LONG LIVE A FREE PRESS

 

Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.” Think of the consequences – the loss of our very freedom. It’s why one can easily find a plethora of quotes that associate the bedrock of our democracy with a free, unfettered press.

Yet here we are – again. Unfortunately, this is not the first time I’ve addressed this subject, and I fear that it may not be the last – unless we refuse to accept what’s being imposed upon us by the Trump Administration.

And that’s exactly what happened at the Pentagon just a few days before the filing of this article. We fought back!

Last month, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s press office outlined new rules requiring Pentagon beat reporters to sign a pledge not to obtain or use unauthorized material, even if the information is unclassified. Any journalist who didn’t sign the pledge would be at risk of losing access to the Pentagon. Obviously, it’s a reporter’s job to question virtually everything and use every source legally available to find the answers, not only at the Pentagon but everywhere. So, in other words, he asked them not to do their jobs.

And as a fellow journalist, I’m very proud to say that it went over like the proverbial lead balloon.

On Wednesday, October 15^th, at 4pm, approximately 50 journalists MADE news by standing up from their desks at the Pentagon in an act of ultimate defiance, leaving everything behind including their Pentagon press credentials, and exited the building. These people were of all ages and genders, some long-time professionals, others early in their careers. Each had something to lose by this bold move. But it had to be done. Any journalist worth his credentials knows that to lose one’s integrity is to lose everything. And they weren’t having it.

Virtually every major news outlet participated in the protest. One expected the likes of CNN, MSNBC and the networks to lead the way, but even FOX, Hegseth’s former employer, and conservative Newsmax joined in. The only outlet to not participate was the ultra-conservative OAN. In fact, it has been reported that of the approximately 100 press people who work at the Pentagon, only 15 signed the pledge.

Now, there are some who may see this as a flawed action, saying, “Well if there’s no one there to report on them, hasn’t Hegseth really won?” In response to questions like that, the Pentagon Press Association issued the following statement:

“The Pentagon Press Association’s members are still committed to reporting on the U.S. military. But make no mistake, today, Oct. 15, 2025, is a dark day for press freedom that raises concerns about a weakening U.S. commitment to transparency in governance, to public accountability at the Pentagon and to free speech for all.”

But through the darkness, we saw a ray of light and that light came in the form of resistance to tyranny. It’s happened before and we pray that it will continue as long as is necessary. Reporters are used to obstacles, both physical and psychological. It’s our job to overcome and resist by speaking truth to power. We must act as a voice to the voiceless. Like Horatius at the bridge, the press must not yield to the constant attempts by this Administration to wear away at our essential freedoms. Because without a free press, we are in danger of losing EVERYTHING.

“Freedom of conscience, of education, of speech, of assembly are among the very fundamentals of democracy and all of them would be nullified should freedom of the press ever be successfully challenged.”

Franklin D. Roosevelt

The Great Dictator

 

Last night while channel serving, I was thrilled to stumble onto Charlie Chaplin’s brilliant 1940 anti-war, anti-fascist satire, The Great Dictator on TCM. It was near the end of the film that features one of the greatest soliloquies in movie history. Chaplin in the dual role of a Jewish barber mistaken for a fictional dictator, Adenoid Hinkel, takes obvious aim at satirizing Adolph Hitler. With the barber subbing for Hinkel, Chaplin rants, raves, and bungles his way to the film’s dramatic ending when Hinkel is to deliver a signature speech to a massive gathering of his sycophants and soldiers. Expecting a Hitleresque diatribe extolling the virtues of his leadership and the power of fascism, Chaplin instead delivers a powerful statement about peace, equality, brotherhood, and universal justice.

In other words, the Jewish barber portraying Hinkel clearly shows how REAL leaders are made, how even in the face of brutality, men of integrity find a way to inspire others.

This brings me to my thoughts on OUR current leader, President Donald J. Trump.

In a string of how low can you go acts and statements from the very beginning of his candidacy, Mr. Trump has demonstrated an uncanny ability to find a way to lower an already pitifully low bar. In my mind, it began with his mocking of a disabled reporter and has continued unabated ever since. And, just when you thought it couldn’t GO any lower, Mr. Trump has set a new standard for abhorrent behavior from a President of The United States, i.e. The Most Powerful Man on Earth.

Using the latest AI technology, a video depicts the President in a fighter jet, facing us with a crown literally on his crash helmet. He then maneuvers the plane over huge crowds in the streets below – all with Kenny Login’s “Danger Zone” blasting in the background. The video cuts to the crowd where we can now see they were protestors from the days “NO KING” demonstrations. As the jet streaks into a strafing position, a stream of what appears to be liquid excrement flows from the planes bomb bay doors and explodes on contact with the people below.

Let me simplify the message: The President of the United States just shit all over the American people simply for exercising their sacred 1^st Amendment right to peaceably assemble and express their wishes! From THE LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD? It’s vile, unconscionable, despicable, unacceptable and completely INDEFENSIBLE.

But, of course, his reprobates sure tried.

On of the more common defense strategies was to claim that Mr. Trump did not make the video. Really? No kidding. He doesn’t have the technical skills to make it. But he sure had the will and power to approve it! And he not only approved it, but he also loved it. When asked about the video during a press conference, Speaker Mike Johnson, smirked and said something to the effect that after all, the President is one of the greatest ever in using social media. Really? THAT’S how you would attempt to defend the indefensible? It’s become a pitiful show of weak-minded men AND woman who continue to support an increasingly unhinged leader.

Still even though the President continues to show disdain for the rule of law and the Constitution, nearly half of all Americans polled still support him. The latest polls put his approval rating at 45.5%, a number higher than those in first term and higher still that Joe Biden’s. I don’t get it.

When Mr. Trump first entered politics, many people saw him as an antidote for a rigged political system. I get that, at least in the beginning. What I didn’t understand then and has become even more amplified now is in addition to his assaults on our Constitution, how can one look past his plethora of character flaws? I mean it’s gotten to the point where he’s literally crapping not only over people, but the Constitution itself.

I’ve never let that happen. And I never will.