Freedom of the Press
"Freedom of the press" has for so long been so basic to our democracy that we often take the concept for granted. Newspapers protect us, unite us and enrich our lives.
"Freedom of the press" has for so long been so basic to our democracy that we often take the concept for granted. By the time we've finished social studies courses in elementary school, we find it unnecessary to think much about the role an open and robust press plays in protecting our safety and freedom.
At least it seems unnecessary until someone tries to establish inappropriate controls over what is reported. At that point, a little review of what we should have learned in civics class seems to be in order. Given recent calls for censorship by posters on a "community board website" here in Vieques, it seems the time has come to remind ourselves of why we have newspapers and what their role should be. The simple fact is that Vieques desperately needs a newspaper, and efforts to squelch one at its inception are cause for real concern.
The sequence of events as far as I know them is as follows.
On Monday, I received an e-mail forwarded by Vince Tozzi announcing the launch of this newsletter. After visiting this site, I wrote to founder Wes Allen to express my support and appreciation for his efforts and to offer any help I might be able to provide. By the way, I don't actually know Allen, and I certainly have not had any business dealings with him. I base my support on the absolute necessity of what he's trying to do and on impressions about his skills and character gleaned from things he's written here, on his Vieques Guide website and on Trip Advisor.
I was quite surprised the next day when I received an e-mail containing a message which had been posted on a "community board." The message was from Sandy Malone and was headlined "New Website Bad for Tourism." The text consisted of a personal attack on Wes Allen.
Later, I was shown some other postings from that site. There was some remarkably irresponsible stuff there, including more vitriolic personal attacks on Allen, writer Kathy Gannett and even the victim of a murder (This last posting demonstrates very clearly one of the reasons a serious paper is so badly needed. In the absence of a "paper of record" which follows standards about attribution and accuracy, far too much cruel, damaging and unfounded misinformation gets spread under the rubric of "Word is...")
So why do I feel so strongly about supporting Allen's project?
1. Newspapers protect us. They expose abuses by government and the powerful. They bring to light problems within our communities which can either be solved or, hidden and ignored, grow increasingly dangerous. They let us know of actions we can take to reinforce our own safety.
2. Newspapers unite us. By providing fair and accurate information, good news publications gives us a basis for sharing and understanding. They make it more likely that we will manage to work together toward shared goals.
3. Newspapers enrich our lives. They inform us of the good things our neighbors are doing and of opportunities for entertainment and personal growth. They reflect their communities in all their richness and complexity.
Vieques needs and deserves a newspaper, and this newspaper needs and deserves our support.