Freedom of the Press
In our last post, I wrote about Dan Rather's idea that patriotism is a dialogue. One of our great American values is the freedom of the press, a freedom that ensures an ongoing dialogue about our political process. While there are many excellent books and films that document and celebrate the freedom of the press, and even challenge it, critics generally agree that All the President's Men is one of the best.
All the President's Men (1976) tells the story of the two reporters, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, who cracked the Watergate scandal during Richard Nixon's presidency. The critical consensus about the film, according to the review site Rotten Tomatoes, is that it is "a taut, solidly acted paean to the benefits of a free press and the dangers of unchecked power, made all the more effective by its origins in real-life events."
So it's a good movie. But what do we learn about our political process by watching the film?
We learn that, as Bob Woodward has often said, "democracy dies in darkness," that just as dangerous as Rather's "monologue of nationalism" is the silence of our government. In order for the people to have a voice in the direction of our nation, the people must be informed about government actions and policies in a consistent, honest, and unbiased manner.
All of this is easy to say, but much harder to execute. It is up to us, as the American people, to advocate for a free press while holding that same press accountable:
When we see a shocking news headline, we should think before we click.
When we see a questionable article, we should self-check the news.
When we see fake news, not only should we call it out, we should search for the real story. A great place to start your search is at the local library!
Want more? Pair All the President's Men with Frost/Nixon (2008). Both are available at the Library!
All the President's Men (1976) tells the story of the two reporters, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, who cracked the Watergate scandal during Richard Nixon's presidency. The critical consensus about the film, according to the review site Rotten Tomatoes, is that it is "a taut, solidly acted paean to the benefits of a free press and the dangers of unchecked power, made all the more effective by its origins in real-life events."
So it's a good movie. But what do we learn about our political process by watching the film?
We learn that, as Bob Woodward has often said, "democracy dies in darkness," that just as dangerous as Rather's "monologue of nationalism" is the silence of our government. In order for the people to have a voice in the direction of our nation, the people must be informed about government actions and policies in a consistent, honest, and unbiased manner.
All of this is easy to say, but much harder to execute. It is up to us, as the American people, to advocate for a free press while holding that same press accountable:
When we see a shocking news headline, we should think before we click.
When we see a questionable article, we should self-check the news.
When we see fake news, not only should we call it out, we should search for the real story. A great place to start your search is at the local library!
Want more? Pair All the President's Men with Frost/Nixon (2008). Both are available at the Library!
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| Call # DVD 070.92 A1517al |
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| Call # DVD 973.924 F9295f |
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