--
/ dave /
-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: Feedback Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2001 15:47:29 -0400 From: tglad at npcpress.org (Tom Glad) To: arouet at winternet.com References: <5.1.0.14.0.20010627135434.00ab0b10 at pop3.npcpress.org>
I find I must disagree with your opinion that I exist in a 'heedless vacuum.' My professional career is now approaching 30 years: the first 21 of which I served as a Military Police officer all over the world. For the last 5 I have worked in a place where every conceivable point of view has been expressed.
The questions you wish were asked concerned events in the Seventies, not the current trajectory of events. Dr. Kissinger in fact addressed the current trajectory quite directly.
Thomas Glad Director The Eric Friedheim Library
at the National Press Club
At 02:32 PM 6/27/01 -0500, you wrote:
>Mr. Glad -
>
>With all due respect vis-a-vis the financial needs of your organization
>(which I understand and sympathize with), it would seem nonetheless that
>your response to my comments, and in fact the initial impulse for the
>invitation to Mr. Kissinger, are existing in some sort of heedless
>vaccuum well removed from the current trajectory of events - which is
>curious to say the least, and not a little bit perilous for all
>concerned save Mr. Kissinger, who has already done his damage.
>
>"The truth will out," in any case, so we'll see how it reflects on all
>of us when it happens.
>
>--
>
>/ dave /
>
Tom Glad wrote:
>
> I am taking the liberty of answering for Mr. Koonce, since it was actually
> my organization that was responsible for bringing Dr. Kissinger to the
> ballroom of the National Press Club.
>
> First, some background. The Eric Friedheim Library is a non-profit
> organization associated with, but distinct from the National Press
> Club. We do research for reporters (members and non-members of the Press
> Club) to help them insure their stories are accurate. We do not, however,
> receive sufficient funding from the club to complete our mission and must
> conduct fund-raising events.
>
> To that end, we invited Dr. Kissinger to come and speak about his current
> book. We do this with as many as one or two authors per month. And we ask
> them all to speak about their books and the craft of writing. We do not
> invite them to come and conduct press conferences about any topic, but
> specifically request all of them to focus on their books.
>
> In selecting the questions for Dr. Kissinger, Mr. Koonce was following
> well-established guidelines.
>
> You should also know that none of the reporters who wrote about this event
> talked to me or my staff about our policies and procedures for these
> fund-raising author events. You may not agree with our policies, but Dr.
> Kissinger was not treated any differently than any of the hundreds of
> authors that have helped us raise money to support the activities of the
> library.
>
> At 12:55 PM 6/27/01 -0500, you wrote:
> >To Mr. Koonce -
> >
> >I'm afraid you did the public a disservice and betrayed the precepts of
> >the profession of journalism in your effort to avoid discomfiting Mr.
> >Kissinger after his speech by deliberately dispensing with questions
> >that are profoundly relevant and so *obvious* at the present time as to
> >be absurd in their omission - issues that are absolutely central to Mr.
> >Kissinger's relation to the world at large. I believe your error in
> >judgement will stand out in glaring fashion in due time, and perhaps
> >then you'll come to your senses and realize what a tremendous error in
> >judgement you've made. To be sure, one National Press Club event does
> >not history make or break, and if one were feeling the least bit
> >charitable towards you (if one were, say, your mother or father) one
> >might secretly hope the incident would be quietly consigned to to the
> >endless chain of forgotten events of the past. Unfortunately for you,
> >there is a great deal more at stake here for innumerable citizens of the
> >world who cannot forget their past, a past undoubtedly shaped in no
> >small way by the hand of Mr. Kissinger. You would do well to think of
> >your obligations to them and others like them the next time you're given
> >a similar opportunity.
> >
> >--
> >
> >d.
>
> Thomas Glad
> Director
> The Eric Friedheim Library
> at the National Press Club