Thursday, February 03, 2011
Egyptian Turmoil Escalates
Well into the second week of protests in Egypt, and after President Hosni Mubarak has vowed not to run for re-election, violence erupts in the streets as pro-government factions attempt to rout the demonstrators. Reports indicate these brute squads are targeting journalists in an attempt to bury coverage of the formerly peaceful revolution.
NYTimes journalist Nicholas Kristof writes a compelling piece about the clashing protesters here. He also tweets live from the scene here.
Reports are coming in that members of the media from several major broadcast outlets have been attacked, including Anderson Cooper of CNN, and reporters from ABC and Fox News.
Whatever the outcome of the political situation in Egypt, it is worth pausing, if only for a moment, to commend the outstanding work of professional journalists risking life and limb to bring us news of this historic moment. They may say, “I’m only doing my job,” but for those of us that honor a free press, and the open society that a free press helps make possible; we owe them our gratitude and our respect.
So, thank you to all the journalists working hard to cover these momentous events in Egypt, as well as all the journalists covering war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan, and any reporter trying to shed light on the dark corners of the world, without regard for their own personal safety, tirelessly committed to getting the story so the rest of the world may know what happened.
With admiration for a difficult job, done well,
Thom and the rest of the Newswise Staff
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