You're a Customer

This quote has been making the rounds:

Michael Hastings has never served his country the way McChrystal has.

I'ts worth watching Michael Hastings interview, before you watch Logan's below. At any rate, Logan is getting roundly slammed for this, and rightfully so. I wanted to watch the video before saying anything so that I got her point in context. But context is as often damning as it is redeeming. The most charitable interpretation I can muster, having seen the whole video, is that we were watching a reporter more interested in maintaining the trust of her sources, than the trust of her audience.

Specifically, this comment is deplorable and has ugly implications. It is ad hominem, but laced with a disturbing military fetish which holds that those who have not taken up guns in their country's name, have no real right to question those who have. I think you know where that line of thinking ends. It's shocking to see a journalist pushing it, and allegations of malfeasance on Hastings part can't excuse them away. 

I want to remind you that this is your media. And when you see writers lining up to protect the people who they are supposed to be covering, you should have serious questions. They can only do that which you provide a market for.