting because it brought up issues of cameras being used in the court room. The lawyers in the trial were known over-act for the camera, which turned it into a media sensation.

Mark Twain was a reporter for the Territorial Enterprise, but got fired for making up stories! He considered journalism a form of torture for writers because it forced them to write the truth thus suppressing their imagination. Twain was such a quirky guy.

Ernest Hemingway, Stephen Crane, Winston Churchill, and Jack London were all war reporters at one time.

Don Bolles was critically injured in a car bombing because of a story he was writing on gangs. His obliterated car was at the museum. After he eventually died, his colleagues continued the story in his stead, showing that you can kill the journalist, but you can never kill the story.

Other highlights:

*The 9/11 memorial, consisting of the attena that was atop one of the towers, and a wall with newspapers from all over the world with a front page about the attacks. I watched the documentary about journalists that were covering the attacks as they happened. Though it was dangerous and horrifying to watch, they were so caught up in the moment that they had to stay and report on the story. Even after being urged by police and firefighters to leave, they felt as though it was their duty to show the public what was happening. If they didn't, who would?

*Journalist memorial--so many journalists, especially in more dangerous countries, are killed for their work. It was inspiring to see them memorialized and recognized for their dedication and ultimate sacrifice for the sake of the truth.

*The Berlin Wall--Yes, I got to touch a real chunk of the Berlin Wall, and that felt pretty cool. =)

*The Pulitzer Prize winning photo gallery. I'm not into photography at all, but I was so inspired by the ability of journalists to capture some photos that were really hard to look at, let alone be there to experience. I cried like a baby.

The Newseum was awesome! Everyone, go if you've never been!

Gordon’s Place in the Occupy Movement

While many students went home or just relaxed on campus during quad break, freshmen Isaiah Ray and Sam Jackson had a different idea.

“We just wanted something to do, so we hitchhiked to Occupy Wallstreet,” said Ray. “There was some tension. Whenever something happened, guards would run over and yell, 'Security check! Security check!'”

At night, the two slept under a bridge.

“We couldn't stay at Freedom Plaza because the police were planning on raiding in the morning, and they said we couldn't put up tents there," said Jackson.

Other students have been participating in Occupy Boston. McKenzie Watson ’15 and Stephanie Clark ’15 were in Boston for homeless ministries and thought they would check out the protests.

“Even though we weren’t camping out, I felt like I belonged anyways,” said Clark. “People were giving us signs and buttons. There were meditation tents and prayer tents. There were tents for free haircuts and selling food. It was just cool how everyone cared about each other.”

“It’s somewhat shocking to find people who don’t have necessarily have the firm grounded hope that we have as Christians being more committed to peace and love and goodwill and justice than we are,” said Watson.

Dr. Ivy George, Professor of Sociology, has been going to Occupy Boston every weekend, taking her 11-year-old daughter with her. Even if she can only stay for a few hours, she brings provisions for the protesters who are missing school and work to be there.

"It was about time for public expression and resistance to systematic failure,” said George. “I remember in the spring watching these outpourings of public angers in Tunisia and Egypt and thinking, ‘What will it take for anything like that in the US?’ And I'm very very pleased by the Occupy movement around the world. I think it will change things.”

Not everyone is so optimistic about the movement. Ian Isaac ’15 thinks the rallies are getting out of control.

“The despicable manner of the protests, especially in New York, will not promote anything positive,” said Isaac. “In Zucotti Park, for example, we see incidents of people defecating on cars, vandalizing public property, and even reports of rape. There is clearly an elitist attitude held by some that their cause is above the authority of the law.”

Chris Gavrielidis ’14 is against the protests as well.

“The Occupy Wall Street protesters are not all in poverty,” he said. “Most of them just want to be pitied. They themselves are as greedy as they accuse the millionaires and billionaires of being. After all, they're the only ones in the equation who want what isn't theirs.”

No matter what the views people hold on the Occupy moment, it is becoming too big of a current event to be ignored.

"I think that the Occupy Movement is the most significant historical movement in decades,” said Dr. Robert Talbot, an adjunct in the English Department. “I think we're all going to learn something about democracy from it."

"Gordon kids should go out and visit--see what's up!” said George. “They should take some aid out, donations, food. They would have an opportunity to educate themselves about what the issues are.”

Elements of Journalism 4-8

Two key points from Elements of Journalism chapters 4-8:

1. (pg. 89) The discipline of verification isn't just a nice, general goal to aim for; there is a distinct set of principals, a "science" per se, to reporting with accuracy. In short, the "scientific method" is 1) don't add, 2) don't deceive, 3) transparency, 4) originality, and 5) humility. Even with these key principles in place, it is the job of every journalist to develop them and make them his own.

2. (pg. 140) One of the main roles that journalists play is that of the monitor of power or "watchdog." The fact that the press even exists already prevents a lot of corruption, but when those in power still try to get away with misdeeds, the press is also there to report the incident to the people and keep those in power accountable. It is also the job of the press to inform the people about how those in power are supposed to function so that they can determine what is just and unjust, moral and immoral.

Student Response to Sexuality Week Mixed

For many Christian school students, the topic of sexuality can be an uncomfortable one. As a result, the topic is often avoided all together, and students are either left to wonder or become misinformed by the media and their peers. In response to this dilemma, the Center for Student Development organized a series of events October 17^th-21^st in what was known as “Sexuality Week.” The week consisted of discussions on love, managing sexual drives, building a bridge between the Christian and LGBT communities, Christian perspectives on pornography and masturbation, as well as reflections from single and married faculty and staff members on relationships and sexuality and a convocation dedicated to answering students’ questions.

“We will provide a factual, God-honoring, biblically-based understanding of sexuality, with opportunities to ask questions and to dialogue,” said Janice Holton, Dean of Counseling and Student Care, in an email informing students about the week.

The student response was mixed. Many students were neutral about the week, saying, “I just went for the chapel credit.” Others had stronger opinions.

“I think we should have something like this every year,” says Alinne DeOliveira, 20, of Boston, MA. “It’s an opportunity to talk about something that isn’t easily talked about at a Christian college. I think many students are scared that they will be judged.”

One highlight of the week was the Wednesday chapel at which Andrew Marin spoke.

Marin is the president and founder of the Marin Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to reconciling and creating understanding between the Christian and LGBT communities. After chapel, students were given the opportunity to further the conversation in an informal lunchtime with Marin in the Lion’s Den.

“As a gay person, I’m often discouraged by the way Christians and LBGT people are so often very wary of and quick to judge one another,” said one student who wishes to remain anonymous. “I thought that Wednesday’s chapel promoted a sense of togetherness between the LBGT community and Christian community, and that’s something I think is so very necessary.”

Some students were less than impressed with the week, finding the discussions to be too open-ended rather than drawing biblical conclusions.

“I think sexuality week overall and the message had no care on speaking on a spiritual level,” said Justine Guirguis, 18, of Milford, MA, “and if there was care for the students, there would have been a stressor on coming to terms with answers and less on pre-proposed reactions of an audience.”

Thomas Lake '01, Sports Illustrated Reporter Talks

Last week, Gordon alum Thomas Lake '01, a reporter for Sports Illustrated, spoke in our journalism class. Lake got an internship at a local paper while at Gordon and has worked at small newspapers before getting a position at SI. One thing that stuck out to me was his dedication and perseverance through the mundane parts of his career, particularly how he worked through writing for a daily and reporting on community events. He explained that even though journalists will inevitably need to cover boring stories, the best way to get through them is to find some aspect or angle that they can be passionate about. I was inspired by how he turned an uneventful assignment about town hall meetings into a "bust" of sorts, uncovering the story behind the unethical "executive sessions." Another point that hit home for me was what he said about getting away from your desk and out in the action. I struggle with this because, since the actual writing comes easy for me, I tend to just call or email people, get the facts, and write the story with no problem. However, I know that my stories could have so much more substance if I experienced the story first-hand or interviewed people face to face. There are details that you can't possibly include if you are just obtaining the information from second-hand sources behind a desk, and it's those details that make the story worth reading. Lake said that he has always been a shy kid, so the fact that he overcame that fear and dives into his stories gives me hope. It was such a treat to have Lake come speak in our class! It was interesting to hear how he has progressed in his journalism career, and hearing him talk got me excited about where I'm headed!