James Foley: the thoughts from our editors

Recently, journalist James Foley was brutally and cruelly beheaded by Islamic militants, who some might call terrorists. Not only did they commit this heinous act, but they taped and released it for the world to see.

This is disturbing, cruel and unusual to say the least. Sure, violent crimes are committed far too often in our part of the world, but we are so rarely made to face it.

Ryan Scott
Ryan Scott

As aspiring journalists here at The Mesa Legend, this was particularly disturbing to us and it struck a real chord. We all hope to move on and to do great things.
However, we are all lucky to be able to, for the most part, sit in a comfy office and work without much threat or danger.

Foley wasn’t that lucky.

“We are in perilous situations to inform those that aren’t about both what is happening on the ground, and the ancillary conditions. Journalistic ethics are intended to ensure that there is no bias behind how we portray the stories we tell, our intentions are (or at least should be) purely neutral,” said Copy Editor Kian Hagerman.

Our hearts go out to his family and friends, but further, we have an intense respect for the work he was doing.

Foley was simply doing his job but more than that, journalism, at its core can be a public service and a civic duty.

It is an essential aspect of democracy and men like Foley help to inform the public and bring the truth forward.

“As I read of James Foley and how he met his fate, I am brought to tears. It grieves me to think that a journalist was killed for simply doing his job. He was not given the options with which we supply our death row inmates. No lethal injection, no firing squad, no electric chair. He was drug out by his captors and beheaded for all the world,” said Up To Date Editor Joshua Bowling.

We have great respect for Foley and hope that justice is served to those who deserve it for committing this crime.

  • Mesa Legend Staff

    These are archived stories from Mesa Legend editions before Fall 2018. See article for corresponding author.

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