Harm principle covers journalists too

Most people have heard about the numerous journalists sent overseas to the Iraqi area to do reporting on the current war. Even more people have learned about how dangerous it is for these individuals over there, especially without protection. However, does anyone take into consideration the potential harm they bring to the innocent bystanders?

We need to consider which brings about the greatest happiness. A story captured in the dangerous war zone that Americans want just to be informed? Or the safety of a journalist and saving possibly hundreds of innocent civilians' lives? I think most would agree that there's already been enough lives taken and there doesn't need to be any more tacked on to the massive number of those already gone.

Having journalists work in a war zone is bad for multiple reasons. First of all, they serve as one of the main terrorist targets, placing themselves in imminent danger. Second, the surrounding civilians are also carelessly shoved into this danger. Also, once the information is received, news organizations face the big challenge of determining how accurate the information actually is.

Journalists working in Iraq aren't just Americans. Undercover Iraqis also serve as journalists if they're paid or given an incentive to do so.

It is even becoming dangerous right now for Iraqi reporters to go out into Baghdad. We have to have Iraqis from a particular neighborhood gathering information and taking pictures. Shiites from eastern Baghdad simply cannot go to certain parts of Sunni western Baghdad, take pictures, and bring them back to our bureau without risking their lives.

Mills says one has the right to do whatever they want in their private lives as long as it causes no harm to others. If it does give off a harm vibe then the state or society has a right to intervene. In order to gain and maximize happiness, for Americans and Iraqis, it just seems logical to wave the white flags of journalists and keep the American journalists on safe grounds and not even offer the Iraqi journalists these dangerous tasks.