“I believe in being truthful, not neutral. And I believe we must stop banalizing the truth …”
This week CNN’s chief international correspondent, Christiane Amanpour, received the Burton Benjamin Memorial Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists. It is awarded at the International Press Freedom Awards for “extraordinary and sustained achievement in the cause of press freedom. Her acceptance speech was an inspiring appeal to “recommit to robust, fact-based reporting” in the Age of Trump. [Video below]
EXCERPT
I never in a million years thought I would be up here on stage appealing for the freedom and safety of American journalists at home.
Ladies and gentlemen, I added the bits from candidate Trump as a reminder of the peril we face. I actually hoped that once President-elect, all that that would change, and I still do. But I was chilled when the first tweet after the election was about “professional protesters incited by the media.”
He walked back the part about the protesters but not the part about the media.
We’re not there. But postcard from the world: This is how it goes with authoritarians like Sisi, Erdoğan, Putin, the Ayatollahs, Duterte, et al.
As all the international journalists we honor in this room tonight and every year know only too well: First the media is accused of inciting, then sympathizing, then associating — until they suddenly find themselves accused of being full-fledged terrorists and subversives. Then they end up in handcuffs, in cages, in kangaroo courts, in prison — and then who knows?
Just to say, Erdoğan has just told my Israeli colleague Ilana Dayan that he cannot understand why anyone’s protesting in America, it must mean they don’t accept — or understand — democracy! And he thinks America like all great countries needs a strongman to get things done!
The rest of Ms. Amanpour’s acceptance speech
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2016. 3:10 a.m. [GMT]
emotanafricana.com 
November 28, 2016 at 4:28 pm
FROM MY MAILBOX
Thank you Ma.
… Nothing best defines a person’s character and personality than the person’s own expressions in terms of spoken/written words and actions/inactions. This is the way in which Trump has helped the world to understand his essence.
Highest regards, Ma.
Femi Aborisade
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November 28, 2016 at 4:31 pm
Dear Femi,
You are very correct as regards Trump: the world need not go beyond his words to know who he really is, and, unfortunately, the kind of president he is going to be for the USA.
Much thanks; regards,
TOLA.
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November 27, 2016 at 4:19 am
Dear Auntie,
I’m here again.
Saying or defending the Truth is an attribute of a refined mind. How many are in that category?
I personally favour PEACEFUL demonstrations on anything that contradicts one’s conviction, and leave the rest to the Law. The Law of Sowing and Reaping will act automatically, and indeed, nowadays the latent period is much, much less than hitherto due to the pressure of the Light as humanity races toward the Millennium.
So, allow Trump to rule, and time will tell if he is the right person!
A. G. Falade
Ibadan, Nigeria 5.17 am
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November 27, 2016 at 11:00 pm
Dear Prof.,
Thank you very much for your usual angle at looking at issues: mixing the spiritual material/physical.
Amanpour is definitely a most refined mind and stands in a category almost hers alone far from her American counterparts. I was struck when I watched an early morning show during the campaign when I saw Ms. Bash, a very senior staff at the CNN “interviewing” Trump’s campaign manager, Ms. Conway.
My surprise had nothing to do with the fact that my views reflect those of the MAJORITY in America – and around the world – who think the very idea that Trump representing one of the two major party candidates in the campaign was worse than obscene; it has de-mythified America if comments I heard in Europe over a 3-month period during the campaign were indicative of the disdain he has earned for good old USA.
Dana Bash, to my mind, was merely kissing up to Conway, pardon that expression, but she asked the campaign manager no question of substance nor did the whole “interview” show anything beyond a charade, exactly the type of thing Amanpour’s speech addressed. A dumbing-down “interview” by a young woman who earns millions of dollars a year is into any elevated journalism.
In a way, that “interview” during which the cynical and shallow campaign manager scurried around her kitchen getting her kids ready for school has never strayed far from my mind, especially since Trump won; did many of these pretend-at-elevating journalism overpaid “professionals” know what we didn’t know, and Dana Bash was merely booking future access for herself?
After all, Joe Scarborough of MSNBC which millions of Clinton’s supporters watch as religiously as Trump’s supporters favored FOX was written about post-elections that he “consulted” for Trump throughout the campaign! Who knows what is true any more even though truth does matter and many of us do care.
By the way, Prof., I’m not sure there’s need to wait for history’s verdict on you-know-whom; it’s already in.
Regards, as always, Dear Prof.
TOLA.
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