James Foley’s death has been infamously distributed by Islamic State (Isis) militants online, but it is his life as a passionate journalist that this article is concerned with.
He was never short of a flash of inspiration in a dark place, but what motivated him as he moved from teaching, to writing to war reporting? He told students at his alma mater class at the Medill School of Journalism:
“I think it’s some kind of romantic notion you have about yourself. You want to be a writer, you want to see the world. Fiction … I mean there’s an amazing reach for humanity in these places, in these barren places.”
Did he really get to know the human side of these places?
“There’s always a screen of literally US armour, a base, separating you from the population. … Do I really know the Afghan people? Well I know an Afghan who is a translator for the US army.”
Despite this he developed an emotional, human connection that defied logic. After being imprisoned in Libya then returning to the US, he said: “I told my editor at Global Post ‘I know this is crazy but I want to go back to Libya’. He said: ‘I don’t think it’s crazy, I think you need closure’.”
After his death in Syria his mother said: “We have never been prouder of our son Jim. He gave his life trying to expose the world to the suffering of the Syrian people.”
Thousands watched the video of James Foley’s death, but perhaps his life and words will have an even greater impact.