The Fourth Estate

by Hank Silverberg

Freedom of the Press. We take it for granted here in the United States. Our Founding Fathers were wise enough to understand that an unchecked government can easily become an oppressor of free will. We have three branches of government, so the press has often been labeled the "fourth estate" because of its watchdog role in our democracy.  

The press, and by extension, broadcast news, is the only profession actually protected in the U.S. Constitution. The First Amendment strictly forbids Congress, or ANY other branch of government, from censoring the press or restricting it in anyway. 

That extends to the president, the courts, state legislatures, city hall, local school boards, county governments, or even local planning or zoning boards.

So, it was with a great deal of pleasure that I watched President Biden highlight the news media's role in our country when he spoke at the White House Correspondents Association dinner this past weekend. 

Presidents have traditionally attended that dinner since 1924. But it's been six years since that has happened. Donald Trump wouldn't attend when he was in office, and the pandemic cancelled the event the past two years. 

There are always some ethical issues here. Should reporters and their bosses socialize with politicians and celebrities on whom they often have to report?

It's an arguable point, but most reporters are careful not to let their guard down at this event and shmooze too much with those they have to cover. 

As usual, the President has to sit through a roasting from some comedian at these events, which is why Trump avoided them. This year it was Trevor Noah and he wasn't too hard on Mr. Biden. But the presidents get their chance at comedy, so to speak, and President Biden did a pretty good job with that. Here's the complete speech, courtesy of C-SPAN which you can listen to for entertainment. The part I want to emphasize is below the video. 

Our President has a sense of humor, something his immediate predecessor lacked, and that by itself makes Biden a better leader. Biden even mocked himself a few times while taking a few jabs at both his predecessor and the GOP.  But I am sure the critics will find something wrong with his remarks, such as the occasional slurred word, forgetting that Mr. Biden has had a stuttering problem since childhood that he fights every day to overcome.  

But here's the part of his remarks that made me smile after spending 40 years in journalism. After noting the journalists who have died covering the war in Ukraine, he added: 

"A poison is running through our democracy... with disinformation massively on the rise. You, the free press, matter more than you ever did in the last century. I really mean it."

He went on:

"We honor members of the press, both national and local, covering a once in a century pandemic where we lost a million Americans, a generation reckoning on race and the existential threat of climate change. The Free Press is not the enemy of the people, far from it. At your best, you're the guardians of truth. President Kennedy once said, and I quote "Without debate, without criticism, no administration, no country can succeed, and no republic can survive." 

Take just a minute to think about that as you watch or listen to the news over the next few days, perhaps on Tuesday, May 3, which is World Press Freedom Day. The Fourth Estate, unhampered by restriction, is necessary in order for our on-going experiment with democracy to succeed. 

The Sheriff Who Can't Shoot Straight!

I was going to make this the dumbest quote of the week, but the potential for death occurring from this comment alone changed my mind. It's not dumb. It's downright reprehensible. And you guessed it. It comes from Florida.

Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson was speaking to reporters after a 32-year-old man was arrested for trying to break into homes in Pensacola.  The would-be burglar was caught inside a local home. He was seen jumping over fences and running through yards after one local resident shot at him. 

So what did the sheriff say about the citizen's attempt to kill the burglar? "If someone is breaking into your house, you're more than welcome to shoot at them in Santa Rosa County." And he went on to say, "We'd prefer that you do, actually."  

https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-florida-sheriff-gun-aim-20220426-y7fu7w74xnd35lrsmcq6dkb3qe-story.html

Okay, the suspect, it turns out, had a criminal record and several outstanding warrants. But do you really want the average citizen opening up on people running through yards and jumping fences? 

Johnson suggested whoever shot at the suspect and missed, should take the gun safety course his department provides to learn how to shoot better, so, "you'll save the taxpayers money." 

Supply Chain Shortages Continue

So what has been missing from your local supermarket this week? Where I live it's hard to find soft cream cheese and Kosher salami, and now some beverage refrigerators are half empty. This sign was 
posted at a convenience store near my home and I have seen it elsewhere. The worldwide supply chain problem is getting worse. 

We've heard a lot about the supply chain interruptions brought on by more Covid-19 lockdowns in China and a shortage of truck drivers here in the U.S. It takes longer to get delivery on your new car, and the prices of electronics and other items are going up because of short supply of important raw materials. While the impact on the food chain has been minimal so far, the ongoing long-term drought in the western U.S. and the war in Ukraine, often called the "breadbasket" of Europe, could empty more shelves.  

https://www.wired.com/story/supply-chain-crisis-data/

https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?West

Scientists say the drought could last until 2030, and it appears the war in Ukraine will not be a short one. There could soon be shortages on everything from tomatoes to smart phones. 

And you've been complaining about a few extra pennies for a gallon of gasoline?

The Ghost of The Lost Cause!

The Civil War ended on April 26, 1865 when General Joeseph Johnson surrendered his army to William Tecumseh Sherman. Robert E. Lee had surrendered two weeks earlier at Appomattox on April 9th, and the last actual battle at Palmetto Ranch in Texas culminated on May 13th. But the myth of the "lost cause" never seems to go away. This past weekend more than 200 people gathered in a state park at Stone Mountain, to celebrate Confederate Memorial Day, a commemoration no longer recognized as an official holiday in Georgia.  They were met by 100 or so protestors. The Atlanta Journal Constitution quotes a member of the Sons of Confederate veterans who said:

"These protesters are against our Christian faith. They are anti-Christ, We have been fighting this war since 1861. We will be victorious."

(Stone Mountain, Public Domain)

Stone Mountain is a state park and the Southern Poverty Law Center and others had called for the permit for the event to be revoked. But the State Park Association said it was a free speech event covered by the First Amendment, and I guess it was. But the symbolism of the gathering is not lost in the rhetoric. Stone Mountain was a stronghold of the Confederacy, and the KKK born in 1866, and then squashed by President Grant in 1871. It was reborn there in 1915. Stone Mountain is more than just a monument to a lost cause. 

Attorney Randy Sheppard, a participant in the event, told the Journal Constitution:

"There are more of us than you think, people who think like us, White nationalists, pro-Confederate, pro-white."   

The south will NOT rise again. It died for sure at Palmetto Ranch in the 19th Century. The tragedy is that there are still people in the 21st Century who can't get over that.  

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/pro-confederates-celebrating-confederate-memorial-day-clashed-with-protestors-at-georgia-s-stone-mountain/ar-AAWO8nt?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=e282939bc3364e2689c6e7e37bae12d3

Dumbest Quote of The Week!

This week's dumbest quote comes along with some frivolous legislation. Colorado Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, who is under investigation for campaign finance irregularities in both her original run for office and her current effort to seek re-election, has introduced legislation she says will defund the Department of Homeland Security's new Disinformation Board. She said:

"No tax dollars should go where Biden can use the power of the federal government to silence truthful stories like Big tech did with the Hunter Biden story."

Well, first of all, the Hunter Biden story hasn't been silenced. It probably has gotten more attention than it deserves, particularly on Fox News and other right-wing-learning news outlets.

https://thehill.com/news/sunday-talk-shows/3472978-dhs-secretary-says-disinformation-board-wont-infringe-on-free-speech-were-not-opinion-police/

But as usual, Boebert has missed the point. The Board was set up within Homeland Security to counter Russian disinformation about the war in Ukraine and disinformation South American drug cartels and other smugglers have been spreading about the southern U.S. border. That has produced a surge in border crossings. The Board, which is strictly advisory, has nothing to do with media coverage, big tech or anything else. Boebert and some of her conservative friends are sounding a bit paranoid. 

(Your comments and suggestions are welcome) 

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