Free speech and freedom of the press are some of the unique qualities that make this country great. We take for granted and fail to realize the significance it plays in our daily lives, and how it has shaped our nation’s history. It is the reason individuals and the media can speak freely, and don't have to worry about government censorship and backlash.
Throughout history, the media has been trusted as a government watchdog and has the responsibility of uncovering corruption and unethical actions by our government. Regardless of how embarrassing the information is, it is not to be censored. WikiLeaks and Julian Assange should be entitled to the same protection.
Assange has taken a barrage of attacks by our politicians, our government and our media for the release of embarrassing and downright disturbing documents and video footage pertaining to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of the documents are controversial, such as the one that proves the continuing use of torture on our enemies, even though President Obama vowed to put a stop to it. Then there's the video showing a U.S. attack helicopter shooting and killing innocent civilians and reporters thought to be terrorists. This video footage was followed by another innocent man being killed, and his kids seriously injured, as they try to rescue one of the injured reporters.
Along with other diplomatic documents, these reports portray the U.S. in a negative light. However, this does not give the government the right to censor this material. As tax payers, we have a right to know what is going on in the wars, and a right to know the policies to which we are subject.
Now the FBI is leading an investigation into WikiLeaks and plans to prevent the organizations from releasing more documents. They have subpoenaed Facebook and Twitter to hand over any electronic data of suspected WikiLeaks workers. In Washington, D.C., there is now an attack on all journalists and reporters who report leaks of any kind that deal with “national security."
Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina said this regarding journalists who would refuse to give up a source: “You either answer the question or you’re going to be held in contempt and go to jail, which is what I thought all reporters aspire to do anyway. I thought that was the crown jewel of the reporter’s resume, to actually go to jail protecting a source.” Rhetoric like this is the exact reason we have the first amendment to begin with.
What Julian Assange did was shed light on the events of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. He exposed the truth about U.S. torture of Iraqi citizens, and acted as a government whistleblower.
The first amendment is supposed to be used to protect the media from the government. Julian Assange is not the exception to this rule. He is the standard.
Christian Lueck is a junior political science and history double major from Long Island, New York.
