Brian Williams (4)

I make my judgment about the cause of Williams’ false memory/lie based on the words Williams uses in his written apology. Specifically, at two points he uses the term ‘bird’ to refer to helicopter; at another point he uses the military jargon ‘mech,’ which I suppose is short for ‘mechanized.’ Why would a famous journalist deliberately imitate the speech of soldiers? Why wouldn’t he wish to use the proper terms ‘helicopter’ and ‘mechanized’? Because, I believe, he wants to share in the sense of glory and brotherhood that surround the soldiering profession. In fact, it is telling that the accusation of lying and his apology follow a very public event, a hockey match, at which Williams appeared alongside an Iraq War veteran he met the night the helicopter was shot down. With thousands looking on, Williams repeated his false memory, feeling again that special glow of having shared the threat of death with a warrior those many years ago. Williams paid tribute to that veteran, to be sure: but he also gave himself a secret promotion to the brotherhood.

Brian Williams (5)

I object to what Williams did not because I believe soldiers are all heroes ordinary people can never match, but because it is a sad, mistaken view that only certain jobs are real, and only certain sorts of actions count as heroic, and only imitating someone can show real admiration. Think about getting ready for a live newscast. How terrifying it would be, to me or most other people! The thought of one’s tongue tangling on hard-to-pronounce words, Addis Ababa, al-Kasasbeh, and the like, all in full view of millions of people!

Brian Williams (6)

I also object to the romantic notion that only physical labor is real labor, and that by extension only working class people are living ‘real’ lives. This sort of romanticization can only be carried out by people living secure, middle or upper class lives. This romanticization is only possible in a larger sense under conditions of industrialization and marketization. I feel the pull of this romanticization, which is why I think I understand Williams and feel kind of sorry for him at the same time. Like other people who does not make a living with my hands or my gun I have romanticized more ‘real’ lives – those of peasant villagers in exotic lands, soldiers, and the like. In fact, my growing up years were one long imagination of being a soldier, something I shared with Mike Higgins in our many battles fought at recess and in the woods of Hickory Lane.

Brian Williams (7)

But I suppose I have come to the realization that, while there is a certain loss in not everyone having access to experiences of physical labor and danger, anyone in any profession can demonstrate heroism. Maybe not physically but morally: by standing against bullies, and popular forms of violence; by defending those weaker, whether those weaker be Christians in Muslim lands, or Muslims in Christian-majority lands. By defending the truth against lies, even if the lies are popular ones, told about objects of general hatred (a common one in recent years is that Iran intends to ‘wipe out’ Israel, a fabrication based on a willful mistranslation of remarks made by Ahmedinejad. Note I am not defending him, but the truth).

Brian Williams (8)

In short, this moral heroism requires intellectual ability and courage, bolstered by learning about the world. Chris Kyle did his job as sniper well, and showed physical courage: but did he show any sense of understanding Iraq, or wanting to understand it? Did he wish to protect its people? Or just his own ‘brothers’? Real heroism, in short, requires a courageous and knowledgeable mind, not just physical guts. Real heroism entails being able to reach beyond one’s own band of brothers to protect the other that one does not fully understand or even fully approve of. It entails understanding one’s own fears and hatreds, deeply, in line with the ancient Greek injunction to ‘know thyself.’ There are soldiers who reach this level of heroism. As there are people of every occupation and walk of life, even newscasters. It is true there is something more real about combat and other forms of physical labor, and it is natural to be drawn to that, to romanticize that. But moral courage, even sacrifice, is not limited to such forms of work.

Brian Williams (9)

I wonder whether the endless compromises Williams must face every day, the necessity of hewing to the politically correct fictions of America’s establishment (ie, that the US is a victim and never a victimizer, that terrorists pose an imminent and overwhelming danger, etc), has a demoralizing effect which causes him to long for some simpler form of courage. I wouldn’t be surprised. I hope he can find some integrity. Or is it impossible as a celebrity in the mainstream media? No one wants to remain a wannabe.

haunted by fire (1)

i spent yesterday with sara and the kids on a day trip to her childhood hometown of tongxiao. we visited famous hole in the wall snack joints in front of the goddess mazu temple, walked to her old elementary school, and climbed up tiger's head mountain, where japanese observers caught sight of russia's baltic fleet steaming north toward battle against japan in 1905. but through all this i was haunted by fire -- the fire that consumed the jordanian pilot, weeks ago, but only made known through a gruesome video provided so helpfully by the killers that did him in. i compulsively imagined and re-imagined the scene i would not let myself view: his awful death. isn't this compulsive need to consume horrific news part of the american system? isn't this habit a dark, subterranean mass response that feeds compliance with our foreign policy?