The Trump administration is attempting to portray the media as a faceless villain. When in reality, the media is a collective of truth-seeking journalists. When I was an active journalist, I sat across from these faces everyday.
The media is Keith, a watchdog reporter, exposing the local government’s corruption.
The media is Phaedra, a dedicated journalist, seeking out and telling the stories of her community.
The media is Lisa, an executive editor, giving a voice to the voiceless.
The media is Jim, a veteran reporter, finding the humanity in tragedy.
The media is every journalist working through the holidays and late into the night to provide accurate coverage. The media isn’t some nameless, faceless system set up to spew lies. The media is full of real people with a deep passion for truth.
The media is my former colleagues. The ones who haven’t posted a single personal opinion about Trump because they work tirelessly to remain unbiased. The ones I joined with around a table and debated the exact placement of each news story – to remain unbiased. The ones who I had lengthy conversations with about covering a tragic story with integrity and sensitivity.
These are people I admire for their ethics and honesty. They remain true to the story even if it is damaging to someone they love, because as journalists we do that. We tell the truth above all else, even when the truth is cold, hard and mean.
Trump is afraid because the media is full of justice warriors and justice will come.