|
It’s wrong.
Fundamentally wrong. Categorically wrong. And if a Federal District Court judge does his job, constitutionally wrong.
But having said that President Donald Trump’s banning of three media outlets from the White House is wrong, I’d be wrong to think my condemnation will have any bearing on whatever plays out at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
President Donald Trump banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House grounds. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson / The Associated Press)
Instead, my decision to stand tonight in solidarity with CNN, Politico and MS NOW is about protecting the guardrails that extend far beyond Washington D.C. and the movements and machinations of this U.S. president.
I’m talking about the duly recognized role that the press plays in society, whether it’s covering a president, prime minister or premier, and extends from politics to the courts to city councils and school trustees.
We live in an age where nothing can be taken for granted. Laws, conventions, norms and practices all matter – until they don’t. And as the law-breaking, convention-crashing, norm-ignoring and practice-shattering president has demonstrated time and time again, once guardrails are gone, there’s nothing keeping us out of the ditch.
He’s not our president. We don’t want to be the 51st state. But his bully pulpit has the kind of reach that should worry anyone who cares about the state of freedom of the press.
When a president blows through the First Amendment to punish those whose coverage he doesn’t like and intimidates journalists, the ripple effect goes far and wide. It empowers others to do likewise. It has a chilling effect that can infect newsrooms that will never be part of the White House Press Gallery.
And before you know it, reporters are getting bounced from mayoral press conferences, threatened by school trustees or even banished from the press box of pro sports teams. Remember, once the guardrails are gone, the ditch awaits.
While CNN, Politico and MS NOW work their way through the courts in their fight to restore their White House press passes, a key piece of evidence on the value of trusted journalism will be presented Sept. 28.
On World News Day, the global campaign will draw public attention to the role that journalists play in providing trustworthy news and information that serves both citizens and democracy. As it turns out, that day coincides with the International Day for Universal Access to Information
I don’t expect Donald Trump to pay any heed to either day. But for the sake of tomorrows that will include your right to know, maybe we all should.
|
