Tipping Point: “…the point at which a series of small changes or incidents becomes significant enough to cause a larger, more important change”. This is how “Tipping Point” is defined in the Oxford Languages, which is the world’s leading dictionary publisher. From time to time, you might hear someone ask: has the country reached the tipping point? I believe that the tipping point, in terms of a free and fair press, has been reached and in fact, it has been passed and cannot be recovered. I will explain.
The founders of the United States emphasized the importance of a free and fair press as an essential component of a democratic society. They recognized that a well-informed citizenry is crucial for holding the government accountable and making informed decisions. Thomas Jefferson once wrote, "Our liberty cannot be guarded but by the freedom of the press, nor that be limited without danger of losing it." Similarly, James Madison stated, "A popular government without popular information or the means of acquiring it is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy”.
These statements reflect their belief in the vital role of a free press in ensuring transparency, public discourse, and the protection of individual liberties.
Over the past several years, we have seen a diminution in the belief that the American public is being served by a free and fair press. So much so that in recent headlines we were informed that the White House … i.e., Joe Biden’s White House … issued a memo to major press organizations across the country instructing them on how to respond and report about questions regarding the impeachment inquiry of Joe Biden and his family.
Not the Democrat National Committee, which usually issues the marching orders to the Democrats. No, this was instructions issued by the President of the United States to the “free and fair” press. And “how does he get away with it?” you ask … Is it possible that the press in this country is no longer “free and fair”?
Throughout my adult life, I have made it a point to follow the news – news that was being reported by such esteemed journalists as Walter Cronkite, Chet Huntley and David Brinkley, Helen Hunt of White House front row fame, and even Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein.
There are many others, too numerous to list here. These were all pre-World War II students of journalism. They believed that the job of a journalist is to gather, investigate, verify, and report news and information to the public; and that journalists play a crucial role in keeping society informed about local, national, and global events. They accomplished this through rigorous application of:
· Researching and gathering information,
· Fact-checking and verification,
· Writing and reporting to present information in a clear, concise, and engaging manner. They follow journalistic standards and ethics to provide objective and balanced coverage,
· Interviewing and conducting investigations,
· Adhering to ethics and standards, and
· Engaging with the audience. Journalists may interact with their audience through various platforms, such as social media, to provide updates, answer questions, and foster dialogue.
It should be noted that the final bullet is a phenomenon that has occurred since the introduction of social media. Prior to that, it took real face-to-face opportunities, if they wanted to foster dialogue.
Now I pose the question --- How many of you have looked at and listened to the current crop of journalists and reporters that have been appearing on television and in the print media?
Most appear to be 20-something’s. Recent graduates of journalism schools that are not educated, but in fact, are indoctrinated. These are students who are now being taught by the same folks who were Marxists back in the ‘60’s. From their positions in our education institutions, the Marxist-teachers have now captured the minds and attitudes of today’s young people. Now fast forward to the daily White House briefing and the never ending stream of misinformation delivered by the Biden Administration spokesperson to the press – just watch. Not a single probing question no matter what the subject. The journalists in the press room absorb whatever they are told with very little interest in facts or the truth.
You may be familiar with the term: The Fourth Estate. This was how we used to describe a free press as described by the website “bottomupdemocracy”: The fourth estate is the public press, referred to as a collective and encompassing photographers, journalists, television broadcasters, and radio announcers, among others. Many people generally agree that the fourth estate has immense political and social power, thanks to the fact that the press can be used to shape societies while imparting news of note and commentary of interest. Because the fourth estate is recognized as such an important body, many nations have laws which protect the rights of the press, ensuring that citizens have access to reporting on matters of interest and of note.
It is a sad state of affairs when the greatest government ever conceived by man – and the citizenry it governs - cannot rely on a free and unfettered press. It is another step into the country’s long slow slide into darkness … and yes, it is well beyond the tipping point!
I’ll leave you with the following: