Izzy Stone

"Before there was an Internet, Izzy Stone was doing the work we associate with today's best bloggers." (Common Dreams, Jeff Cohen)

For this week's blog post, I'm going to attempt to do something that may amuse some and confuse others. I'm going to blog about how Izzy Stone's work could be categorized as blog-like before blogging was even concepted. I guess it's not THAT amusing, but I just thought I'd acknowledge the fact that I'm blogging about how a man that preceded blogging could be compared to some of the most prolific bloggers in journalism. I don't want this post to turn into some long paragraph, where I just Izzy Stone for all of accomplishments and influence on the journalism industry, but I would like to show my appreciation for such a relentless reporter. The Internet is an invaluable tool for journalists not only because it enables them to always be up-to-date on current events, but more importantly because how effective of a research device it can be. Whether it was his consumption of several newspapers daily or the incessant skimming through a number of Congressional Records, Izzy Stone's devotion to uncovering news for the public was unmatched. Especially considering that he didn't have a tool like the Internet, to make his research a bit more bearable. I understand that I'm not a developed journalist, but it is hard to imagine that I'll devote that much time everyday to reading that many newspapers cover to cover. Bloggers are dedicated to uncovering controversial stories, but it is doubtful that they spend as much time as Izzy did analyzing documents. Another aspect that puts Izzy stone in a league of his own was how he would begin articles not blog posts, with quotes like "The American government and the American press have kept the full truth about the Tonkin Bay incidents from the American public." He was not afraid to challenge the government and I know there are tons of bloggers nowadays, who challenge the government left and right, but it reflects one's courage more when they do it through print. Something Izzy shares with current bloggers is how he was a writer, editor and boss, so he governed himself like many bloggers do. He did not have to answer to an advertisers request. Almost every word that he wrote was determined by him and didn't have some worried editor complaining about his work being too controversial. This aspect makes him quite similar to the many bloggers today because obviously bloggers only communicate ideas that they are passionate in.