Blood Brothers

So last week when I discovered the DemocracyNOW! website I saw a great interview with a young female reporter for the Army Times who was embedded with a unit in Iraq and showed what I think is great empathy in her reporting. The interviewers were reporting it as a "mutiny" against an order to go out on patrol after 5 more of their buddies had just been killed. But she described it more as the soldiers sticking up for their own mental health and being responsible by telling their commander that they couldn't guarantee an active of revenge, so he better not send them out right then! Sound like smart guys to me. I hope they are all safe and don't have to go back soon, or ever!

Watch it
Read it - Blood Brothers by Kelly Kennedy

I googled, found her address and sent her an email to thank her for that series -and received a nice reply of thanks, and an invitation to visit the newsroom in DC if J & I ever go there!!...I'm getting so much out of my new "take action" attitude, instead of just complaining about things or not acknowledging positive news stories when I do read them:


----- Original Message ----

From: l__z__
To: kellyskennedy@yahoo.comSent: Wednesday, December 26, 2007 7:37:09 PM
Subject: Democracy Now interview

Hi Kelly :

I just saw your interview on Democracy Now from 12/21/07. Keep up the great work! You were very objective and poised and I could tell that you had a lot of empathy for the soldiers you were covering -which is truly a refreshing change from what is usually shown in the news. I wish we would see more reporting and extended commentary like this. I'm not from a military family myself, but my cousin's son died this past September from an IED in Iraq so it is all hitting home. I wish they all could come home tomorrow.

My 13-yr old daughter J.__ and her friend S.___ want to be journalists one day and I'm going to send them this link to read your "Blood Brothers" story. Many thanks for putting together such a great piece!

Good Luck and be safe. I look forward to reading more of your work in the future.

Happy New Year,
L.
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Hi L__,

Thanks! If you haven't read Blood Brothers yourself, you might want to before you send it to your daughter -- some of the details are really rough. That was intentional: I hoped to show people what this war looks like, and it gets gruesome. It was heartbreaking to include those details, but I'm not sure everybody understands yet why the soldiers face issues like suicide and PTSD. No matter how you or I feel about the war, it's hard not to relate with those who see what they have seen.

If your daughter is ever in D.C., let me know and I'll give her a tour of the newsroom. My last newsroom was the Chicago Tribune -- much closer to home for you!

I'm so sorry to hear about your cousin -- and that the war has hit that close to home. Best wishes to your family, and I hope the New Year brings better things,

Kelly