by David D. Horowitz.
Daphne Anne Caruana Galizia of Malta. Ahmed Hussein-Suale of Ghana. Rob Hiassen of the United States. Dimitry Popkov of Russia. Jamal Khashoggi of Saudi Arabia. Until recently, all five were investigative journalists—then they were murdered. Each helped expose corruption or criminality or opposed an armed conflict, and each died for the courage to publicize their perspective.
What goes down often does not resurface. Corrupt powerful people do not always have their bribes, harassment, and violence exposed, and if they are, a journalist who helped expose them might face brutal and sometimes fatal retaliation. Corruption’s creed is what goes down must not come up, and corrupt leaders cultivate the connections and power that enable them to intimidate and silence dissent. And so the truth might stay buried—for decades, for centuries, forever. From pharaohs to pompous emperors to corrupt popes to absolute monarchs to nepotistic ideologues to organized crime’s bullies and bribers, rarely is corruption in short supply. Voices who daylight and challenge the corruption, however, are sometimes rare and often suppressed. Indeed, basic honesty is often in short supply, as ambition ingratiates and flatters narcissistic tyrants to gain security and wealth. But, remember: there is no “must” about daylighting corruption. Individual human beings might or might not choose to be honest, and community, though in many ways good, can help fear abnegate its responsibilities.
Daphne, Ahmed, Rob, Dimitry, and Jamal chose the path of dangerous courage. Many in their respective communities did not. Yet, we who live benefit by these journalists’ example and owe them honor and emulation. Undoubtedly, each journalist had characterological flaws, and no case is so clear-cut as not to allow for debate and doubt about right and wrong. I daresay, though, few would argue bribery, extortion, murder, money laundering, or wanton killing of civilians during war are acceptable, and doubly so if they entail threats to the physical safety of anyone who would speak honestly.
So, when considering how contemporary ethics might diverge from traditionally admired virtues, let us acknowledge individual courage remains central. What goes down does not have to come up. It emerges typically because one or a few people have enough courage to dig and dig and dig to find it—and enough protective institutions to publicize it. Take them away, and tyranny is knocking down your door at midnight.