The following student report was submitted by Ambassador League Agent David H. during the 2008-2009 League.
Mission: Take Action - Letter to the Editor #4
Enshrined into the U.S. Constitution are the words "Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press." These twin principles of free speech and free press were so crucial to our nation’s founders they included them in our system's core document. The purpose of the First Amendment is to enhance and secure the practice of democracy while benefiting the general public.
For more than 200 years, journalists have used these freedoms to serve as governmental watchdogs. The press alerts citizens about the actions of elected and appointed officials and helps ensure a well-informed society. The precious freedoms granted to us are ways to find truth, exercise self-government, and satisfy self-expression.
The writers of the Constitution understood the value of freedom. Reporters and editorial writers play a key role in maintaining a balance of power and preventing the growth of an authoritarian system. Often called the "Fourth Branch of Government," the press does not simply observe and report. Instead it has become an integral part of the political and governing process.
Some of our nation's leaders have fought the press as it carried out that difficult mission. Throughout American history there have been many attempts to censor the news media. President John Adams signed the Alien and Sedition Acts and incarcerated journalists who criticized his administration. Decades later, Abraham Lincoln suppressed newspapers that denounced his efforts during the Civil War.
When such attacks are launched against the free news media markets, it becomes vitally important to preserve these mediums. Freedom of the press provides Americans with a remarkable liberty to share views and voice controversial opinions. As Thomas Jefferson wisely noted: "Whenever people are well-informed they can be trusted with their own government." These freedoms are critical to the maintenance of a democratic society.
Journalists and broadcasters have been given a responsibility through the First Amendment to provide accurate and timely news to the people. The ideal journalist considers journalism and his own part in it a public trust. For the past century, the Society of Professional Journalists has been dedicated to the perpetuation of a free press as the cornerstone of our nation and our liberty.
When Eugene C. Pulliam and his fellow students founded Sigma Delta Chi in April 1909, the group's founding document said: "how boundless, then, is the influence of this institution; it becomes the educator, the protector, the disseminator, the evangel of our nation." The vision of Pulliam and his peers has stood the test of time. Their dedication has been handed down through the generations and for the last 100 years contributed greatly to the survival of a free news media. Thanks to their efforts, and the vigilance of today's reporters and editors, journalism continues to shape public opinion, hold leaders accountable and move society forward.
