A book every thoughtful citizen should read is the latest book by one of the country's finest journalists, Chuck Lewis.
The book is 935 Lies.
If we had more journalists, this book would not have been possible.
Chuck Lewis documents how the government has lied and how most of the press reported rather than questioned those lies. Journalism is not stenography. Journalism requires verification. A journalist should not be a human microphone stand.
The most unpatriotic act possible by a journalist is to be a pom pom waver for government.
Patriotic journalists question their government because they understand truth and transparency are essential for democracy.
A democracy built on truth is vibrant; one built on lies is in danger of collapse.
Check your local newspaper website. Check your local TV website. Check for accountability interviews, where the journalist is holding your members of Congress accountable. And there's a current and obvious topic where you should be seeing just such an accountability interview.
As reported in the National Journal, The House Ethics Committee voted to eliminate the requirement for members to disclose free trips paid for by outside groups. Does your member of Congress approve? Your local journalists should be asking. And if they're not, write a letter to the newspaper's publisher and to the TV station's general manager and ask why the journalists aren't doing their jobs. On this 4th of July, we don't want another 935 lies to lead us into more unnecessary deadly wars. We need more patriotic journalists like Chuck Lewis.
The book is 935 Lies.
If we had more journalists, this book would not have been possible.
Chuck Lewis documents how the government has lied and how most of the press reported rather than questioned those lies. Journalism is not stenography. Journalism requires verification. A journalist should not be a human microphone stand.
The most unpatriotic act possible by a journalist is to be a pom pom waver for government.
Patriotic journalists question their government because they understand truth and transparency are essential for democracy.
A democracy built on truth is vibrant; one built on lies is in danger of collapse.
Check your local newspaper website. Check your local TV website. Check for accountability interviews, where the journalist is holding your members of Congress accountable. And there's a current and obvious topic where you should be seeing just such an accountability interview.
As reported in the National Journal, The House Ethics Committee voted to eliminate the requirement for members to disclose free trips paid for by outside groups. Does your member of Congress approve? Your local journalists should be asking. And if they're not, write a letter to the newspaper's publisher and to the TV station's general manager and ask why the journalists aren't doing their jobs. On this 4th of July, we don't want another 935 lies to lead us into more unnecessary deadly wars. We need more patriotic journalists like Chuck Lewis.
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