JFK and Voices of Dissent

JFK speaks about the role of the press and voices of dissent in a free society:

Talk of calling out the mistakes of government and encouraging voices of dissent is the sort of stuff that might get social media accounts suppressed or restricted today. The wrong thoughts could be branded as misinformation.

Let’s go ahead and post that same speech from a different source, maybe both will stay up.

Same speech from another source:

Back in 2020, I posted a blog and included the same JFK speech. That video is no longer available.

JFK speaks about the role of the press in a free society:

My Take

What did JFK’s free and independent press turn into?

Newspeople play the role of federal public affairs staff as authorities prepare for the Super Bowl.

We are the very best at militarized pageantry for pro sports events.

Sorry, no time for newspeople to ask:

Did the advantage of US air power allow the undeclared wars in Iraq or Afghanistan to be prevented, won or shut down?

Today, the best example of a free and independent American press is what you will find in sports culture.

Think of an NFL game. Coaches and quarterbacks face the press after every game and answer questions, win or lose.

No press secretary. No public relations spokesperson. No freedom of information act requests. No classified documents.

Instant replays, commentary in the broadcast booth, analysis from network studios, sports talk radio, etc. Fans get tons of info all of the time. No chance for conspiracy theories to develop. Missed calls by NFL officials may be discussed for weeks on end. No such thing as: “We can’t comment on an ongoing investigation.” Instant replay is for all to see. Sports writers are OK with being critical of coaches, teams, players, the rule book, the league, referees, team owners, when the season starts and ends, etc. This is what a free and independent press looks like. Go ahead and have sports writers cover public policy, Homeland Security and US Dept. of Defense news and I’m good with that.

In 2023, the press tends to support government agencies, departments and policies rather than question them.

Small Town Papers – Two Examples

In the news- example number one:

August 11, 2023 Whidbey News-Times

Whidbey sewer plants win state awards

“The Oak Harbor Clean Water Facility was recognized as outstanding by the Department of Ecology.”

“The Coupeville treatment plant received the outstanding performance award for the 13th consecutive year, and the Holmes Harbor plant was awarded for the 17th year in a row. The Penn Cove wastewater treatment plant was also a recipient this year.”

Beach adjacent to Award Winning Sewage Treatment Plant:

Coupeville

“Clams, mussels and oysters CLOSED year-round.”

“This beach is within the closure area for a sewage treatment plant outfall and is unsafe for recreational shellfish harvesting.”

Source: WDFW

Love to see newspeople ask:

When is the last time all of Penn Cove was safe for recreational shellfish harvest?

Zero questions from small or large newspapers. Zero questions from TV newspeople.

In the news- example number two:

$6.3 million in federal cash for a used hotel.

Any questions from newspeople?

December 8, 2022 The Daily World

Dept. of Ag invests $6.3M to purchase Ocean Shores hotel

$6.3 million “to fund the acquisition of an existing hotel. Marathon Enterprises Inc. is located in Ocean Shores, Grays Harbor County, Washington. The project is expected to result in saving eight jobs and creating one full time job.”

Zero questions from small or large newspapers. Zero questions from TV newspeople.

The small papers will say they need more support from subscribers and advertising dollars or cash from the federal government to stay alive. All this because COVID or the internet or lack of newspaper sales, or a free and independent press that needs taxpayer support.

People who take no public funds, private donations or advertising dollars are free to ask questions at any time. Why not the press? Call for unpaid volunteers and you’d get better news coverage than what we have now.

I’d be more interested in paying (again) for a local paper subscription if there was more in the way of newspeople asking questions.

No sense in subscribing to newspapers that do not ask public policy-related questions.

Operating A Camera In A Public Place

These guys are out asking questions while the mainstream media will function like paid actors reading a script.

Instead of waiting for school teachers to teach about individual rights and limited government authority, waiting on the overthrow of Saddam Hussein or the take down of the next bad guy in distant lands, waiting on the press to ask questions, or courts to handle cases, these guys go out and update us with a quick reality check.

Videos recorded at or outside of sites that are funded by the public seem to be best for documenting these issues.