Jeremy Scahill: Aggressively Pursuing the Truth

I have long deeply appreciated and respected the work of investigative journalist and author Jeremy Scahill. Over the past many years now, I have learned that the corporate media works consistently to divide, distract, and deny for us the truth, so often not acting in the best interests of Americans to ensure that we are well informed rather than propagandized. There are exceptions, and those such as Jeremy Scahill are a gift to us all and to the planet. I experience a profound gratitude to all whose lives are rooted in integrity, courage, a fierce dedication to truth, and that witch respects rather than destroys life. May each of us be increasingly inspired to discern carefully who to trust, or not trust, for the information most vital to us all and to this beautiful planet we share. 

Peace & blessings - Molly

 With Jeremy Scahill in Portland

Quotes from Jeremy Scahill

My philosophy about journalism is simple - that we have a job to hold those in power accountable, to give voice to the voiceless, and to provide people with information that they can use to make informed decisions about what policies they want enacted in their name and what policies they don't.

For much of my life as a journalist, I've viewed myself as being embedded with civilians and with those people who live on the other side of the barrel of a gun.

I have chosen to cast my lot with independent media outlets because I believe that only through independent reporting where you are not beholding to the interests of corporations or government are you able to really aggressively pursue the truth.

I believe that one of the most important institutions in a democratic society is a free press.  

I think we [Americans] are going to look back and realize that the civil liberties that we've given up in the name of security, the authority that we've given Democratic and Republican presidents, all have contributed to a fraying of the fabric of our democratic republic.

I believe that we [Americans] are making more new enemies than we are killing terrorists at this point, and I think it's time that we stepped back from this aggressive assertion that we can just go to any country and conduct lethal operations.

Drones are a tool, not a policy. The policy is assassination. While every president since Gerald Ford has upheld an executive order banning assassinations by U.S. personnel, Congress has avoided legislating the  issue or even defining the word “assassination.” 

If we're going to kill our own people without even charging them with a crime, well, then we should just say we live in a different country, and stop telling the world that we're the sort of great, shining city on the hill. 

My fear, as an American, is that our own actions are going to contribute to an

inspiration for terrorists to want to harm us or kill us.