The Ocracoke Observer cannot stand by and watch the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution be subject to repeated attacks.
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
This amendment is the foundation of our freedoms in this country, and, fortunately, it has often thwarted some leaders who have wished to put the people under their thumb.
In simple terms, this amendment means: the government can’t tell you who, how or what to worship; the government can’t tell you that you cannot physically gather and protest; the government can’t tell you not to enumerate grievances; and the government can’t muzzle the press—be it newspapers, books or electronic media.
The right of the press to criticize (and investigate) leaders has been a hallmark of our free society since the Constitution was ratified in 1788.
The First Amendment doesn’t differentiate between speech types. People are free to spew vitriol (or “hate speech”), or all the nice things they want.
In the last several months, the federal government has openly silenced facts. It has threatened some news outlets because it didn’t like what they wrote or said.
The government has cowed law firms and educational and artistic institutions with threats because these entities may be saying things the administration didn’t like.
Well, too bad.
That’s been the way of our democracy—it’s OK to criticize or disagree. That’s what makes a free society, albeit with some guard rails: There’s freedom but not license to do whatever you want. For example, freedom of speech does not include child pornography, incitement with intent to commit harm, slander or libel.
But simply disagreeing with or publicly criticizing a government official is free speech and is protected under the First Amendment.
Journalism has been a feisty institution in this country, beginning with small publishers and pamphleteers in the colonial era and growing into profitable powerhouses of advocacy, muckraking and sensationalism, along with serious and objective news gathering.
It has had its share of bad actors.
“Simply disagreeing with or criticizing publicly a government official is free speech and is protected under the First Amendment.”
Unlike teachers, medical providers or lawyers, the press doesn’t need a license to practice, but many practicing journalists have taken a journalism course or two and, we hope, were taught some basic tenets.
The three biggest tenets in journalism are to be objective: “not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations, or prejudice; based on facts; unbiased”; impartiality: The quality of not being biased or prejudiced; and fairness: free from bias or injustice; evenhandedness.”
Sometimes these traits are hard to uphold, but many newspapers do strive to tell all sides of the story.
It also means separating news from opinion—with separate pages for opinions, be they editorials, op-eds or letters to the editor.
But the cacophony of social media has washed like a tsunami over society, often drowning out the “legacy” media, which has had its work cut out for it.
Social media has become a place where everyone can yell at each other without accountability. We’ve got to stop yelling at each other and saying the other side is “bad” if they disagree.
How we do that is the big question.
Vigorous discourse, sometimes leavened by compromise, has been a guiding principle of our society, and it doesn’t mean “hating” each other (and killing each other) for different opinions.
The Observer strives to be impartial and to show at least two sides to every news story.
The Center for Integrity in News Reporting, a new nonprofit based in Little Rock, Arkansas, was recently created to address the public’s declining trust in news reporting.
We learned of this group when we attended the North Carolina Press Association annual conference Sept. 19 in Cary.
The U.S. military newspaper, “The Stars & Stripes,” is the first newspaper to adopt and publish a core values statement.
We would like to join that list with our core values, to wit:
“Credibility is the greatest asset of any news medium, and impartiality is its greatest source of credibility.
“Impartiality means reporting and editing the news honestly, fairly and objectively without personal opinion or bias.
“Journalism’s core mission requires accurately reporting facts and putting them in context. The Ocracoke Observer maintains a firewall between news reporting and opinion. We clearly mark our editorials and publish a balanced selection of contributing viewpoints.”
Outstanding piece !
Well stated. Thank you for preserving this fundamental right.
Right on! Thank you for your clear and powerful exposition in defense of the First Amendment of the U.S Constitution. I read, listen and watch a multiplicity of news sources covering a wide range of views, so to sort fact from opinion, to analyze, to understand – all asymptotically toward truth. It’s hard work. I find the Ocracoke Observer consistently meets its goals toward credibility.and impartiality in accurately reporting the news and carefully measured in parsing it’s opinion. Keep up the good work!
Well said. Thank you.
I read the world’s finest newspaper, the Wall Street Journal , for national news. Its liberal reporters are balanced by its conservative opinion pieces. Stick to state and local news which you do well. “Credibility” and “Impartiality” has been lost at the Washington Post, NYTimes, CNN, NPR, and all networks due to inaccurate and biased reporting. Avoid their biased path. They have become players and not reporters (observers). They are no longer honest brokers but have become stakeholders trying to affect outcomes. Most of those organizations have been sold , downsized, and restructured. Too many get their so called news from The Facebook or The Tick Tok and they steal it from journalists. Little of it is held to high reporting standards and misinformation reigns. You see the dilemma of 60% of the US population consistently identifying as conservative getting its news from the >90% liberal journalists and commentators. There are serious trust issues. That is the state of national news. I do not need their or your opinion, just continue writing great stories on local issues. Tell the stories of coastal communities. Including opinion on unproven climate change hoaxes and theories lessens the message with junk science.
Thank you for writing this critically important piece!!’
I want to extend my deep appreciation to the hard-working folks at the Ocracoke Observer. I have marvelled for some time, at the high quality of journalism and reporting that this small and mighty publication reliably produces. Sadly, our own local Baltimore Sunpapers doesn’t even exist in the same realm. Thank you.
This is a wonderful article on our right to freedom of speech. Thank you!!!
“Journalism has been a feisty institution in this country…” = Ocracoke Observer. You go guys, you go. (Big smile and appreciation here. Thanks for standing firm.)
Credibility, impartiality and accuracy – thank you for reminding us what we should all be striving for. Your article is excellent and timely.
Man the canons!
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No worries.
Excellent article.
Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences. I feel.
As though people need to understand that we are being slowly taking over. Outsiders have taken over parts of our country and people are not even watching it happen. When you’re freedom of words become nothing but lies and you are lying on people.I feel you should be held with responsible. If you want to look at people taking over look at Dearbourne michigan. Or how about new york now. You could also look at some state parts of texas. I know that you believe you guys are in the right and people should be able to do what they want.But as I said before freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences.
We agree and we don’t think we said that. Freedom not license.
Well said. The First Amendment is first for a very good reason — it’s fundamental to all the others. Thank you for working to keep it healthy.
Thank you for your honest, credible reporting.
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