Journalist Robert Parry
VIDEO: A memorial service for Robert Parry, the founder and editor of Consortium News, was held in Arlington, Virginia on April 14.
Bob’s wife, Diane Duston, introduced friends and colleagues to recount their memories of Bob, whose work impacted the nation.
The speakers were Lynn Neary, the NPR broadcaster; Spencer Oliver, a former Congressional staffer and one of Bob’s then unnamed sources; Jill Abramson, the former New York Times executive editor and a long-time neighbor of Bob and Diane’s; Brian Barger, Bob’s partner at the AP on many Iran-Contra exclusives; Joe Lauria, the Consortium News editor-in-chief who also read a tribute to Bob from legendary journalist John Pilger, who was unable to attend; a video tribute from Oliver Stone, the filmmaker, and Bob’s two sons, Sam and Nat.
We present here a video of the entire memorial for the many admirers of Bob who were likewise unable to attend. It runs one hour and seven minutes. Broadcasters can request an abridged version or individual speakers by writing to [email protected] .
A Celebration of the Life of Bob Parry
I’m just a reader of Robert Parry, but I miss because I could trust what he said and because when the MSM was running off in some stupid direction, I didn’t have to wait three days to hear the other side of the story, he was right on their heels. He never held back to see which way the wind was blowing, and he always made sense.
Thank you Robert Parry for yr courage to have been a writer of TRUTH! An investigative reporter who delved into the details and followed them wherever they led…then shared those facts with us at great personal costs. Thank you RIP.
It is a real treat to have admiration for Robert Parry the professional complemented by admiration for Bob Parry as a genuine man who valued friendship, family, and fun as much as he valued social conscientiousness and the integrity of telling the truth.
Thank you for sharing this touching celebration.
I will memorate Bob next summer, when I take a morning swim in a cold French river.
(where te nearest wifi is only 15 min away)
Good luck with keeping Consortium at Parry standards!
Just after watching this moving memorial I got a email from boston.com alerting me to “the Celtics’ emphatic 112-96 Game 7 playoff win over the Bucks”. I suspect Bob is pleased (and may even have had something to do with it!). Thanks to the Parry family for sharing with his avid readership a glimpse into Bob’s wonderful life.
Shelley famously said that “poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world”. By which he meant of course “certain special poets…” and which can likewise be said of the very best writers, commentators and journalists. Robert Parry was far-and-away the finest journalist of his generation and has few equals in all of American history. In a phrase I use advisedly: “Now he belongs to the ages.”
Thanks for posting the Celebration of the Life of Robert Parry. Robert Parry was indeed sui generis. A real reporter in the journalism profession, which today is malpracticed in the extreme, bordering on a criminal enterprise. And also, judging by the friends and associates who celebrated and spoke about his life, a man of genuine quality, integrity and character.
“To me, the core responsibility of a journalist is to have an open mind toward any information you might find, to have no agenda and to have no preferred outcome. In other words, I don’t care what the truth is, I just care what the truth is.” – Robert Parry
Thank you. I’m so grateful that you made this video to share this wonderful memorial of Bob’s extraordinary life. He was one in a million who set the standard for what journalism is supposed to be about. Thankfully there are still a few bright lights who carry on this tradition. They need our continued support in these days of Orwellian propagandists calling real journalism fake news.
Thanks very much for posting this.
Thank you so much for this. I wish I could have been there. I’m sure Joe Lauria will do a fine job honoring Bob’s memory by continuing to provide the best journalism that can be found anywhere.
A True American HERO !
One of the greatest patriots our country has ever known…… and will ever know.
May God bless his friends and family.
And may “Consortium News” continue to grow (in leaps and bounds) as the juggernaut of “honest reporting” Robert Parry intended it to be.
If its readership does not grow to well over a “billion” people by 2020 I would be very, very surprised !
Carry the torch HIGH, Mr. Lauria. We are “all” with you !
Those of us out here in the hinterland who have learned to hang on Bob’s every printed word, who very slowly began to marvel at his uncompromising honesty, who equally slowly, began to see his simple decency will be eternally grateful for coming to know him. And by extension, his Family for sharing him this way. Lynn Neary, which her anecdote about her thoughts at Bob’s explination of the White House basement story, has explained our story as well. We are nearly alone, wondering where the truth tellers have gone or if they ever existed, now we have Bob’s books, his web site, a better, more visual record of exactly who he was and is, in all, a certified treasure. Many Thanks to all of you.
I hate to say this, but since Bob passed away no one has been able to fill the gap left by the disappearance of his type of articles. For me that confirms his uniqueness.
Perhaps this is saying the obvious, but the situation has now become obvious to me.
Thank you!
That was a lovely tribute to a great man who led a wonderful life.