My Reporter's NotePad...

Shame on Google!

The search service states... "Google's mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful. "

As a journalist and avid Google user, I find it shameful and against the essence of their service and alledged mission to knowingly censor their search engines to chinese users.

Throughout history, the right and freedom of information has always been censored by tyrants, dictators, and /or corrupted governments and institutions. China is, without a doubt, at the top of such a list... that is... UNTIL TODAY... when Google joined their ranks by censoring their search results, and therefore complying and encouraging a despicable, totalitarian and, by history, murderous regime.

Google's philosophy claims "10 things." Let me just share three...

4. Democracy on the web works.
6. You can make money without doing evil.
8. The need for information crosses all borders.

Source: http://www.google.com/corporate/index.html
Visit: GOOGLE CHINA

You be the judge!

....

Good Night and Good Luck

"Good Night and Good Luck" The Movie   

"We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty.  We must remember always that accusation is not proof, and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law;  we will not walk in fear, on another.

We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men-not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate,, and to defend causes that were, for the moment, unpopular."

-Edward R. Murrow, "See it Now," CBS News

Without a doubt, timeless words of Edward R. Murrow.  Words that, now more than ever, seem to reflect our times, when our country seems to often fear speaking on controversial issues in fear of retaliation from others who blindly follow without question and self respect.  Situations that apply to such complicated subjects as Iraq, but also to our simple and mundane daily work and lives.

Now more than ever, a journalist must be the voice of those who do not have a voice.  Let our words, our work uncover those hiding their self serving interests behind masks of friendship, authority and public service.  Be it in our society, our politics, our corporations and without a doubt, our newsrooms.

To what Mr. Murrow once said... "do not confuse dissent with disloyalty", I will add... make those responsible... accountable.

Patricio Espinoza
My Reporter's NotePad
Nov. 4, 2005

Words to live by

Comments about one's work often come about.  In my case most have been good, positive, encouraging particularly from those who matter most... the readers, the viewers who, at different levels, have always had something to say.  Certainly those comments have always been of great encouragement to keep at it, to do it better, to try harder, to do it differently and without a doubt... a reason to believe in what I do as a reporter.  

There have been times, however when some have criticized my professional efforts, yet at the end of the day, I have always looked at it this way... it's not personal, or at least I hope it isn't, draw the line, go home to your family, and tomorrow do what you do best, and let your work set the tone.  So far, in my twenty years as a journalist, wanted to or not, it has been my way to slap the unfair, the unjust.  But easier said than done... particularly when someone questions your professional integrity, and one refuses to take it and go away in silence.

See, often our strength is our weakness... as it is our strength, our work that keeps filling the hole left behind by the incapable, the cowards quick to judge and point fingers, but never strong enough to take a stand.  That, my friends, they leave it to us, while they, like parasites, live and breed around every corner, hiding behind, precisely, the success of your work, wearing masks cowards must wear to face those who will not walk in fear.   

So what must one do? Take a stand, and follow the advise my brother and fellow journalist shares with me:

WORDS TO LIVE BY:  "Don't argue with idiots.  They drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience." But more importantly, don't waste your emotional capital in the words of someone who doesn't deserve one second of your time.  Those who know you know the facts... and those who don't, and do not take the time to find the truth are not worth it. 

11/20/05