The cornerstone of a democracy or any representative government is an informed public. The U.S. Founding Fathers recognized the importance of an enlightened citizenry and saw fit to codify it in the very First Amendment. How important they considered the press is apparent when is is recognized that they provided it equal protection to religion, freedom of speech, assembly and petition:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Arguments regarding bias in the press are rife. Conservatives are positive that the press is liberal (and most surveys agree), while liberals just know the press is conservative. Predispositions and visions color both group's assessments.
An email forwarded to me included the following discussion. The author is unknown, although I thought it put the arguments regarding bias, competence, etc. into better perspective than any formal analyses I have seen:
I think it is remarkable that within a week of Tiger Woods crashing his Escalade, the press found every woman with whom Tiger has had an affair. In the last few years, with photos, text messages, recorded phone calls, etc. And, they not only knew the cause of the family fight, but they even knew it was a wedge from his golf bag that his wife used to break out the windows in the Escalade. Not only that, they knew which wedge!
And each and every day, they gave America more updates on his sex-rehab stay, his wife's plans for divorce, and the dates and tournaments he will play in.
Obama has been in office for over a year now, and this same press:
· Still cannot find any of his childhood friends or neighbors,
· Or locate any of Obama's college papers or grades,
· Or how he paid for a Harvard education,
· Or which country issued his visa to travel to Pakistan in the 1980's,
· Or Barry Soretoro or even Michelle Obama's Princeton thesis on racism.
· They just can't seem to find them.
· Yet the public still trusts that same press to give them the whole truth !
Truly remarkable!
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