The First Amendment: PRESS PROTECTED SO THAT IT COULD BARE THE SECRETS OF GOVERNMENT & INFORM PEOPLE

[kpete]

From Justice Black's concurrence in 1971's decision in New York Times v. United States (emphasis added):

"In the First Amendment, the Founding Fathers gave the free press the protection it must have to fulfill its essential role in our democracy. The press was to serve the governed, not the governors. The Government's power to censor the press was abolished so that the press would remain forever free to censure the Government. THE PRESS WAS PROTECTED SO THAT IT COULD BARE THE SECRETS OF GOVERNMENT AND INFORM THE PEOPLE. Only a free and unrestrained press can effectively expose deception in government. And paramount among the responsibilities of a free press is the duty to prevent any part of the government from deceiving the people and sending them off to distant lands to die of foreign fevers and foreign shot and shell. In my view, far from deserving condemnation for their courageous reporting, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and other newspapers should be commended for serving the purpose that the Founding Fathers saw so clearly. In revealing the workings of government that led to the Vietnam war, the newspapers nobly did precisely that which the Founders hoped and trusted they would do."

SOURCE: http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/historics/USSC_CR_0403_0713_ZC.html

[bemildred]

1. That was the old way, now the state propaganda organs exist to keep us mis-informed.

That's why we sold them all to corporations and very wealthy owners of corporations and got rid of that nasty "fairness doctrine".

[RC]

2. I was taught that in school in the late 50's. Keeping the government in check was the primary

purpose of the press.
The 4th estate. The 4th branch of the government

But now the same people that own our government, also own the news sources. Hence we have agencies like the NSA that up till recently, spied on American citizens in secret and nobody seem to care. Look at Edward Snowden's treatment in the press. People right here on DU echo the same talking points as somehow being factual. All Snowden did was his duty as an American citizen, as required by the oath to uphold the Constitution, he was required to take for the job he held.

[FiveGoodMen]

3. Too bad our 'consitutional scholar' doesn't see it that way (now that he's in office)

[GiaGiovanni]

4. K

K