READER BEWARE: A FREE PRESS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE ACCURATE OR TRUTHFUL

READER BEWARE: A FREE PRESS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE ACCURATE OR TRUTHFUL

By Domenick J. Maglio PhD. Traditional Realist

Going all the way back to our revolutionary war time the newspapers said slanderous things about their opposition. During the John Adams and Thomas Jefferson presidential campaigns newspaper commentary was incendiary and often absolutely untrue. Neither candidate had the ability to hold the newspapers accountable for the slanderous statements their opponent’s supporters made.

Our Founding Fathers were concerned about the ruling power controlling what was allowed to be printed, not its accuracy. James Madison stated, "The security of the freedom of the press requires that it should be exempt, not only from previous restraint of the executive, as in Great Britain; but from legislative restraint also; and this exemption, not only from the previous inspection of licensers, but from the subsequent penalty of laws." He feared writers would self-censor or not publish their works if government could prosecute them for an anti government article.

The first amendment to the Constitution “ prohibits any law…infringing on the freedom of the press….” Our founders were clearly concerned about limiting freedom of speech not about the accuracy of the information. It appears they had faith in educated and responsible citizens discerning the truth and they would prevail over sloppy or deceitful reporting.

The over whelming majority of the mainstream press, 85-90%, identify themselves as being left of center. It is reasonable to believe they would have a progressive bias although as professional journalists they would maintain a high level of objectivity. This seems not to be the case. It appears ideology has replaced objectivity in schools of journalism. Creating a leftist narrative has become the priority of the major news organizations like the New York Times and Associated Press. Subjectivity not only appears to be preferred over objectivity but “deceptiveness to create a perception” is being rewarded in the mainstream newspapers.

On Friday, September 23^rd, 2011 there was an attack on a new campaign office of President Obama in West Los Angeles, CA. At 7:00pm windows were smashed by a pellet gun. Immediately reports suggested it could be politically motivated. This, of course, would indicate that right wing radicals were to blame. There was not the slightest evidence offered or discussion of other more plausible explanations such as vandalism.

In the Tucson, Arizona shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and others the mainstream media initially identified Jared Loughner as a “right winger.” Pima County Sheriff, Clarence Dupnik, immediately blamed radio talk show hosts and cable television for creating the climate for this horrendous act. It turned out that Loughner was an insane person involved with leftist causes.

New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg and the mainstream press, hopefully hypothesized that the Times Square car bomber was a Tea Party member. He was found to be a Muslim extremist.

A commentary on the September 17, 2011 Wall Street Day of Rage, described the left wing group as right wing. Colin Moynehan, stated in an article, “Wall Street begins with demonstration blocked. Organizers said the rally was meant to be diverse, and not all of the participants were on the left. Followers of the right-wing figure, Lyndon LaRouche formed a choir near Bowling Green and sang “The Star Spangled Banner” and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Nearby, anarchists carried sleeping bags and tents.”

Lyndon LaRouche is a committed progressive, not a conservative. He ran for president from 1976-2004, once as a Labor Party candidate and seven times as a democrat. Supporters view him as the next FDR. In fact the same LaRouche supporters appeared at Tea Party events with posters of Obama with a Hitler moustache. The media reported them as “right wing hate signs.”

Originally the press speculated that the Ft. Hood shooter was affiliated with militia groups. It turned out Major Nigel Hasan was a committed Muslim extremist.

The press has consistently described the Westboro Baptist Church as “right wing nut jobs.” The inspirational leader of the church, Fred Phelps, has run for office as a democrat. Phelps has run in various Kansas Democrat Party primaries four times. These included races for governor in 1990, 1994, and 1998 and in the 1992 Democrat Party primary for U.S. Senate. Again, a radical leftist that has made a fool of himself protesting the funerals of deceased American soldiers is being misrepresented as a religious conservative.

The beat goes on. The mainstream media is using the power of the press to mislead the American public. This has caused enormous confusion in the electorate. Ideally it would be wonderful if reporters were held by their superiors to a higher standard of the truth. This is not being done.

American citizen’s actions are giving the mainstream media a vote of no confidence. They are following the truth by shifting their news sources. The viewership of the mainstream media is shrinking while the alternative media is thriving.

It is up to We the People to beware of false narratives. Citizens should self educate and remember the difference between the initial reporting and the eventually substantiated facts. We must be discerning of the stories we read and what actually turns out to be the truth. We have a free press but it does not mean every writer and news organization has professional integrity. We must do our due diligence as patriotic citizens.

Dr. Maglio is the author of Invasion Within and Essential Parenting. He is a psychotherapist and the owner/director of Wider Horizons School.

Visit: www.drmaglio.com.