PBS aired a POV program that documented Mr. Ellsberg’s journey from a staunch Viet Nam war hawk, former Marine, and member of an insider group to revealing the greatest cover-up of my generation. A panel of journalists from the NY Times continues after the documentary on The Pentagon Papers. Ellsberg’s release of these papers, along with a united media willing to report the stories, resulted in the resignation of "Tricky Dick" Nixon.
The war in Viet Nam was rooted in secrecy, cover-ups and lies to the American people. It started in the Eisenhower administration. It is a culture that continues with secrecy, lies and cover-ups. It is a culture that continues to install fear in those who are horrified by misconduct of our Presidents, the Executive Branch, members of our Legislative Branch, and our military industrial complex.
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This documentary provides a freighting, fascinating narrative that documents the perils of whistleblowers. Mr. Ellsberg had so much to lose, his job, his income, splitting his family members in to opposing camps, and legal action.
"The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg" reopened the pain, disappoint and rage at my government that I experienced when first reading the many articles published so many years ago. With the corporate take over of our media, the declining public interest in real journalism, and investigative reporting, will my grandchildren have any safeguards from a government that puts private interests above the public interest?
You can check for related stories and videos of interest here:
http://www.pbs.org/...
You can watch the Ellsberg video, share it with friends, check out the Wikileaks "Afgan War Diary and much more at the link below.
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers http://www.pbs.org/...
Synopsis
In 1971, Daniel Ellsberg, a leading Vietnam War strategist, concludes that America’s role in the war is based on decades of lies. He leaks 7,000 pages of top-secret documents to The New York Times, a daring act of conscience that leads directly to Watergate, President Nixon’s resignation and the end of the Vietnam War. Ellsberg and a who’s-who of Vietnam-era movers and shakers give a riveting account of those world-changing events in POV’s The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers by award-winning filmmakers Judith Ehrlich (The Good War and Those Who Refused to Fight It) and Rick Goldsmith (Tell the Truth and Run: George Seldes and the American Press). A co-production of ITVS in association with American Documentary/POV. (90 minutes)
http://www.pbs.org/...
The Pentagon Papers and Wikileaks "Afghan War Diary"
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And there is no doubt that the ramifications of the First Amendment battle between the Nixon administration and the press continue to be felt today in the world of journalism.
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WikiLeaks has been assailed by many human rights organizations and press organizations, including Reporters Without Borders, for indiscriminately and irresponsibly publishing the documents, thus potentially revealing the identities of people who collaborated with the coalition in Afghanistan. No one has been targeted in the intervening months on the basis of those leaks.
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However, when asked about the similarities between the Pentagon Papers and WikiLeaks in a Christian Science Monitor interview, Ellsberg stated, "[The documents] look very familiar to me. Different places and names, but they are describing a war that is as thoroughly stalemated as was the case 40 years ago and more in Vietnam."
If someone else has written a diary on the topic, please provide a link in comments.
I will not be available to review your comments until later this afternoon. As always, I read and respond to all comments. In my opinion, the past offers many lessons we Americans have forgotten.