Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.…
Winston Churchill in the British House of Common, 1947
"Then Jesus said...if you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
John 8 NRSVue
Yesterday was World Press Freedom Day, the opportunity to uphold the essential place of a free and unbiased "estate" of journalism in society. In an idea world the press would not be providers of propaganda subject to the whims and demands of tyrannical governments or special interest groups. We know that investigative journalism has been key to revealing injustices perpetrated by military regimes, hierarchical religious institutions, and unscrupulous companies.
On Thursday evening I listened to a panel made up of distinguished jurists from different parts of the world, one of whom commented on how an impartial judiciary and a free press are two essential aspects of healthy democracies and I would agree, whole-heartedly. History shows that tyrants often move to suppress the influence of impartial courts and shut down honest journalism to facilitate oppression. The relatively recent motto of the Washington Post comes to mind: "Democracy Dies in Darkness."
There were no democracies as we know them in Jesus' time and he lived and died under the "might makes right" rule of the Roman Empire. There was no press either, no gazette challenging his death sentence. Jesus did speak about truth at his trial before Pilate and he did so fearlessly.
We are in a dark time when journalistic institutions are being challenged around the world by those who consider their work inconvenient to say the least. In the United States, a country that considers itself a bastion of democracy, the Orange Menace has derided the press relentlessly for eight years now. In Israel, often upheld as the only democracy in the Middle East, the Netanyahu government has moved to diminish the powers of the Supreme Court and muzzle the press.
More than 100 journalists died around the world in 2023, a sobering statistic. We need to be vigilant about our freedoms. Could we say that this is a sacred responsibility?
And today?...may the fourth be with you!
2 comments:
We heard that panel on the CBC Thursday as well -- as we were driving back home from a visit in the United States !!
The jurists were so wise -- but how do you bring civility into the houses of government and into public (and online) discussion?
They also pointed to the frightening reality of having a set of "alternative facts" that are believed by a huge section of the population. The internet has changed everything.
Fact-checked, responsible journalism has never been more important.
We are at a dangerous juncture in our history .....where do things go from here? KB
Very well expressed, Kathy. Yes, they were wise and, yes, we are living in a time of performative, rage-based politics. The "alternative facts" phrase is chillding. I too was in my vehicle as I listened -- there must be the seed of a doctoral thesis on how listening to CBC on the move influences listeners!
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