To the editor:

Of the many things to be grateful for this Thanksgiving, I would like to give a shout to courageous journalists, bloggers and those few independent newspapers still left in operation in this country.

During the 20 years of the Vietnam War less than 20 journalists were killed by the Viet Cong, one by friendly fire, one by a Saigon police officer and scores by the Khmer Rouge/PAVN.

This year alone the Reporters without Borders claims 30 journalists worldwide have been killed (The Committee to Protect Journalists uses a more conservative definition, excluding translators and assistants. They put the murder toll at 20; the same number as were murdered last year.)

This escalation of violence is not to be tolerated.

Writers who work under the constant pressure of low wages, and short deadlines should not also be in fear for their lives. But they go on. This is not work for the faint of heart. But some people keep doing it. Journalism matters, in getting the facts right, and getting the right facts out to the public.

A nation like China, where a tennis star like Pang Shi can disappear after accusing a high-ranking official of sexual assault is a nation that does not have a robust news media.

In the United States corporate conglomerates have stifled most of the news outlets, diminishing the public discourse to trivia chats.

But occasionally big stories are still possible because of the courage of the practitioners of the free press.

Ask yourself: would there ever have been a trial had Larry Hobbs of the Brunswick News not broken the story on the death of jogger Ahmaud Arbery? Those who hunted down the college student and ultimately shot and killed him were not even arrested between Feb. 23 and May.

It was not until Richard Fausset of the New York Times on April 26 gave the story national attention that there was judicial action.

A society that cares about justice has to care about local newspapers. We should all be concerned that a handful of corporate conglomerates now control virtually all our media. But we should also be glad there are real people doing real journalism. It makes a difference.

Ellen Starbird

Cape Coral