May. 15, 2004 - 22:29 MST

THE WONDERING JEW

Queries

Every Saturday on the page after the Front Page of the Rocky Mountain News, John Temple has a column titled, "From The Publisher" he can be e-mailed at, [email protected] so I am not sure just what position he holds, perhaps plain Top Editor. But, whatever, he talks commonsense to me for sure.

Today I made an exception, I read the comics and then John Temple -- old habits are hard to break. His column today is mostly on reporting and the difficulties thereof. There is one part where he asks questions that have been in my mind and perhaps that of other folks.

"Reporters find great satisfaction in besting their competitors in such heated stories, the way News 4's Brian Maass did in obtaining an exclusive interview with Pfc. Lynndie England, the Army reservist shown holding a naked Iraqi prisoner on a leash. But their ultimate satisfaction comes when they carve their own path where no one else has even thought to go, the way Maass has done on so many investigations in Denver."

"There are so many stories of this type I'd like to read from Iraq. Here are just a few, I'm sure you could offer many more."

"What is the life of ordinary Iraqis like today ?"

"In the privacy of their homes do they speak of their hopes for freedom, or their hatred of America ?"

"What has happened to the historic artifacts and monuments of Iraq ?"

"What is the market for weapons ?"

"How are they bought and sold ?"

"What are the signs of Democracy ?"

"What steps toward self-government are visible around the country ?"

"The list goes on . . . ." ."

Then Mr Temple ends his column, "But we in the media fail our society if we don't answer far more questions -- and given the conditions now, I don't know whether we can succeed."

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Other questions I have,

What was the average income before Operation Iraqi Freedom ? Were the citizens in poverty ?

How are the people there managing to exist now ?

Can the people of Iraq get a conception of Democracy when they have been under the influence of Imams etc. for so long ?

And if they can understand the precepts of Democracy would they really accept it ?

It would be nice if some intelligent reporter could track down and point a finger at the various heads of arms selling and their sources.

How many and how much of the munitions and ammunition is made by America or allies ?

Is our country keeping track on where war materials go ?

And as Mr. Temple says, "And the list goes on . . . . ." The Wondering Jew has some Queries . . . . . . .

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