The Sergeant Has No Clothes

It takes some guts to go against the rest of the journalistic pack, which is what Ron Harris of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch did with "Is Jimmy Massey Telling the Truth about Iraq?" Massey is a former Marine staff sergeant who has been touring the country telling audiences about atrocities he and other Marines committed against Iraqi civilians. While other reporters recounted Massey's tales, Harris took the extra step to find out if they were true. After interviewing other Marines who served with Massey and five journalists who were embedded in Massey's unit, and examining conflicting reports from Massey himself, Harris determined that Massey's claims were either false or exaggerated. One of the first lessons young journalists learn is, "If your mother says she loves you, check it out." Thanks to Harris for remembering that lesson.