I have served in combat and I have been in the press for years. No, these two jobs are not equal.
CNN published a bizarre op-ed suggesting the media should be given similar gratitude as servicemen and women.
“We thank soldiers for their service because they devote themselves to protecting our freedoms, and we should,” Joseph Holt, an ethics professor at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business wrote. “But we should also thank the media for the same reason – especially when the stakes have never been higher.”
I am always uncomfortable whenever I am thanked for my service. It is unnecessary and any veteran asking for any sort of appreciation beyond a VA check is pretentious and unacceptable behavior in the military community. It is outrageous for members of the media to ask to be placed on a pedestal and journalists should note they are not a special class of person.
This is one op-ed that was not even written by a journalist. But it is indicative of how some members of the media come across. Some don’t just see themselves as doing their jobs, holding Sarah Sanders accountable for inconsistencies and lies – some think they are on a mission from God.
Journalists play a critical role in providing a check on government power. Today, their mission is more important than ever and there has been a lot of phenomenal coverage across all major news outlets.
Special Forces label themselves as “Quiet Professionals.” These are the real heroes, and they don’t show off how extraordinary their jobs are. The press should adopt the same mentality. Do your job well, provide an important public service, and don’t go looking for high-fives.
We shouldn’t minimize the risks journalists face. In June, five people were killed in an attack on the Capital Gazette newspaper. In 2011, Tim Hetherington, who co-directed the brilliant Afghanistan War documentary “Restrepo” was killed by Libyan forces while covering the Libyan civil war.
Journalists also receive a considerable amount of death threats for a job they are generally overworked and underpaid doing.
Compare this to the average American service member, who goes through a 20-year career without being fired at. Some journalists in isolated cases face a greater danger. However, the average reporter on Capitol Hill isn’t strapping on body armor, and they don’t fill out a will when they’re hired at their paper. The worst thing that happens to most writers is being trolled on Twitter.
Most troops will probably tell you President Trump’s planned military parade honoring veterans is silly and unnecessary.
Fellow members of the media, I appreciate your service, but no one should throw you a parade. Please get back to work and hold the government accountable.
Steve Beynon (@StevenBeynon) is senior digital engagement editor at the Washington Examiner.
