David Carroll
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Howard Troxler on the need for a free press
- Thread starter David Carroll
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crimresearch
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The argument is playing childish word games with the term 'free press'.
On the one hand, the writer wants to invoke the sanctity of doctor/patient, or attorney/client, or priest/penitent privilege, knowing full well those relationships are limited, and then on the other hand, the writer wants to give an absolute level of special treatment to the entire media, without parameters or definitions as to what the press should be free to do without any legal repercussions... in other words, create an elite layer of super citizens, above all law because of their 'profession'.
Free to cover up knowledge of crimes?
Or free to kill people? Free to deliberately print damaging material they know to be untue? Free to cause horrific 'accidents' so they will have something to report?
Free topple governments by revealing classified material, or fabricating election results? Free to play kingmaker with pre-election reportage?
Or maybe, just maybe, the same press that is whining about judicial activism and imperial hubris, should be content with the original meaning accorded the term 'free press' and not be so greedy.
On the one hand, the writer wants to invoke the sanctity of doctor/patient, or attorney/client, or priest/penitent privilege, knowing full well those relationships are limited, and then on the other hand, the writer wants to give an absolute level of special treatment to the entire media, without parameters or definitions as to what the press should be free to do without any legal repercussions... in other words, create an elite layer of super citizens, above all law because of their 'profession'.
Free to cover up knowledge of crimes?
Or free to kill people? Free to deliberately print damaging material they know to be untue? Free to cause horrific 'accidents' so they will have something to report?
Free topple governments by revealing classified material, or fabricating election results? Free to play kingmaker with pre-election reportage?
Or maybe, just maybe, the same press that is whining about judicial activism and imperial hubris, should be content with the original meaning accorded the term 'free press' and not be so greedy.
JR "BOB" Dobbs
Scholar
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- Jun 30, 2005
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- 58
Regardless of the rest of the article, the initial point, that this case may set a dangerous precedent, is a little freaky. Any steps taken closer to curbing the freedom of speech is a step in the wrong direction in my opinion.
Billmon covered a lot of my own thoughts about Judith Miller in this piece, though I'm not sure I agree with his conclusions. Personally I think Miller is a state propagandist first and foremost so the rules of journalism hardly apply. Billmon disagrees. The full article has links.
From The Whiskey Bar -
I've been holding off from commenting on the question of whether Judy Miller and Matt Cooper should be sent to cool their posteriors in the slammer until they're willing to give up Karl Rove to the special prosecutor. (Cooper's off the hook, thanks to his source, who at the last minute phoned in his/her permission to squeal. But Judy was sent to the big house today.)
...snip...
That's hard ethical work -- too hard, I'm afraid, to be adequately compensated by the sight of Judy Miller being hauled off to jail. It's a beautiful thing, but it's not worth abandoning what's left of my journalistic principles.
http://billmon.org/archives/001978.html
From The Whiskey Bar -
I've been holding off from commenting on the question of whether Judy Miller and Matt Cooper should be sent to cool their posteriors in the slammer until they're willing to give up Karl Rove to the special prosecutor. (Cooper's off the hook, thanks to his source, who at the last minute phoned in his/her permission to squeal. But Judy was sent to the big house today.)
...snip...
Edited by Darat:
Edited for breach of Rule 4.
That's hard ethical work -- too hard, I'm afraid, to be adequately compensated by the sight of Judy Miller being hauled off to jail. It's a beautiful thing, but it's not worth abandoning what's left of my journalistic principles.
http://billmon.org/archives/001978.html