Review of Jim: The James Foley Story (2016) by Hope H — 18 Dec 2018

I just watched this documentary again with my Journalism class. When I first saw it, most of America was feeling the fresh horror of what happened so publicly to James Foley at the hands of ISIS militants.

This time, watching the film was a raw experience for all new reasons. In the movie, one of the journalists Jim worked within Syria before his capture says, "By striking at Journalists, you strike at the heart of a whole society -- we have to fight back with our pictures and words.

" This video is a stark reminder of the risks Journalists take to bring the average citizen a deeper understanding of complex conflicts around the world. Without this knowledge, we are in danger of failing to act in the face of the worst inhumanity, we are in danger of forgetting that there are many sides to any story worth telling and we are in danger of failing to see how totally connected the world is.

Jim risked his life to bring us simple, often painful truths and somehow managed to maintain his gentle sense of humanity in the face of the worst violence. Jim said in the movie, "There is physical courage, I have that.

But that's nothing compared to moral courage. Without that, we don't have journalism." After watching the documentary, I am more keenly aware than ever that the same can be said for citizens.

If we do not have the moral courage to stand up for and protect truth-tellers, then we are in danger of losing the moral backbone of our democracy. This holiday season, I have no doubt the powerful juxtaposition of images of Jim's quiet NH home with the war zones he experienced as a journalist will linger" a reminder that any peace we experience is in part thanks to those fighting to shine a light on the most violent attacks on humanity here and abroad.