The crackdown on journalists covering the Occupy Wall Street movement has caused the United States to drop to 47th internationally in a leading survey of press freedom.
Jonathan Foster, a staff photographer for RIT's weekly student magazine Reporter, was returning to the protest park after grabbing a pen from his car when police grabbed him, 11/14/11. (photo: College Media Matters)
US Plummets to #47 in Press Freedom Ranking After OWS Arrests
27 January 12
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n last night's State of the Union address, President Obama called for a "renewal of American values." However, over the course of his wide-ranging speech, he made no mention of one core value: the fundamental role of the free press in America.
This absence was highlighted this morning when Reporters Without Borders released its 2011�2012 global�Press Freedom Index. After months of journalist arrests and press suppression at Occupy Wall Street-inspired protests, the United States has dropped significantly in the rankings.
According to this report, the U.S. has dropped 27 places to 47th in the world. This is especially troubling as we head into an election year which is sure to spark new conflicts between police and press covering rallies, protests and political events.
And these Occupy arrests are not isolated incidents. According to organizations like the Society for Professional Journalists, the National Press Photographers Association and the Committee to Protect Journalists, the arrests at Occupy events are part of a growing trend in the U.S. and worldwide.
President Obama has often made media reform and press freedom part of his platform. As a candidate he called for Internet freedom, greater media diversity and limits on media consolidation. "The arc of human progress has been shaped by individuals with the freedom to assemble," Obama said in a speech at the United Nations in 2009, "and by organizations outside of government that insisted upon democratic change and by free media that held the powerful accountable."
Just last year, at the White House Correspondents Dinner, President Obama directly addressed press freedom and violence toward journalists. He said:
"You know, in the last months, we've seen journalists threatened, arrested, beaten, attacked and in some cases even killed simply for doing their best to bring us the story, to give people a voice and to hold leaders accountable. And through it all, we've seen daring men and women risk their lives for the simple idea that no one should be silenced, and everyone deserves to know the truth.
"That's what you do. At your best that's what journalism is. That's the principle that you uphold. It is always important, but it's especially important in times of challenge, like the moment that America and the world is facing now."
It's time to confront this issue head on. We can't take the First Amendment for granted, and we need to open up a national discussion about the role of the media and freedom of the press in our democracy. The media landscape is changing at a profound rate, and we must ensure that our policies and institutions keep pace. If, as President Obama asserts, we need a renewal of American values, then the First Amendment should be high on our list.
Free Press is a national, nonpartisan organization working to reform the media. Free Press does not support or oppose any candidate for public office. Through education, organizing and advocacy, we promote diverse and independent media ownership, strong public media and universal access to communications.
See Also: Reporters Without Borders -
Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index
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"Revealing War Crimes Is Not a Crime." John Kiriakou has written often that the law says revealing torture is not a crime and that torture is a crime. But in practice he went to jail for revealing CIA torture and none of the CIA officers who did the torture ever were indicted or prosecuted. In fact, one of them Jina Haspel was promoted by Trump to be the director of the CIA.
Law enforcement in the US is totally backward. The real criminals walk free and are rewarded, while those who report the crimes are imprisoned.
Last night, Hillary was on TV saying "Assange must answer for what he has done." Well, what has he done? He has given Americans information they both need and have a right to. When will Hillary answer for what she has done -- in Libya, Hondouras, Haiti, or with her office as Sec. of State? How many deaths is Hillary responsible for? How many is Assange responsible for?
It can and should be different but it will take a massive strike by the US population. Just stop being complicit with the criminal regime in Washington. Civil disobedience to all federal laws, don't pay taxes, don't lend any legitimacy to the criminal regime in Washington .
We put these soldiers in a place where we should not be. Where governments operate without humanity, and expect soldiers to be humane and decent.
Nonetheless, it seems Assange is scum. He is willing to assist Russians in interfering with our elections for his news business.
I am pro freedom of the press, but not for using a news media for personal expression of ideologies under the guise of "news".
What is your basis for saying this. It is just not true. Assange has never worked with Russians. In fact, Wikileaks has published many leaked documents from Russia, embarrassing government and corporate leaders there.
You are only citing US elite media and the Mueller Probers. They are lying to you. Be careful about what you believe.
Our local paper, the Albuquerque Journal, has as far as I know not even commented on the case, and it would scarcely be surprising if this were true of most other regional and local papers.
Meanwhile, in the early edition of Google's news wrap up, it featured five stories that slimed Asssance [CNN, the Chicago Tribune, and a couple of others], and one, from USA Today, that more or less defended him. By the time I next looked at the list, the USA article was no longer there, and its place taken by an article quoting Hellspawn Hillary as Simpich notes above.
If your local paper has not both covered the outrageous charges and the threatened extradition and editorialized against it, it is up to us to do so, and to spread the word.