A reader responds to today’s column:

Hi Jonah,
I’m a big fan. (as opposed to a little air conditioner J) I have a thought on your piece today:
[You wrote]
In 1987, for example, Peter Jennings and CBS’s Mike Wallace explained on a PBS show that they wouldn’t warn American troops they were about to be ambushed. When Wallace was asked if saving American lives might be a higher duty than getting 30 seconds of videotape, he snapped back: “No. You don’t have a higher duty. No. No. You’re a reporter!”
I wonder if you replaced “American troops” with “a group of journalists”, if they would have the same opinion. Also, if they would want a colleague to follow their advice if they were in that group.