John Simpson is a British journalist, now BBC world affairs editor. He’s covered both Iraqi wars, and lots in between. He’s been wounded. He’s probably seen as many horrors as the soldiers on both sides and the civilians caught up in the conflicts.
A big bloke, built like a rugby player, he appears on our television screens in the middle of conflict, surrounded by horrific bangs and blasts. He’s a factual reporter, seemingly tough.
So I was really touched to read this article in which he describes his evolving attitude to war, in the context of the recent birth of his baby boy. He talks about how having a second family late in life has expanded his views:
But I have finally understood something, through the blessing of having another child late on.
It is that life itself is immensely valuable. Not just the lives of people who think and look and maybe worship like you and me, people who are attractive or well-educated or rich, people who are the right type of Christian or the right type of Muslim. All lives.
Read the article. It’s another piece of the jigsaw that may one day be peace.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
“The fact is, my time reporting on violence and bombings in places like Baghdad and Kabul has shown me one essential thing: that the lives of the poor, the stupid, the old, the ugly, are no less precious to them and to the people around them, than the life of my little son Rafe is precious to me.”
I never thought I would read something like this in a mainstream media report. You’ve added to my reservoir of hope today.
Peace,
Milton
thanks for pointing us to this — we need more journalists like him, on both sides of the “pond” –
Milton, you picked the other quote I was toying with including in my post – well spotted!
Yes, the BBC often produces really thoughtful stuff. Of course right-wingers over here believe it to have been infiltrated by bleeding-heart liberals and loony lefties. So obviously they’re getting something right!
By the way, “reservoir of hope”, I like that phrase.