I Just Saw Something That Made Me Ashamed of Asking the Question
Claire Berlinski, Ed. ·
Sep 18, 2011 at 4:56am
I'll upload the photos and the video. A massive, peaceful protest in support of Turkey's imprisoned journalists. If the foreign media refuse to cover it, I'll do everything I can to make people aware of it.
Those journalists are rotting in jail, and I'm complaining that no one pays me enough. I'm ashamed of myself.
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Feb '11
Re: I Just Saw Something That Made Me Ashamed of Asking the Question
For whatever it’s worth, I never thought you could sustain that attitude for very long. There seems to be something in the DNA of Claire Berlinski that rejects cynicism at every turn.
(I mean, that’s just my impression from what I read, but it’s an impression I would bet my bank account on.)
Feb '11
Re: I Just Saw Something That Made Me Ashamed of Asking the Question
No need for shame. It's admirable but tough to keep plugging along doing what's right when the reality is there's not the financial support for doing it. Many volunteer to do good things and find the need is vast, but there is not enough money. Never enough money. So one stutters and stops and starts up again.
The usual refrain is "get a real job" and do God's work on the side. No doubt there are far more opportunities to do that in the States than in Istanbul even in these very difficult economic times. But your unique insight from your outpost would no doubt be greatly diminished.
Your "Menace in Europe" shocked me awake to the enormity of the cultural and moral disintegration happening in Europe. Ever since I have sought out your writings in the City Journal and elsewhere and you are why I am a member here.
There is a way. You will find it.
Feb '11
Re: I Just Saw Something That Made Me Ashamed of Asking the Question
I saw a beggar leaning on a broken crutch
He said to me 'you must not ask for so much'
And a pretty woman leaning in her darkened door
She said to me 'hey, why not ask for more?'
--Leonard Cohen
Sep '10
Re: I Just Saw Something That Made Me Ashamed of Asking the Question
Apple, meet orange. And let Claire be. She's got work to do.
May '10
Re: I Just Saw Something That Made Me Ashamed of Asking the Question
We all go through troughs and periods of self doubt. Mine started when I was about 23 (I just turned 60).
That said, I will repeat my comment from your previous post, that as the world turns uglier and more violent, you would do well to reconsider living in Turkey, and relocate back to the US where at least English is (more or less) the local language, and women will have freedom of movement (which it's beginning to sound like may not be the case in a rapidly Islamifying Turkey).
Edited on Sep 18, 2011 at 1:30pmJul '10
Re: I Just Saw Something That Made Me Ashamed of Asking the Question
You can't save the world if you can't pay the rent.
Feb '11
Re: I Just Saw Something That Made Me Ashamed of Asking the Question
Claire, you should not be "ashamed of yourself" for writing the previous post...indeed, you have considerable accomplishments to be very proud of. And in almost any situation, there will be someone who is sacrificing more than oneself: go to jail for your beliefs, meanwhile, someone else will be getting shot for his.
As I suggested in a comment to the other post, the fact that something isn't selling in the marketplace doesn't always discredit its value....it may just need a better marketing approach, or a focus on a more enlightened market segment.
You do great work, and I'm confident that you have a great future.
Oct '10
Re: I Just Saw Something That Made Me Ashamed of Asking the Question
I fully agree with David that you shouldn't be ashamed of your self for your previous post. No matter how bad off we are, there is always going to be somebody who's worse off. Does that mean nobody has the right to complain? No. You just don't complain to that person.
But getting by financially is a big deal, especially when you're doing something that is important to society yet is not actually paying the bills.
I tweeted your post about the protest. Hopefully that will get a few eyes looking at it.
Oct '10
Re: I Just Saw Something That Made Me Ashamed of Asking the Question
Claire, as others have already said much better than I will be able to, there is no shame in the desire to be able to keep a roof over your head and food on the table in exchange for your particular combination of information and life experience on the ground, as it were, in what is increasingly obviously an area of geopolitical importance.
It in no way diminishes the validity of your desire to question the disparity in journalistic attention paid to the urgent vs. the important, the sensational vs. the subtle, or the self-interesting vs. the significant.
In the same fashion it is a reflection of your perspicacity and humanity to apprehend the risks that the imprisoned journalists took and are suffering the consequences of, weigh yourself in the balance, and find yourself wanting. There but for the grace of God go we all. Take comfort in the freedom you have to call attention to their plight; fight the good fight to sustain yourself physically, psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually; and know that all of us on Ricochet are enriched by your work—in ways that we, like those publishers, do not know how to compensate you for.