I pledge allegiance

September 11, 2001 crumbled towers. In their places sprouted a patriotism most of us had never experienced. We were emotional and we were scared. Yet we knew that our country was good and we were ready to defend her. Since then, the American flags and yellow ribbons have unfurled and slowly floated away with America's pride bundled up in them. \nThe power of the press reigns supreme even outside America's borders. The riots instigated by Newsweek's Koran-down-the-loo report and the Watergate exposé and ultimate undoing of an American president prove the bite of the beast. Yet those events do not prove that journalists are the voice and protector of the people. Journalists hide behind their duty to inform the public and receive few consequences for their actions. Reporters spend countless hours analyzing what current events mean, guessing and assuming how this will affect the public. Suddenly, the news is flooded with crafty politics and schemes for the advancement and success of a single human being. What happened to the collective goal of the people? The public connects to our nation's government by the mighty pen. Too often the pen attempts to translate instead of transcribe.\nMass media cries of protecting the people and democracy. It's crying wolf. James Fallows's "Why America Hates the Media" recounts a taping of the television series "Ethics in America." This particular segment, "Under Orders, Under Fire," asked military personal and journalists how they would react in certain situations. The commentator posed hypothetical situations to each participant and pushed them to explain not only what they would do, but why. The commentator turned to a solider, his left arm replaced with a prosthetic and a hook. How would the soldier treat enemy prisoners knowing that the enemy had American soldiers and that his prisoners could identify the location of the American captives? The soldier admitted that he would most likely torture the hostages. The moral struggle was apparently familiar as the soldier weighed the consequences, yet he would live with the weight of his actions -- anything for the safety of an American life. The commentator then turned to ABC's Peter Jennings. Jennings was hypothetically permitted by the opposing government to film enemy forces. Jennings agreed that if he became aware, he would attempt to warn American forces of an impending enemy attack. CBS's Mike Wallace quickly criticized Jennings. Jennings was a reporter; it was his duty to remain detached. Ashamed, Jennings quickly retracted and asserted that the highest journalistic duty was the duty to report the story. \nAny American soldier would risk his or her life to bring a wounded journalist to safety, and yet journalists would sacrifice a platoon for a story. Sobering, how reporters will sell out for a scoop. \nMedia drills the rift between the American people. Media represents our country to the rest of the world. Media's influence has the power to create change and Media's loyalty to the United States of America is clearly lacking. The Media's pledge does not represent the pledge of every American. \nAs for me, I pledge allegiance.