Editor's Note: Earlier this week, Consortiumnews.com writer and former CIA analyst Ray McGovern sent the following note to Editor Robert Parry. It came at a good time - as a needed encouragement to keep doing everything possible to keep the 15-year-old investigative news Web site afloat:
Dear Bob,
I know the business of truth-telling is an up-the-hill battle. Pulling the facts together and interpreting them in a compelling way are challenge enough.
However, every now and then there are moments when it all seems worthwhile. I was remiss in not telling you of an encouraging encounter with Dan Ellsberg six weeks ago that provided such a moment.
In February, I was in Oakland visiting my daughter, her husband, and our two Oakland grandchildren. That weekend, "The Most Dangerous Man in America" - the new documentary about Dan's heroic efforts to reveal the secret Pentagon Papers history of the Vietnam War - was opening in Berkeley.
Though I had already seen the documentary a couple of times in Washington, I accompanied a friend of mine (and longtime fan of Dan's) to the opening on Sunday evening, Feb. 21.
Dan Ellsberg and his wife Patricia were in the lobby as we arrived, and we had time to chat. Dan signed my friend's dog-eared hardcopy of Ellberg's book, Secrets, along with a gracious note.
In the midst of our conversation, Dan turned to me and gave me a plain manila folder holding about two inches-worth of documents. "Here, Ray, you should know how much I depend on Consortiumnews," Dan said. "I took these along to use during the hour and a half of the first showing to catch up."
There they were - printouts of ten or so Consortiumnews.com articles from the previous weeks and months. He gave me that broad Ellsberg smile, no doubt knowing what that folder in his hands would mean to me.
It was one of those serendipitous things: Dan had no idea I was coming to the theater that Sunday.
Dan added that he had read about our need for funds and said he wished that the contributions he sends could be larger.
I thought to myself, well, if Consortiumnews is providing information that's helpful to someone who values truth as much as Dan Ellsberg does, that's quite an endorsement - and enough encouragement to keep on keepin' on.
Ray McGovern
If you wish to join Dan Ellsberg and hundreds of others helping us stay afloat, there are four options to help:
--By donating either by credit card at the Web site or by check - to Consortium for Independent Journalism (CIJ); Suite 102-231; 2200 Wilson Blvd.; Arlington VA 22201. Or you can use PayPal (our account is named after our e-mail address "consortnew@aol.com"). Contributions are tax-deductible.
--By signing up for a monthly donation. With contributions of $10 or more a month, you can qualify for war correspondent Don North's new DVD, "Yesterday's Enemies" about the lives of former Salvadoran guerrillas. For details, click here.
--By scheduling a joint speech by former CIA analyst Ray McGovern and journalist Robert Parry. The suggested fees - $2,000 for community groups, $5,000 for colleges and larger non-profits, and $10,000 for those who can afford it - go entirely to Consortiumnews.com.
--By buying the three-book set of Robert Parry's Lost History, Secrecy & Privilege, and Neck Deep (co-authored with Sam and Nat Parry). The discount price is only $29. Our goal is to get as many of these books into libraries as possible. For details, click here.
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