Fraters Libertas

Stand Up For Your Rights

On this July 6, the self selected guardians of the first amendment have been roused to action, in order to form a more perfect union. More specifically, to secure an even more privileged Guild. Yes the union of professional journalists are demanding to be shielded from even more laws that apply to the average citizen, but not to the class of elites.

As you may have heard, it all has to do with a couple of individuals who are refusing to participate in a federal criminal investigation. A serious crime may have been committed, these individuals have been spouting off in public that they may know who the perpetrator is, the court has asked for their information, and they refuse. Now if that were you or me behaving this way, we'd be clasped in leg irons without a care by the journalist community, or perhaps with their applause (at least if they were Fraters Libertas readers).

But because they have journalism degrees, enough personal connections to get hired by a monopoly employer, and/or a Clark Kent secret decoder ring, they believe don't have to tell the court system nuthin'. A nice "right" if you can get it. And that's exactly what journalists aim to achieve on the federal level, if they get this perversion of equal protection enacted into law.

On the bright side, the professional journalists show as much ability to effectively advocate for this position as they have in advocating political agendas and influencing public opinion of late. Their plan of action:

The Newspaper Guild has asked industry workers to pause and stand for two minutes of silence at noon on Wednesday.

Which ought to be very impressive to the guys filling up the pop machines and delivering the pad thai noodles they ordered for lunch.

But if pausing and standing in silence makes them feel better about themselves, I encourage more of that behavior. Especially the folks on the editorial board. Maybe they should take two hours of silence? Or two days? I suspect most people would suffer from their absence as much as they do from a state government shut down. At the very least we might be saved from things like the institutional voice of the dominant newspaper in the Twin Cities gassily rhapsodizing on the significance of the passing of .... Luther Vandross:

He had a way of coaxing the feeling out of a song that would cause a knowing smile or a tear. His rich, sultry voice could take you on the journey through the ups and downs of the heart, yet make you feel wrapped in vocal velvet along the way.

Oooh la la. Who knew Jim Boyd was such a sensitive, giving lover?

To be fair, standing in silence isn't the only action proposed by the Newspaper Guild. A "vigil" is proposed at court houses around the country. Nearly all of which are completely uninvolved with the court case in question. A protest which, if not effective, is at least consistent in style.

On the national Guild web page, there's an example flyer to be used to foment unrest in newsrooms across the country. Composed by none other than home town hero Anders Gyllenhaal:

This is a short note to encourage a strong turnout for the vigil to be held tomorrow at the federal courthouse in Minneapolis in support of the two reporters facing jail terms for protecting their sources.

A strong turnout encouraged from the big boss? I fully expect to hear of Nick Coleman, Kate Parry, and Jim Boyd standing on the picket line, arm-in-arm, singing "We Shall Overcome."

We're reaching a critical time in press freedoms, a point when supporters need to find ways of alerting people to the very real threats this profession is facing.

Note, the concern about THEIR rights, not yours. Remember, this is a union we're talking about.

The gathering will be at noon Wednesday at the federal courthouse at 300 S. Fourth Street, a minute's walk from the Star Tribune.

They're taking it to the streets! As long as it's convenient.

We await a full report on this vigil in tomorrow's paper. Until then, we'll amuse ourselves with real stories of American justice in action.