my new hero
April 16th, 2006 by Lawrence David
i watched goodnight and goodluck for the first time tonight. i knew a little bit about murrow going into the movie, having heard a program on npr about the man. nevertheless, i was still blown away by the movie and ed murrow’s eloquence, integrity, and sense of justice. the man is my hero.
i was most impressed by his tirade against television – all the more remarkable considering murrow made an indelible stamp on televised journalism. murrow challenged:
“Just once in a while, let us exalt the importance of ideas and information. Let us dream to the extent of saying that on a given Sunday night, the time normally occupied by Ed Sullivan is given over to a clinical survey on the state of American education…Would the corporate image of their respective sponsors be damaged? Would the stockholders rise up in their wrath and complain? Would anything happen other than a few million people would have received a little illumination on subjects that may well determine the future of this country and therefore the future of the corporations? To those who say people wouldn’t look, they wouldn’t be interested, they’re too complacent, indifferent and insulated, I can only reply-there is, in one reporter’s opinion, considerable evidence against that contention. But even if they are right, what have they got to lose? Because if they are right, and this instrument is good for nothing but to entertain, amuse and insulate, then the tube is flickering now and we will soon see that the whole struggle is lost. Otherwise, it is merely lights and wires in a box. Goodnight, and goodluck.”
i couldn’t agree with murrow more. in fact, this reminded me of my 15 minutes of literary fame, which dates back to high school. [the only reader response i've had accepted by the nytimes.]
goodnight, goodluck, and good-god i wish i could write like ed murrow.
