A Change of Heart

Back at the end of January, I blogged about a little girl named Amina, who was found by U.S. Marines and suffered from a life-threatening heart defect. Being men of action, the Marines went to work finding private donors and sympathetic surgeons, and arranged for Amina to be flown to the United States for surgery.

The surgery went well, and on March 12, she came home to Iraq, with a changed heart and a new lease on life.

Why do we do these things? How does helping a little girl help win the war on terror? Just listen to the Iraqi man who is Amina's father tell about what he learned from this experience:

"Despite the differences in religion, race.and so on, I have learned that all human beings are brothers, and that all can live together."

I guess that makes two hearts changed for the better.

Now, consider the incredible leverage of the U.S. Media. Imagine, for a moment, if CNN, MSNBC, FoxNews and the rest ran stories like this every day. How many Arabs in the Middle East watch these news programs? Millions, to be sure. Ask yourself how much more quickly the war on terror could be won if the American press made a point of showing the generosity of the American people.

Somehow the media elite have come to believe that reporting positive news about America is a compromise of journalistic integrity. My opinion? Phooey on their so-called integrity. How many people will die needlessly because the press contributes to a skewed view of what is happening in Iraq and Afghanistan?

Broadcast journalists understand the power wielded by their medium. What they need to do now is take responsibility for making sure that power is used in a more positive way.

Just my.02

Chuck Holton
www.livefire.us