I received press credentials for the World Press Freedom Day 2011 conference in DC. Normally, I would relish the opportunity to spend a few days with journalists and bloggers who are writing the first draft of history, and network with “clicktivists” who are using social media to bring about social change.
But that was before the news of the killing of Osama bin Laden. The raid on OBL’s compound was unwittingly live-tweeted by a neighbor, an IT consultant who wanted to know WTF was going on.
It was with reluctance that I hopped on board Amtrak and went to the Newseum. I took some notes and sent a few tweets.
My body was there but my mind was on the day’s headlines.
And my heart was hundreds of miles away at Ground Zero.
U.S.A.! U.S.A.!