Perspective: The Truth About Online Publications
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By Martin Mubita
At the heart of many online publications decisions to expose the government’s alleged human rights abuses, abuses of power and graft is a fundamental belief in the people’s right-to-know.
From the State’s point of view, they are committing a crime. From their point of view, and the view of many others, they have sacrificed for the greater good because they know people have the right to know what the government is doing in their name. And legal, or not, they believe what the government is doing is a crime against the people and our rights.
For the sake of argument — who determines what people need to know or not, the state or the people?
When The Right-To-Know Principle is invoked and revelations of great magnitude are revealed; it is always met with predictable establishment blow-back from the elite of state power. Those in charge are prone to hysteria and engage in character assassination, as are many in the establishment press that have been co-opted by government access . When The Right-To-Know Principle is evoked the fix is always in and instead of looking at the wrongdoing exposed, they parrot the government position no matter what the facts.
The Right-To-Know Principle just cannot be tolerated…
Even a lack of patriotism is pondered as a possible reason that these pariahs would insist on the public’s right to know at the highest personal costs to their lives and the destruction of their good names. The public’s right to know—This is the treason. The utter corruption, the crime.
But as one author once said, a lie told by everyone is not the truth. Who defines what constitutes the truth, and when it should be revealed? ‘Who the cap fits let him wear it’.
We can watch as The Right-To-Know Principle is predictably followed in the reactions from many of the fourth estate – who serve at the pleasure of the ruling party.
The Right-To-Know Principle, and the fire that inspires online publications to take unimaginable risks, is fundamentally about fostering an informed and engaged public. The Constitution embraces that idea. Whether you agree with their tactics or not, freedom of information has begun. Now, we are faced with a choice, we can embrace it or we can try to forcibly shut it down and maintain the status quo.
As more people find out about these abuses, the outrage mounts and the debate expands. Many in the mainstream media have shown that the public can’t count on them to stand up to internal pressure when The Right-To-Know Principle is evoked to serve the national interest, and protect our core fundamental rights.
The questions The Right-To-Know Principle raises when evoked will not go away….How long do they expect rational people to accept using the word “expedience” to justify and excuse ever expanding executive and state power ? Why are so many in our government and press and intellectual class so afraid of an informed public? Why are they so afraid of a Free Press and the people’s right to know?
It’s the government’s obligation to keep us safe while protecting our constitution . To suggest it’s one or the other is simply wrong.
Perspective: The Truth About Online Publications
At the heart of many online publications decisions to expose the government’s alleged human rights abuses, abuses of power and graft is a fundamental belief in the people’s right-to-know.
From the State’s point of view, they are committing a crime. From their point of view, and the view of many others, they have sacrificed for the greater good because they know people have the right to know what the government is doing in their name. And legal, or not, they believe what the government is doing is a crime against the people and our rights.
For the sake of argument — who determines what people need to know or not, the state or the people?
When The Right-To-Know Principle is invoked and revelations of great magnitude are revealed; it is always met with predictable establishment blow-back from the elite of state power. Those in charge are prone to hysteria and engage in character assassination, as are many in the establishment press that have been co-opted by government access . When The Right-To-Know Principle is evoked the fix is always in and instead of looking at the wrongdoing exposed, they parrot the government position no matter what the facts.
The Right-To-Know Principle just cannot be tolerated…
Even a lack of patriotism is pondered as a possible reason that these pariahs would insist on the public’s right to know at the highest personal costs to their lives and the destruction of their good names. The public’s right to know—This is the treason. The utter corruption, the crime.
But as one author once said, a lie told by everyone is not the truth. Who defines what constitutes the truth, and when it should be revealed? ‘Who the cap fits let him wear it’.
We can watch as The Right-To-Know Principle is predictably followed in the reactions from many of the fourth estate – who serve at the pleasure of the ruling party.
The Right-To-Know Principle, and the fire that inspires online publications to take unimaginable risks, is fundamentally about fostering an informed and engaged public. The Constitution embraces that idea. Whether you agree with their tactics or not, freedom of information has begun. Now, we are faced with a choice, we can embrace it or we can try to forcibly shut it down and maintain the status quo.
As more people find out about these abuses, the outrage mounts and the debate expands. Many in the mainstream media have shown that the public can’t count on them to stand up to internal pressure when The Right-To-Know Principle is evoked to serve the national interest, and protect our core fundamental rights.
The questions The Right-To-Know Principle raises when evoked will not go away….How long do they expect rational people to accept using the word “expedience” to justify and excuse ever expanding executive and state power ? Why are so many in our government and press and intellectual class so afraid of an informed public? Why are they so afraid of a Free Press and the people’s right to know?
It’s the government’s obligation to keep us safe while protecting our constitution . To suggest it’s one or the other is simply wrong.
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