The short story of journalist diplomat, Samantha Power, is that she once (I am sure, still does) write about genocide and foreign policy. Then Power worked with the Obama administration and now is a UN Ambassador implementing change that she wrote was vital for society in her earlier works as a journalist.
Featured in an article by Jason Zengerle, he writes that,
“It’s almost as if her journalism and her advocacy were working against her. From the outside it was great, but from the inside she had to prove that she was a team player and could be trusted not to put her own template on everything.”
I couldn’t help but completely understand the predicament and responsibility that Power has. Recently I applied to an Officer Protocol position for the National Security Agency. After a few weeks, I have yet to hear anything. Naturally, I wondered why.
The simple answer: I blog.
An agency as large as the NSA (and not to mention the recent whistle blowing news surrounding the agency) wants someone invisible, someone who can follow orders, and someone who understands how the system works.
While I can connect with the last requirement, I’m a bit too… visible and opinionated to be what they are looking for. After all, I am an Op-Ed writer. Conclusively, I have to agree with Zengerle’s assumption that it is extremely difficult to be a journalist diplomat; the responsibilities, connections, habits, and overall lifestyle are completely different.
The article nearly ends by noting, “The truth is, the Power who wrote A Problem From Hell is not—and can’t be—the same Power now responsible for solving that problem.”
As a writer though, all I hope is that Power is still writing, even if it’s not seen for another 20 years.
Stay Positive & Sometimes It’s Better To Find Writing After The Fact
Photo credit
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