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May 14th, 2010

Editorial: But He Wasn`t Taking His Meds
April 24th, 2010

Editorial: Editorial: Earth Day 2010
April 20th, 2010

Editorial: Editorial: New Cross-Florida Canal?
April 5th, 2010

Editorial: Editorial: State of the Birds
March 31st, 2010

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March 6th, 2010

Editorial: Editorial: Follow the Money
January 21st, 2010

Editorial: Editorial: Thanks to All
January 14th, 2010

Editorial: 2009 In Review
January 10th, 2010

Editorial: Editorial: Concussion in Athletes Deserves More Attention
December 13th, 2009

Editorial: Editorial: Thanksgiving 2009
December 1st, 2009

Editorial: Editorial: Domestic Violence Affects All of Us
November 13th, 2009

Editorial: The Obscenity Conundrum
November 6th, 2009

Editorial: Editorial: The Obscenity Conundrum
October 30th, 2009

Editorial: Cedar Key 2009 Seafood Festival
October 9th, 2009

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Help Defend Us

Help Defend Us

Editorial

Freedom of the Press, which is guaranteed in the First Amendment of the Constitution, was foremost in the minds of the radical revolutionaries who wrote our most hallowed document. Thomas Jefferson said, "Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter." Benjamin Franklin, a journalist, recognized the great value of a free press in keeping the government honest. Tom Paine, perhaps the most radical of our revolutionary leaders, used the press to build support for our independence from England.


In the past century publication of ideas and documents critical of government officials have generated attacks on the publishers of the facts. Fear of communism in the 1950`s, fanned by Senator Joe McCarthy, led to jailing and blacklisting of writers, actors and even songwriters. During the Viet Nam war those who spoke out against the war were investigated by the FBI. When the Pentagon Papers, the administration`s own negative analysis ofthe war, were published the press was vilified by the Nixon administration. When the Washington Post exposed the Watergate scandal, Nixon`s Attorney General John Mitchell threatened the Post`s owner with bodily harm. (The press reported Mitchell`s later conviction for obstruction of justice with great glee.)


We are in a new era of attack on the press. Fear ofterrorism has driven Attorney John Ashcroft to investigate the books we read. The almanac, which lists the locations of tall buildings, has been declared by Ashcroft to be a terrorist document. Hysteria abounds.


By using the press you can help defend freedom of the press. Use letters to the editor to advertise new ideas and firm convictions. Encourage press coverage based on the people`s right to know, not what is socially or politically acceptable to the government. Recognize that newspapers depend on advertising but must give the people`s right to know the highest priority.

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