COLUMN: Public should not take pleasure in Williams' humiliation
Brian Williams lied.
After covering wars and news events across the world, earning respect and credibility along the way, he ended up as a creator of fiction, not journalism.
Williams dedicated his life to providing necessary information to the public, and we should thank him for that. As a human being, it's tough to work for the betterment of mankind, which largely only thinks about itself.
His recent embellishment of his role in events in Iraq was wrong, but it is also wrong to destroy a reporter's career that has given so much to society.
Covering the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina and giving viewers stateside a view of the war in Iraq are tasks even the most dedicated humanitarian would wince at.
Williams' decision to serve as a journalist was a noble cause that does not exempt him from basic morals, but should garner him respect as he endures this fall from grace.
He simply got carried away. Embellishing one small fact after another during his storied career, Williams began rolling a snowball down a hill, and has a glacier of falsehoods to deal with.
It could mark the end of an era, over a lapse in memory and an embellishment of the truth. Viewers and journalists alike have taken swipes at Williams, claiming he has no business delivering the news.
He did not fabricate stories unapologetically without care for the harm they could cause. He had no reason to lie to advance his career.
There was no malice. Williams simply exaggerated, offending a lot of people in the process.
Would those same people even attempt to do what Williams has done? Would they put themselves in front of a faceless public and accept all the criticism that comes with it?
Resoundingly, the answer is no.
Viewers should consider the broader implications of these recent events, and put trust where it is deserved.
