The National Press Club
The National Press Club has hosted speakers from all over the world and from every profession. This particular day we attended a press conference given by Under-Secretary of State, Charlotte Beers. We arrived at the door just as she was getting out of her car, and we all rode up on the elevator to the Press Club on the13th floor of the National Press Building. How did we get into the ranks of reporters from Tass, the Soviet news agency, journalists from Egypt, Pakistan, France and of course, the United States? We asked... and used our affiliation with NCIV. We get notifications directly from the State Department about upcoming events. How did that happen? We saw coverage of an event we were particularly interested in and called "Main State" (that's the jargon for the main office of the State Department since there are many branches throughout the city). A day later, Peter picked up the phone and silently mouthed "Matt Lauer?" with a shrug, indicating "do you remember him?" "Yes, that's the State Department," I silently replied. So Peter asked that we be notified in advance of upcoming events. "Yes, sir, of course," was the reply. That's how we keep informed, directly from the source, rather than relying on journalists' reports or, worst yet, someone who thinks they know something from the internet. Oh, also on the elevator, a slight, grey-haired woman shyly smiled at us as she wriggled out of her coat. It was Mrs. Fulbright, of Fulbright Scholarship fame.
This press conference focused on the efforts of the Dept. of State to build links of understanding between America and the Muslim world; to initiate a dialogue. We were given a report and samples of materials used in this effort. The average American citizen won't see this material because it is directed to the people of the "target" countries. You may have heard about the series of brief TV spots showing various Muslims living, happily and successfully, in America. In response to a question from the audience about why the State Department wasn't carrying on a program to similarly "educate" the American public on these matter, Ms Beers responded that there is legislation ( the Smithmont Law" ) that forbids the government from forming what might be called a "Ministry of Information."
During the presentation, complete with video clips, 4 women jumped up to protest, complete with a banner. "You're selling war, and we're not buying!" they chanted, and were then escorted to the exit. Some people believe that freedom of speech implies the right to be heard. It doesn't, as someone in the audience yelled out, "set up your own press conference to promote your views!" Being free to say what's on your mind isn't the same thing as forcing someone else to listen. Charlotte Beers quickly regained her composure, remarking, "Well, at least they were polite about it." She later commented that if they had similarly interrupted a government press conference in Iraq, they would have a much smaller chance of being free to leave in peace. This stimulated a round of appreciative applause from the "free press" and others present.
This protest, coupled with the discouraging statistics indicating strong anti-American sentiment in Muslim countries, is indicative of the daunting challenge faced by the State Department in trying to project a more favorable image of America abroad. In focusing on quality-of-life issues where there is already shared concern among nations, Charlotte, the legendary advertising executive, seems to be on the right track. We're grateful that such competent people feel, and respond to, the obligation of public service. In her case, this means a spectacular reduction in salary, not to mention facing bureaucratic frustrations and protestors. We wouldn't want the responsibility of her job.
This is Charlotte Beers addressing the approximately 200 people at the Nation Press Club on December 18, 2002. There were about a dozen TV cameras lined up across the back of the room. Our little camera was no match for their powerful lights when we tried to get a picture of the audience. The man in the right foreground with the yellow pad on his knee wrote continuously for the whole hour or so, covering many pages with notes. The gray head above him (between the baldies) belongs to Mrs. Fulbright.