More on David Halberstam’s legacy


Two items on the legacy left by the great journalist:

A short “Appreciation” in The New York Times by Eleanor Randolph that includes a line of his from a couple of years ago that should be the motto of all journalists:

“Never let them intimidate you. Never. If someone tries, do me a favor and work just a little harder on your story.”

And these posts from Glenn Greenwald’s blog on Salon:

  • David Halberstam on today’s American press
  • “Though U.S. media stars will undoubtedly rush to heap praise on Halberstam, his views on the proper role of journalism could not be any farther from what they do”

  • David Halberstam on journalists and Vietnam
  • “Journalists and their sources who exposed the government’s falsehoods about Vietnam were widely attacks as unpatriotic”

  • David Halberstam, patriotism and courage
  • “Halberstam examined the rise of American pseudo-warriors and uber-patriots who exploit — but never exude — concepts of courage, patriotism and strength”

  • David Halberstam and 9/11
  • “Almost immediately after the 9/11 attacks, Halberstam warned of the dangers of overreaction, unnecessary wars, and fueling terrorism by inflaming anti-Americanism”

These are worth reading to see what good journalism is all about.

South Brunswick Post, The Cranbury Press
The Blog of South Brunswick
The Cranbury Press Blog

E-mail me by clicking here.

Unknown's avatar

Author: hankkalet

Hank Kalet is a poet and freelance journalist. He is the economic needs reporter for NJ Spotlight, teaches journalism at Rutgers University and writing at Middlesex County College and Brookdale Community College. He writes a semi-monthly column for the Progressive Populist. He is a lifelong fan of the New York Mets and New York Knicks, drinks too much coffee and attends as many Bruce Springsteen concerts as his meager finances will allow. He lives in South Brunswick with his wife Annie.

Leave a comment