Steps Taken To Protect Confidentiality Of Sources Are Essential
Written from Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian, Alaska --
Los Angeles Times Editor John Carroll is to be commended for taking steps to safeguard confidential sources, by urging prudence in maintaining information and a new code of ethics at the Los Angeles Times.
Similar steps are merited at all newspapers in the wake of the abdication by the courts of their solumn obligation to defend the First Amendment to the U.S. Consitution that no law will abridge freedom of the press.
Matt Weionstock, a frequent reader of this blog, asks why reporters shouyld have more rights than others.
The answer is that the founding fathers of our sacred democracy knew that freedom of the press was essential to safeguard it. They placed freedom of the press as the very first amendment to the Bill of Rights. They knew that in this respect special privileges for those who express their opinions was vital.
Now that the heroic journalist Judith Miller of the New York Times has sacrificed her liberties for all of us, the rest of the press must act, as it is doing, to defy autocratic, undemocratic judges like Thomas Hogan. He may not care for American freedoms. We do, and can be proud of our resistance.
Meanwhile, massive petitions should be sent to the U .S. Supreme Court to free Miller and begin once again to observe their oaths to defend the Constitution.
Los Angeles Times Editor John Carroll is to be commended for taking steps to safeguard confidential sources, by urging prudence in maintaining information and a new code of ethics at the Los Angeles Times.
Similar steps are merited at all newspapers in the wake of the abdication by the courts of their solumn obligation to defend the First Amendment to the U.S. Consitution that no law will abridge freedom of the press.
Matt Weionstock, a frequent reader of this blog, asks why reporters shouyld have more rights than others.
The answer is that the founding fathers of our sacred democracy knew that freedom of the press was essential to safeguard it. They placed freedom of the press as the very first amendment to the Bill of Rights. They knew that in this respect special privileges for those who express their opinions was vital.
Now that the heroic journalist Judith Miller of the New York Times has sacrificed her liberties for all of us, the rest of the press must act, as it is doing, to defy autocratic, undemocratic judges like Thomas Hogan. He may not care for American freedoms. We do, and can be proud of our resistance.
Meanwhile, massive petitions should be sent to the U .S. Supreme Court to free Miller and begin once again to observe their oaths to defend the Constitution.
posted by Ken Reich at 3:40 PM
1 Comments:
Ken - How does the serenity and isolation of the Aleutians affect your writing and/or viewpoints?
Post a Comment
<< Home