Despise the prize.
The Pulitzer Prize Board has decided to not revoke Walter Duranty’s 1932 Pulitzer, even though it is a prize given for apologetics of Stalin’s regime written in willful disregard of Stalin’s mass murder. (*)
This controversy has erupted around the New York Times, as it published Duranty’s filings. (†)
When a people suffers mass murder and a famous reporter who knows about it doesn’t report it writes a glorification of the regime that is mass murdering them, and then wins a major prize, those people tend to be unhappy. (‡) As well they should.
The Times commissioned Mark von Hagen (§) (no relation) to write an eight page report on the subject. He recommended revocation of the prize. Unfortunately, I can’t find this report online, even though some newspaper reports summarize it. If anyone has a link to it, I’d be grateful.
Unless the prize is somehow revoked or returned, the reputation of the New York Times will continue to sink.
Update: 4 May 2004. I found von Hagen’s report online. (**)