Commentary; Posted: 8/11/04

Is there any good news to report?

Rev. John C. Blackford
Religion columnist

Some years ago, a Chicago newspaper editor decided that along with the front page news about mainly bad things that were happening, he would include a page one story daily about the good things taking place in the city.

The column was dropped after a few weeks because the writer could not find enough good things to write about. Actually, had he looked a little longer he would have come up with many good things worthy of print. And that is true in any community. Along with the bad things, many positive things are happening, but, sadly, they are often overlooked.

Frequently the news from the Iraq war is sobering. Yet, good things are happening as well, but they are often unreported. Jeff Jacoby of the Boston Globe wrote in June (reported in the Minneapolis Star Tribune): ìTo hear the media tell it, virtually nothing in Iraq is going right. Suicide terrorism, Abu Ghraib, sabotaged pipelines, swelling, anti-American sentimentóthe coverage has focused on almost all bad news, almost all the time. But donít be fooled. There are plenty of good news stories in Iraq, too.î

He then lists half a dozen of them. The first is that the fiery uprising of one the chief clerics is over, and he has directed his gunmen to stop fighting and go home. For the first time, an Iraqi soccer team has qualified for the Olympics. They will be able to compete without fear, knowing that even if they fail to bring home a medal, there will be no punishment at the hands of Odai Hussein, the dictatorís late son, whose practice was to torture Iraqi athletes who were not successful in international competition. Thanks to the US Army, Odai and his cruelty no longer exist.

But more good newsóthe United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reports a decrease of more than 25 percent in the number of people seeking political refuge in the developed nations.

Jacoby says: ìWhy the decline? Because Afghans and Iraqis, who used to make up the largest groups of asylum-seekers, are now less likely to flee in their homelands.î In fact, 81 percent fewer Iraqi requested asylum in the first quarter of this year than in the same period last year. Their liberation has brought a sense of security. There is good news for the youth. With the help of a retired U.S. Naval officer and a Texas businessman, both former Boy Scouts, scouting is being revived. Scouting in Iraq dates back to 1921, but the movement was crippled during Saddamís reign. The goal is to raise funds to establish a scouting camp for boys and girls in a former secret police compound on the Tigris River near Baghdad. The method of teaching universal valuesóhonor, integrity and moralityóis proven.î

According to one veteran Middle East journalist there is good news on the economic front as well. The value of the Iraqi dinar has grown by almost 15 percent in the last three months against the U.S. dollar. A building boom is underway. Iraqi farmers have harvested a record wheat crop, raising hopes the country might once again become, as it was before Saddamís regime, agriculturally self-sufficient.

On June 11, U.S. military commanders bestowed awards for valor on five Iraqisósoldiers in the Iraqi Defense Corpsófor saving the life of a U.S. marine who was shot by insurgents. Under a hail of enemy fire they dragged the wounded Marine to safety, risking their own lives. Jacoby concludes: ìYou might not know it from much of the press coverage, but not all Iraqis hate their American ìoccupiers.î

Many appreciate the sacrifices U.S. troops are making to secure Iraqi freedom. Some appreciate it so much, in fact, that they are willing to put their lives on the line when an American soldier is in danger.

The Luis Palau Christian festival last weekend on the State Capital grounds was on the front pages of the Twin Cities newspapers. They referred to large crowds of well-behaved youth and adults, and put the festival in a favorable light.The media is to be commended for placing this news up front.

The term ìgood newsî was originally ìgod spel,î meaning ìgood tidingsî or ìgood news.î the concept goes back to the Gospel of St. Luke, where we read of Jesus Christís birth in Bethlehem in Israel. An angel announced, ìI bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people, for unto you is born this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.î

Twenty centuries later millions believe this is the ultimate good news, and that all other good news derives from it. In a world of suffering and sorrow, the good news is that there IS good news.

Top of Page