Once again, the inimitable Fritz Hollings has spoken and hit the nail on the head. In today's State (our statewide paper) he writes about the "new media" and their ever increasing inability to report the truth.
As an aside, as a South Carolinian, I must say I am deeply saddened that we have sent Jim DeMint to replace Fritz. God help us.
A teaser below the break and here is the link:
http://www.thestate.com/mld/state/news/opinion/10364309.htm
There's plenty for a free press to report
By ERNEST F. HOLLINGS
Guest columnist
In the beginning, Thomas Jefferson observed that if he had to choose "between a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government," he would choose the latter. He envisioned the press would report the truth to the American people, keeping the Congress honest. The government wouldn't stay free long without a free press.
Today the press -- the media, now -- has joined the political fray, and the watchdog has become the attack dog. As a result, Mark Twain's admonition has become the creed of both Congress and the media: The truth is so precious a commodity it should be used sparingly.
When I served in World War II 60 years ago, we liberated Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, but they have yet to opt for democracy. We liberated Kuwait in the Gulf War, but it has yet to opt for democracy. But by 9/11 the president, intent on democratizing the Mideast, was asking Rumsfeld for a plan to invade Iraq. Bush was so determined to invade he disregarded his father's admonition in A World Transformed: "We should not march into Baghdad.... To occupy Iraq would instantly shatter our coalition, turning the whole Arab world against us... condemning (young soldiers) to fight in what would be an unwinnable urban guerrilla war."
If the media had reported the truth to the American people, we would have rejected "Clean Break" like Prime Minister Netanyahu. If the media had kept Congress honest, we would not be sending GIs to a war that most believe is a mistake and the top command says we can't win.
Mr. Hollings is the senior senator from South Carolina.
I have said it before and I'll say it again:
We must hold the media accountable. Now, more than ever, we need a free press that is not afraid to report the truth, regardless of how ugly it is.