First place
Erin McDonough
Bishop O’Connell High School
Arlington, Va
Burma is ranked by Freedom House as the second worst country in the world for journalists. It is also ranked second worst in the world in regard to civil liberties. These corresponding rankings are no coincidence. Countries where the press is repressed open the door for the abridgement of other civil liberties. Nations like China with high censorship have also been the stage for even worse abuses against human rights, one example being the Tiananmen Square Massacre. If the government is allowed to prevent members of the media from saying what they think or writing what they believe, what is there to stop the state from also forcing its citizens to act according to its will? In the United States, the press has always functioned as a watchdog for government, sounding the alarm if the state becomes corrupt or oppressive. In more than one instance the press in the United States has been what has helped prevent undemocratic regimes from taking power the way they have in nations where the press is limited. It was Harper’s Weekly and the cartoons of Thomas Nast that challenged gilded age politicians and put an end to corrupt policymakers like Boss Tweed. At a time when many of the other papers had been bought by Tammany Hall, Harper’s Weekly remained one of the few independent papers, and without such free voices, the corruption might have persisted. Without a free and independent press there would be no one to even bring about awareness of corruption in government, let along prevent it.
By eliminating the free press first, authoritarian governments eliminate their opposition and open the floodgates for the repression of other civil liberties. Regimes like those in Burma and China use censorship and fear to keep the media in line, and even bloggers are not safe from being jailed for what they write. In the United States, it is precisely the lack of fear that allows the press to function as the fourth estate, stating the truth and building public awareness about the issues. Today many complain that today’s media has grown too biased, that only the sensational stories that sell are printed, or that the press disregards citizens’ rights to privacy. Some would argue that the government should take some action against how negatively the media shapes the minds of Americans. However, while these people may be eager to restrict the press, few would argue that freedom itself should be limited. People need to make the connection between freedom of the press and freedom for the nation. A lack of freedom and independence in the media paves the way for governmental abuse of power and authoritarian rule. Freedom for all should particularly include the press, as it is only independent media that can expose corruption and abuse of power on a national scale, as is necessary if the government is to be held accountable and the nation free.