From: David Lubkin (lubkin@unreasonable.com)
Date: Tue Apr 09 2002 - 23:17:05 MDT
At 05:57 PM 4/9/2002 -0400, Harvey wrote:
>They should at least warn reports to leave the area before firing upon
>them or throwing concussion grenades. They also can confiscate film or
>disrupt broadcasts. Using potentially deadly force against journalists
>without warning is a little over the line, I think. I do understand that
>journalists leak information without knowing what they are doing, however.
I don't think we know the truth about everything involving treatment of
journalists but a few things are known. Virtually every major news outlet
in the world has a Jerusalem office and it's not unusual for there to be
hundreds of reporters anywhere something is happening. Quite apart from
reporting sensitive information, they're just plain in the way. In
Bethlehem, I believe, they were warned away. When they ignored this, the
Israelis fired tear gas at the reporters. There was also an incident where
snipers tried to scare away other reporters and one was wounded. Also,
there have been occasions when terrorists impersonated reporters.
This last is an unfortunate development. Another related one is that in a
previous Israeli assault, terrorists escaped through Red Crescent
ambulances. So now the Israelis won't let ambulances through. The press
reports that Israel is blocking the ambulances without reporting the prior
problems that led to the policy.
Justification aside, the press -- particularly big-name American press --
act like they have an absolute right to go anywhere and write about
anything. And by and large they get away with it. The consequences are
all-too-often deaths or ruined lives.
To take a specific situation, police, military, EMS workers, doctors, and
intelligence case officers are often engaged in vital or life-critical tasks.
If the press ignores a legitimate warning, I have no problem with them
being arrested and charged with a felony. If no reasonable alternatives
exist, force, up to deadly force, is justifiable. Example: a hostage
rescue mission is being compromised by a news helicopter. If they refuse
to veer off, send marshals to arrest the news director back at the
station. If that doesn't do it, or there isn't time to do that, what else
can you do but disable the copter? The press doesn't have a right to
endanger lives any more than anyone else does.
Of course, a suitable mechanism must exist for reviewing any actions. And
any personnel who abuse their authority to block, arrest, or harm reporters
must be punished very harshly.
Checks and balances. For both officials and press.
-- David.
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