Free Press Imperiled

Like many, I am emerging from the shock of the presidential election. The wearisome reality show that was the 2016 Campaign has seamlessly transitioned into President Trump Season 1.

Clearly, there will be no relief from the nonstop feed of TV spectacles showcasing the Great Leader and his entourage. Many dissenting Republicans are closing rank and warming to a place in the Trump pantheon. Also, what seems apparent, there will be no cessation of hostilities as our new thin–skinned president exacts his payback on the individuals and institutions that called foul on his many character issues, false statements, and ideological inconsistencies. So far, many major daily newspapers do not seem inclined to kiss the ring, and for this are likely to suffer a withering snubbing. The Fourth Estate may be the first bulwark of our free republic to come under siege.

Ben Franklin would not approve. He owned and published several newspapers at the time of the American Revolution. A vigorous and bold press gave flight to the ideas of the new country and was written into its founding documents as the watchdog of the people. Its specific protection under the Constitution was likely proposed by Franklin. Any threat to the freedom of our press raises serious red flags. Now we have the likes of Sean Hannity proposing a ban of the Washington Post and the New York Times from the White House Press Corps. We have a right-wing news executive embedded in the White House as a shadowy chief of staff and propaganda minister. We have citizens flipping off journalists as if the messengers had invented the bad news. Punitive lawsuits have been threatened from the president-elect himself. America has always been a place where it is reasonably safe to be a journalist. Public opinion has never tolerated otherwise, but if we have learned anything this year, it must be that we should take nothing for granted.