Journalists Are Not The Enemy

Ted

FYI: A central pillar of President Trump’s politics is a sustained assault on the free press. Journalists are not classified as fellow Americans, but rather “the enemy of the people.” This relentless assault on the free press has dangerous consequences. We asked editorial boards from around the country – liberal and conservative, large and small – to join us today to address this fundamental threat in their own words.
Regards,
Ted
https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/editorials/2018/08/15/editorial/Kt0NFFonrxqBI6NqqennvL/story.html

Sven

This is where they got the phase from.

https://www.brookings.edu/book/enemy-of-the-people/

Sven

I meant "phrase".

InformalEconomist

A nice shoutout for Marvin Kalb's book, Enemy of the People, not yet published.

But the president's frequent use of the phrase in all probability was picked up from Pat Caddell, a frequent contributor to Breitbart.

The phrase itself has been around since Nero. In the modern era it was heavily used by Lenin to mean landowners and capitalists, who were stripped of possessions and exiled to Siberia, or worse.

Marvin Kalb, a respected journalist and head of various institutes and programs, points out that a free press is the foundation of American democracy, and that the real enemy of the people (in his opinion) is ...

The book should appear soon.

msf

"Resolved, that the Senate affirms that the press is not the enemy of the people; reaffirms the vital and indispensable role that the free press serves to inform the electorate, uncover the truth, act as a check on the inherent power of the government, further national discourse and debate, and otherwise advance the most basic and cherished democratic norms and freedoms of the United States; and condemns the attacks on the institution of the free press and views efforts to systematically undermine the credibility of the press as an attack on the democratic institutions of the United States...."

CBS News, Senate adopts resolution [unanimously] declaring "the press is not the enemy of the people"
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-unanimously-passes-resolution-declaring-the-press-is-not-the-enemy-of-the-people/

davidrmoran

unanimous sounds great, but just wait

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/18/opinion/the-slippery-slope-of-complicity.html

LewisBraham

Vote this November. Tell your children and friends to vote. Tell your children’s friends and their parents to vote. Tell your neighbors, clients and their kids to vote. Scream it from the rooftops if necessary.

larryB

@David@Lewis. +1000. The only hope is to vote the repuglicans out and consign them to the dust bin of history. It's clear now that they place party over country, greed over everything. Not that there was ever a doubt but now even a blind man can see that they cannot be trusted to govern. But if this country does not sweep them out like so much filth we collectively deserve what comes next.

hank

@Ted, Since we’re talking about “the enemy“ here ... of course journalists are not our enemies. But it doesn’t stop there. Neither are retired civilian officials who have served their nation honorably - but whose opinions may run contrary to the current administration’s.

You being a big military man, I have to ask how you stand on this one: Do you side with the highly decorated former Navy Admiral who planned and oversaw the raid that killed the A-hole who murdered nearly 3,000 innocent Americans on September 11, 2001 (including over 2,600 in New York City alone), or do you stand with the “Save-Your Own-A** At Any Expense“ one who never donned a uniform?

Sorry to put you on the spot. Regardless of whatever answer you may / may not provide, I appreciate that you posted on the freedom of the press article. Our freedoms begin there.

"Dear Mr. President .... I would consider it an honour if you would revoke my security clearance as well, so I can add my name to the list of men and women who have spoken up against your presidency,"
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-17/retired-admiral-william-mcraven-speaks-out-against-donald-trump/10131364

Old_Joe

@hank- I thought that the letter from retired Admiral McRaven was one of the most powerful statements of truth to authority that I've seen in many a year. Just when I am lulled into thinking that maybe the worst has been seen this despicable human being who is now our "leader" ups the ante yet again.

larryB

@Old_Joe."ups the ante yet again." Clearly he is not growing into the job. I fear the worst is yet to come. It may,,,g_d forbid,,,be up to the military to save our democracy. Who would have thunk it? We have a West Point grad in our family and he is thrilled to be out.