Our Dad’s Pledge to You, the Reader

“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. That’s the deal you make with your readers.” – Robert Parry, accepting the I.F. Stone Medal for Journalistic Independence, October 22, 2015

That was Dad’s defining philosophy as a journalist and his commitment to you, the Consortiumnews.com reader. And it remains our guiding principle as we move forward and continue to produce independent, fearless reporting that takes on the establishment’s often dangerously flawed conventional wisdom.

Journalist Robert Parry.

It is with Dad’s spirit and solemn commitment in mind that we are asking you today to donate to our Spring Fundraising Drive. And to encourage you to make a donation today, the Toledo Community Foundation is honoring our work by offering a $5,000 challenge grant through their Seed-to-the-Sower Fund, which supports several “fields of interest” including “excellence in journalism” that “raises the intellectual standard of news and information media.”

Please make a donation today and help us reach our Spring Fundraising Drive goal and unlock the $5,000 Seed-to-the-Sower Fund challenge grant.

In the months since Dad’s sudden and untimely passing, we have been blown away by the outpouring of support and appreciation so many of you have shared on the site, through social media, and with blog posts and articles of your own. It has lifted our spirits and helped us all remember Dad as the trailblazing journalist he was.

Now with a new editor, Joe Lauria, and with us serving on Consortium’s Board, we remain as committed as ever to Dad’s vision. For him, it was never about one person. It was always about creating a platform and a community that welcomed reporters of all backgrounds who are willing to challenge the dangerous group think that predominates so much of our mainstream media.

This is a community dedicated to truth and independence. This is a community guided by a rebellious, skeptical spirit and committed to reaching a deeper understanding of world events and to hold the powerful people and institutions to account. We don’t see a world in the sharp black and white, good vs. evil simplistic narrative so prevalent in our mainstream press. Truth is always found in the grey areas that a more well-rounded, balanced, skeptical point of view makes possible. That’s what this community is about.

You have made this work possible with your past support. And we ask you to step up again to help drive Consortiumnews.com forward into a new era, one that will always remain true to Dad’s pledge to provide our readers with the truth.

Please donate today to our Spring Fundraising Drive and unlock the $5,000 Seed-to-the-Sower Fund challenge grant.

Thank you,

Sam and Nat Parry

12 comments for “Our Dad’s Pledge to You, the Reader

  1. Kay
    June 7, 2018 at 13:47

    Love this site, the excellent writing with various writers and very intelligent informative articles. I do wonder what happened to Phil Rothrock is that his name?

    Anyway, I do miss your Dad’s work and often wonder what he would have written about with all going on in the world right now, but when I come here I feel his spirit and presence with your continued commitment to truth and with love for your Dad. Hope your Mom is doing ok. Lovely family too.
    I’ll donate. Thanks for all you do.

  2. George Eliason
    June 1, 2018 at 23:04

    He’d be proud at how you stepped up and protected that legacy. Consortium is going strong for what looks like a long time to come because of that.

  3. CitizenOne
    June 1, 2018 at 21:05

    There is simply no equivalent website to this one. A purpose built true investigative journalism outlet staffed with true professionals, chief among these, the founder himself Robert Parry. Like a Godsend he tirelessly told the true stories that the other main stream media outlets would never touch. Bob was brave fearless, tireless, detailed, driven, passionate logical, insightful, brilliant and a ferociously unstoppable investigative sleuth in search for the truth. He would dig away looking for what made sense in a universe of nonsense. He would research and document the facts meticulously. He would tie the facts together in a fascinating story every time that made readers wide eyed and amazed at the story.

    Sadly on the other side I watch with deepening despair the main stream interstate pileup of meaningless distractions and self serving stories. All of it is garbage fit to turn off the TV immediately lest you become enraged within the next two seconds.

    This site is worth a contribution no matter how small. Unfortunately all the guys with the big bucks are on the other side funding their lackeys to the tune of millions per year to lie to everybody and raise the army of ditto heads.

    • J. Decker
      June 2, 2018 at 02:53

      I am locked in to CN with an automatic monthly payment so is easy. Feel very sad to see how RT’s commentary section has been ravaged by an Israeli-controlled platform moderator Spot.IM.

      Just take a look at what they’re doing to ruin that once notable news site as a place for open minds to converse:
      https://www.rt.com/news/428509-us-veto-unsc-palestine/

      I have twice tried to flag these mindless, disruptive troll pictures. They vanish only to return when you refresh the link.

      Jack

      • rgl
        June 7, 2018 at 01:11

        Take heart. The CIA is showing you the power you have. The means they use to counter you are becoming more shrill, desperate and childish. Just for poops and popcorn, I spend a lot of time ‘reporting’ those Completely Idiotic Assinine assaults, just to see them disappear, if only until I refresh the page.

        The way to win the info war is with truth. Truth is NOT on the side of the alphabet intelligence(?) agencies.

  4. Lolita
    June 1, 2018 at 19:17

    Any MH 17 work in the pipe?

  5. vinnieoh
    May 31, 2018 at 16:25

    I just made a contribution. Mr. Perry’s reporting during the illegal invasion of Iraq was superb, and for that alone he has my utmost respect.

    I’m new here. I participated in the forum at Common Dreams since its inception under the screen name of Justaman. A funny thing happened about six weeks or so ago on that site. One morning after reading an article I went to the comment section and there at the bottom of the page was this message: “We see that you are enjoying the conversation. If you would like to participate, please create an account, or sign in with FB, Twitter, G+, etc.” ???????

    Then, as I suspected, the very next day they started a fund drive. No problem with that, as I had contributed faithfully at every fund drive for multiple years before that. But I felt I was being extorted, and I have no intention of creating a Facebook page, or creating a Twitter account, and I don’t much trust Google. As for Disqus, the platform used by so many sites: how many here have fully read the End User Agreement for Disqus? Made me wonder, if at some time in the past, if I’d set up an account there, I should immediately delete it.

    I haven’t been back to CD since that day, and have been revolving between CN, Vox, Truthdig, Truthout, and The Real News Network. Some of those use Disqus, which I wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole after reading the EUA, and the “discussions” there are too often vitriolic and hate-filled. The conversation here is much more civilized and informative.

    I’m not a socialist. That is, I don’t know squat about socialist theory, have never subscribed to socialist publications, and have never belonged to a socialist organization. Many of my conclusions about this weird and wonderful life align with socialist ideals, if not socialist methods and past efforts. But, I suppose most importantly to me, however mundane and petty it may seem, is that Consortium’s comment forum is their own, belongs only to them and gives me a “you-are-not-the-commodity” platform to express my opinion, if I so desire.

    Thank you Consortium News, and you have my sincere condolences on the untimely death of its founder, Robert Perry.

  6. mike k
    May 31, 2018 at 15:38

    Thanks for carrying on this great work. Without sources telling the truth, where would we be? With the MSM becoming wall to wall lies, we need this venue desperately.

  7. Eric Johansson
    May 31, 2018 at 15:30

    I donated as recurring. While the writing of your father was hands-down some of the best journalism I have ever read, I look forward to reading many future quality articles on Consortiumnews which, in my view, anyway has become the gold-standard of investigative journalism that your father wanted it to be. My condolonces to your family on his sudden, unexpected and shocking passing. It was so terrible and unexpected.

    But great job, Consortiumnews!!! Great job Sam and Nat and Joe Lauria!! Your contribution to truth and how that often favorably impacts some movement like the peace movement (that is dear to my heart) is incredibly valuable. Indeed, a commitment to the truth whether that favors certain movements or ideologies is what defines that gold-standard. Consortiumnews does it so well.

    Thank you, thank you,

    Sincerely,
    Eric E. Johansson
    Ex-US Army Paratrooper and Infantryman
    Veterans for Peace, Chapter 69
    San Francisco, CA

  8. rjb
    May 31, 2018 at 15:03

    my twenty five dollars amounts to maybe a nickel for every excellent informative article I have read here at CN. The many other merely very good ones I take as a bonus. Thanks. Continuing the good work honors your father whom I came to admire greatly. rjb

  9. Abe
    May 31, 2018 at 14:06

    Sam, Nat, and Joe,

    The Consortium News community is dedicated to truth and independence.

    For both journalists and readers. having an open mind toward any information you might find, having no agenda, and having no preferred outcome, requires exercise of reason and support by facts.

    However, real independent investigative journalism, fact-based reporting and accurately informed opinion are under assault.

    The comments section at CN in particular has been assaulted by a surge in trolls trying to sow confusion, spread disinformation, and discredit CN.

    These “post-truth” trolls typically advance simplistic propaganda narratives, and spew repeated allegations unsupported by facts, in direct violation of the Comment Policy.

    Consortium’s Board is encouraged to give the Editor the necessary resources and support to effectively and consistently implement the Comment Policy.

    Robert Parry’s inspired vision of Consortium News, which includes both the quality of reporting and commentary provided by CN contributing writers, and the quality of comments from the CN reader community, absolutely deserves this support.

  10. Jeff
    May 31, 2018 at 13:56

    Glad to hear it. So glad, in fact, that my contribution is in that almost $9K you’ve collected so far. Keep up the good work.

Comments are closed.