Saturday, August 28, 2010

Why we have freedom of the press

I link to South Dakota's bloggers of left and right. In the last couple of days, they have both demonstrated why the Founders included freedom of the press in our Bill of Rights.

Before I give the examples, let me say that a "free" press is not an objective press. It is a diverse and competitive field, with partisan leanings in abundance. But that competitive, partisan zeal digs out truths that keep the political and other social powers challenged. In fact, it challenges itself. When the bulk of mainstream media became apologists for one political side, the blogosphere emerged to challenge it. And then the blogs proliferated with all points of view contending.

Nor is a free press a quality press. Ya hear me, Midcontinent Communications? The stuff I confront on your "news" page every time I open my email is crap. People can't get jobs and you want to show videos about Heidi Montag's implants and teen vampire movies. And people think religion is the opiate of the masses?

But then the Founders realized that we would have to make intelligent choices - no system can make us wise or virtuous if we decide to be passive idiots.

OK, the examples of free press in action:

From the left, Madville Times shows that a South Dakota "values" candidate is a significant scofflaw.

From the right, Dakota Voice keeps asking questions that the MSM won't ask about foreign interests in the Ground Zero Mosque.

Keep up the snarky, partisan good work. A free people benefit from it.

2 comments:

Bob Ellis said...

Thanks, Tim. You are a vital part of the "machine" to ferret out the truth, too.

Keep up the good work!

caheidelberger said...

And I'll keep trying to truth out the ferrets. Thanks, Tim!