Since the onset of his presidential campaign, President Donald Trump has repeatedly assaulted the press, and, by extension, The First Amendment. Obviously, normal criticism is expected, as reporters and news outlets are not perfect, Trump has labeled any news outlet with whom he disagrees or who dares to criticize him, as “fake news.” This emboldened attack on the freedom of the press is unprecedented and dangerous. This is why The Behrend Beacon is standing in solidarity with newspapers large and small, near and far.

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The press has historically been known as The Fourth Estate, and is considered a crucial branch of society.  Although it is not a formal part of the political system, a democratic society relies on journalism to be part of the political narrative. The three branches of the federal government work to keep each other in check, and the job of the media is to watch those three branches, as well as society at large, to maintain order and balance.  To accuse the media of being the “enemy of the American People,” as Trump said in a 2017 Tweet, is not only untrue, but also dangerous to democracy.

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The Founding Fathers saw the tenants of The First Amendment as the primary building block of this country.  It is the First Amendment for a reason, as without it, this country would not have been able to exist as it has for the past 241 years.  The ability of citizens to criticize the government and its leadership and to also demand transparency is exactly why men like Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin demanded this country have a free press.  They knew what a society with government-controlled media could do to its people, and how a lack of information could lead to tragedy.

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Governments during the Age of Empire may have influenced the birth of our democratic republic based on free speech and assembly, but recent history also illustrates the damage that can be done when the press is strangled and its credibility derailed by political leadership.  During the 1930s, the rise of fascism across Europe saw powerful leaders like Hitler and Mussolini argue a populist message that was vehemently anti-media. In gaining control of the press, these leaders were able to use newspapers, radio stations, and film to disseminate propaganda and fear in everyday people.

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We are seeing parallels in today’s political climate as well.  For example, at a 2016 rally in Fort Worth, TX, Trump said, “One of the things I’m going to do if I win… I’m going to open up our libel laws so when they write purposely negative and horrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money.”  Regardless of one’s opinion of Trump or his administration, his comments about limited freedom of press and speech should be of real concern. Further, his seemingly limited understanding of libel law, how the media works, and a journalists’ responsibility to society is detrimental to society.  His level of power automatically grants him access to media, and, whether purposeful or not, he uses his platform to pass on misinformation. When the media checks him, as is their job, he calls foul, completely disregarding the system in place that has worked for nearly two-and-a-half centuries.

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Further, Donald Trump is not the first president to be criticized by the press and by his consituents.  From its inception, the U.S. Supreme Court has dealt with a number of cases related to the First Amendment. In New York Times Company v. U.S., commonly known as the Pentagon Papers case, the Nixon administration actively sought to keep information about the Vietnam War from being published. The Supreme Court overwhelmingly determined that the government cannot impede upon the press’s right to publish information unless the Government can show sufficient evidence that the publication would cause a “grave and irreparable danger.”

 

Contrary to the President’s belief, the press is not out to get him. What he fails to realize, or maybe does realize but his ego does not let him accept, is that journalists are tasked with making sure he and his administration are transparent and accountable to the American people, and to the world.  What the people need to realize is that journalists are public servants, and they take this position in society seriously. Journalism isn’t a job of glamour and with rare exceptions, it isn’t a job that brings about immense wealth. According to Glassdoor and Payscale, the median income for a journalist is about $40,000 a year. Journalists do what they do because of their passion for the truth and because they want to serve society, just like police officers, firefighters, and military personnel.

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Thomas Jefferson famously stated, “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.” The Behrend Beacon, along with newspapers all over the country, will continue to stand up for the right to publish freely and without question supports other journalists in their job of seeking the truth and exposing it to the public.

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But this fight cannot just include those who are part of the media. Citizens of all classes and creeds must come together to defend the press, and be critical of it when necessary, but to insist that we do not go blindly down a path of censorship. The Behrend Beacon calls on you as future leaders of our world to support the press and to fight for the truth, even when it is not the easy way.