Student Takes "Immersion Journalism" Class Very Seriously; Ends Up in Iraq
From CNN.com:
This kid, who is only 16 and a junior in high school, left for Iraq without even telling his parents what he was doing. Sure, what he did was completely irresponsible; but in an age when many people who consider themselves journalists do their research and identify their sources without getting up from their cushy rolly-chairs (e.g. myself), Hassan's gusto and reckless commitment to his craft is admirable.
[Farris] Hassan's dangerous adventure . . . begins with a high school class on "immersion journalism" and one overly eager—or naively idealistic—student who's lucky to be alive after going way beyond what any teacher would ask. . . .
His class was assigned to choose an international topic and write editorials about it, Hassan said. He chose the Iraq war and decided to practice immersion journalism there . . . though he knows his school in no way endorses his travels.
This kid, who is only 16 and a junior in high school, left for Iraq without even telling his parents what he was doing. Sure, what he did was completely irresponsible; but in an age when many people who consider themselves journalists do their research and identify their sources without getting up from their cushy rolly-chairs (e.g. myself), Hassan's gusto and reckless commitment to his craft is admirable.
posted by Tinley | 6:21 AM
1 Comments:
The naysayers may want to consider a different point of view:
Do a little Googling. The whole world is talking about this kid, and people from Switzerland to France to French Canadia seem to have a general consensus: if more young people decided the human condition is worth more than their money, ealth, or safety, the world would be a very different place. Or, as many people have agreed, "the kid has serious stones, man."
I find it interesting that some people are so dissapointed in his choice of how to spend his money. Would they rather he attend to the path expected of him, buying junk and living a shallow life, unaware of and uncaring of others, as so many young American are inclined?
As for what some others appear to consider a trite false attempt to convey compassion, the trite attempt could have been made from his couch. To make it from the streets of Bagdhad implies his devotion to his ideal.
I'm not saying it was bright, but it was brave, and an example to the materialistic humans in this world that the truth is impossible to decipher from a distance.
He's a young man now - he's old enough to take his life and future into his own hands. People his age have been killing other people in wars for centuries - what would happen if more of them fought for peace?
Interesting: when soldiers die for war, they are brave, when a young boy is willing to die for peace, he's stupid. That says a lot about human nature. Maybey people like Farris can change that in the future.
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