Since I published my last article about about the idiotic “Assange isn’t a journalist” smear, this talking point has become more and more commonplace in online discourse. It’s very important to defenders of the political status quo for us all to believe that Assange is not a journalist, because otherwise that would mean they’re cheering for a dangerous precedent which would allow for the prosecution of journalists who exposed the truth about US government malfeasance. And that would mean cognitive dissonance, which all defenders of the political status quo spend most of their day-to-day mental energy running away from.
So in the past few days, editorials like this one from free press avatar Peter Greste have popped up all over the place with their own definitions of what journalism is in order to argue why that label can’t possibly apply to Assange. All of these definitions ultimately boil down to the argument that because Assange doesn’t publish leaks in a way that they feel journalism ought to be practiced, it isn’t journalism and therefore sets no legal precedent for journalists around the world. As though the US government is going to be consulting their feelings about what specifically constitutes journalism the next time they decide to imprison a journalist for doing what Assange did.
It doesn’t work that way, sugar tits. Assange is being prosecuted by the Trump administration for standard journalistic practices, he stands no chance of receiving a fair trial, and it is very likely that he will be hit with far more serious charges for his activities once on US soil. The next time the US government, under Trump or someone else, sees another journalist anywhere in the world doing something similar to what Assange did, there will be nothing stopping them from saying, “We need to lock that person up like we did Assange; they’re doing the same sort of thing.”
It’s just so amazingly arrogant how people imagine that the way their feelings feel will factor into this in any way. Like the US Attorney General might show up on their doorstep one day with a clipboard saying “Yes, hello, we wanted to imprison this journalist based on the precedent we set with the prosecution of Julian Assange, but before doing so we wanted to find out how your feelings feel about whether or not they’re a real journalist.”
You won’t get to define how the US government will interpret what constitutes journalism in the future. Only the US government will. It’s amazing that this isn’t more obvious to more people.
Also, the question "is X a 'journalist'?" – as though it's a credentialed, licensed status like being a doctor or lawyer – is deceitful. The First Amendment's press freedom protects *an activity* available to everyone – not just a designated priesthood called "journalists."
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) April 12, 2019
In reality, journalism has always been and will always be defined as an activity. It’s not like being a doctor. If you happen to witness a car crash and you give CPR on the scene, you are not a doctor in that moment, but if you take some photos and post them online with a summary of what you saw then you are engaging in the act of journalism and all the legalities and rules of journalism apply to you.
The particular journalistic activities that the US is currently trying to extradite Assange for is encouraging a source to give him more documents and conspiracy to help Manning hide her identity so that she would not be persecuted for her heroic act of whistleblowing. In other words, Assange was attempting to make sure Manning’s leaks had enough impact to justify the risk, and also to try and make sure she wasn’t caught and tortured for it.
As Glenn Greenwald has pointed out on Twitter, the indictment describes an activity that all investigative journalists partake in all the time. A source offers you some docs and you see a gap that needs to be filled, you will ask them to get them for you. A source fears they will be found out and you do what you can to hide their identity. That’s journalism at its most raw and dangerous and important. Check out the film Spotlight to see a fairly true version of what the journalists at the Boston Globe had to do in order to expose the pedophile ring of the Catholic Church. These high level crimes must be exposed for people’s safety, but the higher the level the crime, the more risk there is in its exposure.
To be clear, you only have to engage in these kinds of activities when you are exposing the most powerful people with the most political clout for the most heinous of crimes. Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning suspected she was risking years of torture if she was found out, and history has since proved them both correct.
So of all the many enraging aspects of all of this extraordinary act of Nice Guy Fascism, one of them is the constant bloviation of the mainstream media elite with their endless personal definitions of what makes a one journalist. You’d think they were quaffing wine at an opening and wanking on about whether the paintings in the gallery were really art. “This journalist is not a journalist, my five year old son could paint that!” they grandstand to any poor bastard within earshot while inhaling olives and patting the waitress on the bum.
Not sure indiscriminate dumping of thousands of classified documents is “investigative journalism” – also being a patsy of Russia to damage Clinton in favour of Trump is hardly heroic. #Assange?
— Paul Bongiorno (@PaulBongiorno) April 12, 2019
Julian Assange is no journalist: don't confuse his arrest with press freedom https://t.co/9pYr7jgTng
— Lenore Taylor (@lenoretaylor) April 13, 2019
https://twitter.com/KarenMMiddleton/status/1116840990629711872
These people have obviously had their personal opinions taken far too seriously for far too long. It’s truly the hallmark of someone whose mother put too many of their crappy crayon drawings on the fridge when you think that your precious little homespun definition of what constitutes journalism will serve as a legal precedent in the years to come. No one will care about your feelings regarding who is a real journalist or not when the long arm of the US empire reaches out across the planet and nabs the next guy for exposing inconvenient truths about the US military-industrial complex or US corporate interests. No one is going to grant you a sit-down and consult you about your oh-so-fascinating ruminations about the next journalist they wish to use Assange’s precedent on.
It’s obvious to any journalist who doesn’t have their head up their ass that this is the beginning of the end of the fourth estate. Want to expose the US corporate corruption fueling the degradation and desecration of your environment in your particular province in the world? Oh well, uh-oh, now you’ve found yourself on a plane to Gitmo.
Journalism is an activity. It is bringing the detrimental activities of the powerful to the light, regardless of how you do it, whether it’s through the legacy media, publishing documents, or making a Facebook post. The powerful are not entitled to a private space where they can abuse humans or resources. They don’t get to commit crimes in secret just because they are rich or in government. Journalism is the only way the everyday person has any window into what the powerful are doing to them, doing to their planet, doing with their tax money, and doing in their name.
So in every way it is probably even worse if you don’t consider Assange a journalist. This precedent puts every single person on earth in danger. That means you can be nabbed wherever you may be on the globe for helping a whistleblower, and I’m sorry to say to all you impassioned bloviators, you will not be consulted on how your feelings feel about whether they fit your dubious definition of what a journalist is, because journalism is an activity, not an elitist club of which you have been the self-proclaimed gatekeeper for so long.
These narcissistic wankers are a severe danger to press freedom and they need to put their personal proclivities aside and start fighting a very dangerous legal precedent that is being set right before our eyes.
_______________________________
Everyone has my unconditional permission to republish or use any part of this work (or anything else I’ve written) in any way they like free of charge. My work is entirely reader-supported, so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around, liking me on Facebook, following my antics on Twitter, throwing some money into my hat on Patreon orPaypal, purchasing some of my sweet merchandise, buying my new book Rogue Nation: Psychonautical Adventures With Caitlin Johnstone, or my previous book Woke: A Field Guide for Utopia Preppers. The best way to get around the internet censors and make sure you see the stuff I publish is to subscribe to the mailing list for my website, which will get you an email notification for everything I publish. For more info on who I am, where I stand, and what I’m trying to do with this platform, click here.
Bitcoin donations:1Ac7PCQXoQoLA9Sh8fhAgiU3PHA2EX5Zm2
50 responses to “The US Government Won’t Care About Your Definition Of Journalism After The Assange Precedent Is Set”
this cesspool of a “country” attracts all the degenerates from around the world, including Venezuela. many of the Venezuelan parasites fled the country, just like the Cuban vampires and thugs fled Cuba, during and after the revolution, and many setteled here and in central-and-south america.
these blood-suckers can almost taste the blood of the Venezuelans. they can hardly wait to take back and exploit the resources and labor of that country again. they believe that they are the rightful owner of the entire world, never mind Venezuela. and we know who they are. check out each and every “opposional” figures, and they are from the same tribe, or serve the same tribe. some of them must have showed up here to leave most disgusting comments. but that’s expected of the degenerates.
This one miraculously ended up between my spam. Suprise Surprise. They are also shadow banning like crazy. On lifestreams of Jiimmy Dore my comments get deleted immediately.
Love you Caitlin. Thanks for your unrelentless support of Julian Assange. And having the abillity to see straight through all the BS. Voices like yours are the antidote in a world gone mad.
Diving deep into the ocean leaving all madness at the surface a great peace and trust takes hold and an assurance comes that Julian is going to walk free through the majestic outdoors gazing at the stars.
The beauty is that what we are is freedom itself even if the body seems imprisoned.
Once one can zoom out the sting of living in a corrupt dystopia never can drag you down completely anymore.
The beauty of this place is that anything can happen and things are never what they seem.
There is still beauty everywhere.
Journalism, as referred to in the American tradition, is not an occupation. It is not set out that way in regard to legal protections. It is a vocation and an activity. Whether one is a professional is only a reference to whether they are paid for the activity.
Therefore, any claims that Julian Assange is not a journalist are fraudulent.
Although compiling all the data vindicating Julian Assange sounds like a good idea, we have to ask ourselves, who will read it? Also Caitlin knows better than most that intellectual arguments and facts are not nearly as effective as the memes used by the Empire to push people’s buttons. We are forced to play the same games that propagandists and advertisers play, in spite of our propensities to indulge in logical arguments. Otherwise we end up talking mostly to each other, and not reaching those we need to awaken.
When I heard of the fire at Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, I felt it was a warning from Notre Dame Herself.
Our Blessed Mother must be very sad to see what is happening on earth.
We truly are in the last days. My heart is heavy tonight.
I will keep my Holy Rosary close.
Punished by whom?,
Benny N and Donald Trump… to peas from the same pod? As soon as we get it out of our heads, and see he does not think this for himself, we will see who the head of the snake is!… Russian collusion?… How about the Massod and CIA rats that are backing Israel and the Knesset , the Rabbis legal congressional house of congress… or AIPAC if you like. To bad most do not know whom is controlling then FED, and the money changers in congress…not that I’m a Jesus freak… But that rebel know who was calling g the shots… The Near’ do wells of Historical allegory are dumbed down to the limit of moronic readsay and repeating the whom scam of Russia election meddling… While the Israelis cause confusion and waste Our valuable resources on Jewish Hegemony…Mob Rule, where the few control the many and minds are a wasteland to be driven in any direction they chose. Their race there kind own the media. Anybody that anything reads here, should know the latter is true.
The Massod credo: “By way of Deception We make War!”. Then there next comment is, we are the Intellegencia of the latter! Thusly the door nail in the coffin of the American Dream… Democracy is a sham and we are duped to believe we are in control! Good Lord! God help us all! Stop the insanity with the anti-Semitic oxymoron that keeps the people blinded by racist counter intelligencia and a double standard that says you can kill if you are Israel and if you are a goyim Palestinian you are fodder for our universal imperialistic state… America is imperialism and we are all being deceived by the whole Russia counter intelligence side track of who are the magnificence in our mist. .
Research and discover who owns you as corporate DC serfs! Emancipation from the state of socialism is now a priority… they want us all to be considered the same and robots to the Kingdom of Jerusalem. But the counter balance is deception to make it look like we are some kind of conspiracy nuts…when it came to the Russian crap it was nuts!`
Of course what is my opinion to a million others???? NADA!…
It is at a point that to vote in the elections organized by the political elites in the West is a waste of time.
We need the Second Coming of Christ very soon. And all the signs are pointing to His Return very soon. It seems obvious that men are not able to rule themselves.
I am still keeping my Rosary close.
So just how much the ” fix is in for Mr. Assange to be handed over to United States authorities ” will be quite evident by just how quickly Sweden drops all charges and the United Kingdom bail case dissolves!! My guess is by August 2019!!
The UK ‘bail case’ is already concluded. The Kangaroos Court found Assange guilty and sentenced him to six months in jail on the very same morning he was hauled out of sanctuary.
Thanks Kafka! I did not know that. I’m reading some on-line articles about some ” so-called friends ” of Mr. Assange revealing the ” password used ” which is how Manning was caught, tried, and convicted by the United States government!!
strongly recommend “yellow vest movement ….” by Richard Greeman, a Marxist scholar according to his bio, at counterpunch, april 12, 2019. it chronicles lots and lots of ideas and actions beyond more analyses and discussions heppenning right now in real time.
also, compare that article with his article in 2017 about Macron and the french election that gave France Macron. in 2 years since then, Greeman has come a long way. and it’s very instructive to the sincere left.
It might be time to discuss the astroturf methods used by the multinational corporate powers to influence public opinion. Not only are most of the media owned by the 1%, but the new and more effective marketing method is astroturfing — fake social media movements and public expression that appears to come from many individuals, but if you were to find out why they are expressing these corporate views, it’s because they are employed in marketing departments of the major influencer corporations. I would suggest that half of all commenters on social media now are paid staff working to promote fake individual opinions for astroturf campaigns paid for by the 1% and their corporations. This is another problem of relying on social media which ‘seems’ to consist of individuals, but since no one really knows what goes on behind the scenes, it’s very easy for corporate marketing departments to hire a thousand ‘individuals’ to repeat rehearsed and prewritten scripts and pretend to be a groundswell of popular opinion. Venezuela is a great example — there were set scripts and talking points repeated over and over and over, targetting those who expressed support for Maduro and the current government. It doesn’t matter if 25 journalists make videos and articles telling the truth, because the billionaire class can easily just hire another thousand staffers to send tweets all day long. It’s the marketing departments of this class and their corporations, and it’s been ongoing since 2000 at least. And they pay well. We can’t keep believing that social media consists of individuals freely expressing opinions, that’s part of their false narrative; because there is also big money and jobs telling people to pretend to be a large scale movement of popular opinion, directing a narrative that is paid for. People who want to eat are grateful for work that pays them well enough, and they don’t care what they have to do to be paid and survive another day. This also needs to be part of our counter narrative.
I assume any mid-sized political campaign has such an operation going. A combination of paid employees, in the sort of computer center where each can assume any of multiple pre-set identities, along with the useful idiot volunteers from their party, amplified by bots giving the retweets and likes and forwards to make it seem bigger than it is. This is now standard operating procedure. In fact, it has been for at least a decade, although the platforms keep changing with the times.
All great comments! So, what do we do about it???
‘So, what do we do about it???’
I would say, whatever you’re already doing to oppose and sabotage the evils of the state, which could be quite a number of things. If nothing, then work on that fundamental problem.
In the case of Mr. Assange, I believe that saying ‘Mr. Assange is so a journalist’ is not very useful unless you regard journalists as a specially credentialed caste with special privileges. Ms. Manning was simply exposing monstrous crimes which were being covered up, as was her moral and probably legal duty, and Mr. Assange was attempting to assist her. This context should be made explicit in any and every discussion of the
case, regardless of whether or not either of them were supposed to be ‘journalists’ or to belong to any other caste.
Those in MSM “journalism” got their jobs because of a proven record of saying exactly what their masters told them to say, and nothing else. Then they are given outrageously high salaries for doing this parroting, just to be sure they never consider telling the truth. If they are broadcast personalities, a little device in their ear will tell them right away if they should inadvertently stray off message.
WikiLeaks (2019-04-13):
“Is Julian Assange not a journalist? Is WikiLeaks not a media organization? If so it is amazing how many journalism awards have been given to a non-journalist and a non-media organisation.”
https://twitter.com/wikileaks/status/1117072510464462855
On 9-11 in 2001, journalists told me that there were debris of airplanes in the Pentagone and in a field in Pennsylvania. At the time, I was trusting them and on that day I made every effort to see those pieces of airplanes but despite my best efforts, I have never seen parts of airplanes in these locations.
Since then, I am a little bit suspicious of course.
If the same journalists are now telling us Mr Assange is not a journalist, it is not convincing.
So much lies around, I really think we are very close to the end of the world. It is written that close to the end of the world, it will be similar to the days of Noah. In those days, everybody was a liar except Noah and his family.
According to the famous prophecy of the popes, pope Francis is the last one, the one who will be there when the Final Judgement will come.
Just looking around, it is easy to believe this prophecy is true.
I will keep my Rosary close.
Oh, journalist or not… why do you have to explain this stuff to anybody? What if I am not a journalist and I exposed the enormous crimes of somebody else? What you should do? Should prosecute me or you should hold the criminals accountable? If you prosecute me instead of the criminals – you are already in a totalitarian state.
The FACT that Caitlin has had to SPELL out the definition of what Journalist is, clearly displays the problem with the industry. They’ve gone off the rails now for so long, they don’t even know what the word means anymore. Squawking about Assange not being a journalist, is all well and good, until the light is focused on the folks who may have inadvertantly published something the the Ruling Elite are unhappy with, then you’ll hear a totally different story from them.
Ah the Buddha Caitlin speaks the truth again!!! Your have put goose bumps on both of my arms again and my spine is tingling again, Ms Johnstone!!! That Was Magnificent!! Truly Magnificent!!!
Oh, BTW, how many 2020 presidential candidates have stated that if they are elected POTUS, they will pardon Mr. Assange?
who cares?????
You did.
Once again, I must point out, how can anyone be pardoned if they have not been found guilty of a charge ????????
To this point in time, Assange has not be lawfully charged with anything, from my observation, the Brits have given the Yanks a time limit to submit a charge for them to consider. (Note that last bit.) Then the persecuted individual must face the Courts to work out whether they are guilty of the charge or not, IF found guilty AND sentenced, THEN is the time to be pardoned. Otherwise talking of Pardon at this juncture, is simply a waste of space.
None as far as I know…
.
Nor do I expect any candidate to diverge from the party line, lest they be savaged by the MSM pack… Courage and principles (always in short supply) are not requirements for the office.
.
However a non-candidate, Congresswoman Omar, continues to impress in this regard, altho we don’t always agree. Still, even though she checks all the correct progressive boxes, her determination to speak some truth to power confounds both left and right. Would be interesting to hear her thoughts on Julian…
.
Every morning I repeat one truthful statement: My opinion doesn’t matter.
.
And, individually at least, that is true. But if a (very) large number of other people were to share my opinion, and act upon it, perhaps then it would matter. This is what narrative control (and Julian’s arrest) is all about — preventing people from sharing their opinions, knowledge and experience without intermediation by corporate media. Or, as Katherine Graham is reputed to have once said, the purpose of the Washington Post is to maintain confidence in the USG.
.
The jackals howling at Julian in that media signal loyalty to their masters while seeking a prestigious reward for their mental gymnastics. Contrary to popular opinion, journalism died a long time ago and the “free press” is nothing more than sensational scribblings on the back of advertising handbills…
.
What we write here is the closest we’ll get to a “free press” yet we’re not “journalists” — and are being warned about dancing too close to the fire.
Tulsi Gabbard has spoken out against the Assange arrest.
Beat me to it! Yes, Rep. Gabbard has spoken out against the Assange arrest, and therefore would presumably either drop the charges or pardon him come Jan 2021. And yes, voting for her and/or donating to her campaign would make a difference, despite all the many voices on the internet which will tell you not to do either. Which of course is the best sign that doing both is a good thing to do!
Am glad to hear she has… personally I like what Tulsi is talking about, for the most part.
.
However, I would like you to prove this statement:
.
“And yes, voting for her and/or donating to her campaign would make a difference…” Kafka
.
How, exactly do you know this comment to be accurate? I have serious and well grounded doubts.
I stand corrected… Thanks.
Great point.
EDDY, what you have stated is incorrect. As Caitlin pointed out in one of her articles on April 13,
..
“They tell me that Trump is bringing Assange to America for trial because he can only pardon him after he’s been convicted. This is false. A US president can pardon anyone at any time of any crime against the United States, without their having been convicted and without their even having been charged. After leaving office Richard Nixon was issued a full presidential pardon by Gerald Ford for “all offenses against the United States which he, Richard Nixon, has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 20, 1969 through August 9,1974.” Nixon had never been charged with anything. If Trump were going to pardon Assange he could have done it at any time since taking office, instead of issuing a warrant for his arrest in December 2017 and executing it on Thursday after a series of international legal manipulations. A pardon is not in the plans.”
..
Caitlin provided links in the above to the following:
..
“President Gerald R. Ford’s Proclamation 4311, Granting a Pardon to Richard Nixon
.
September 8, 1974
.
By the President of the United States of America a Proclamation
.
Richard Nixon became the thirty-seventh President of the United States on January 20, 1969 and was reelected in 1972 for a second term by the electors of forty-nine of the fifty states. His term in office continued until his resignation on August 9, 1974.
.
Pursuant to resolutions of the House of Representatives, its Committee on the Judiciary conducted an inquiry and investigation on the impeachment of the President extending over more than eight months. The hearings of the Committee and its deliberations, which received wide national publicity over television, radio, and in printed media, resulted in votes adverse to Richard Nixon on recommended Articles of Impeachment.
.
As a result of certain acts or omissions occurring before his resignation from the Office of President, Richard Nixon has become liable to possible indictment and trial for offenses against the United States. Whether or not he shall be so prosecuted depends on findings of the appropriate grand jury and on the discretion of the authorized prosecutor. Should an indictment ensue, the accused shall then be entitled to a fair trial by an impartial jury, as guaranteed to every individual by the Constitution.
.
It is believed that a trial of Richard Nixon, if it became necessary, could not fairly begin until a year or more has elapsed. In the meantime, the tranquility to which this nation has been restored by the events of recent weeks could be irreparably lost by the prospects of bringing to trial a former President of the United States. The prospects of such trial will cause prolonged and divisive debate over the propriety of exposing to further punishment and degradation a man who has already paid the unprecedented penalty of relinquishing the highest elective office of the United States.
.
Now, THEREFORE, I, GERALD R. FORD, President of the United States, pursuant to the pardon power conferred upon me by Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution, have granted and by these presents do grant a full, free, and absolute pardon unto Richard Nixon for all offenses against the United States which he, Richard Nixon, has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 20, 1969 through August 9,1974.
.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and seventy-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and ninety-ninth.
.
GERALD R. FORD”
Tulsi Gabbard went a large step further and called out against Assange’s arrest. She has recently said, among other things, his arrest sets a dangerous precedence and calls his arrest a “dangerous and slippery slope of government power”. She continues to take this stance. Tulsi 2020.
Yes, but why hasn’t she stated that she will pardon Assange if she is elected POTUS?
..
IMO this is THE litmus test for any candidate for POTUS. Almost certainly, political calculations are being made as I type on precisely this issue.
People, “leaks are not leaks if the government leaks them.”
These are known as nixoneisms.
A revelation of government wrongdoing is a leak called an assangenism.
They aren’t called “leaks” anymore. They’re called “sieves.”
the only way you can beat the self-appointed masters of the universe in their own game is by not participating in their game.
there are infinite number of ways to skew their rules without risking being suicided or incarcerated. get creative. whatever works for you.
whatever you have to do, make sure that your enemies do not benefit from your decisions. give them enough rope, and have fun watching them hanging themselves.
simultaneously, we will build the alternative world around us. we can start by bartering, sharing, making, growing, repairing, conserving, simplifying, recycling, whatever you can do well. cut back on your consumption of corporate products by 10%. the game will be over.
Ghadi made salt out of sea water, spun yarn with hand, wrapped himself with whole cloth instead of wearing suits woven and tailor-made in London, to demonstrate how you can BDS and beat your enemy’s system of oppression and exploitation.
Gandhi
thank you. i wish there was the edit button.
thank you. i wish there was the edit button.
bankrupt the system, morally and financially. have fun throwing monkey ranches in the gear.
Have to commend you with your comment. It is entirely accurate. However, understanding our society today, there are very few people indeed, who are prepared to live such a life.
BUT, fear not, the coming economic crash will sort the seeds from the chaff so to speak, and if they wish to survive in that environment, they’ll have no choice, but to adopt a system as you suggest.
It doesn’t matter how ‘very few people’ are willing to turn them off. The only question is whether you are willing to turn them off.
—————-
Don’t strive for a perfect ideal, and then give up if you find it unreachable. Instead, you do what you can. Buy local when you can, because that keeps the money local. Buy from other sources than corporations when you can, because that helps the non-corporate sources stay alive. Turn off the corporate propaganda when you can, because that both keeps it out of your head and they lose the money they’d get by selling your eyeballs to advertisers. Do what you can when you can do it. Don’t stop until the empire falls.
CNN and NBC are propagandists and not journalists.
The whole definition has been changed by fake partisan news posing as news.
Our Orwellian changes to the language has altered alot of truths, Illegal Aliens are migrants,Marriage is not the same,accusations are convictions depending upon who you are etc etc
“Propagandist” will be a subspecialty in the licensing regime of Ministry of Truth’s professional journalism practice, in the near future. Requires expert certification, similar to the way law practice specialization is licensed. Not everyone will be permitted to practice Propaganda. Requires additional training.
About 75 years ago there was a German pastor that summed it up nicely. “First they came for the communists, and because I wasn’t a communist I didn’t speak up.” “Then they came for the trade unionists and because I wasn’t a trade unionist…”
“First they came for the journalists. We don’t know what happened next.’
– Sign carried by a demonstrator protesting Julian Assange’s arrest
Good one!
Exactly!
So, it’s transparently obvious where this is leading. It won’t be long before there will be passionate cries to license journalists to “authenticate” them as professionals, meaning that the state will have control over who gets to call themselves a journalist and who doesn’t. You’ll have to be a J-School grad from an accredited journalism school. You might have to pass an examination on the subject of professional ethics. If you tell a story that the government doesn’t like, such as telling everyone that Hillary Clinton hangs out with people that have Satanic ritual sex parties with children, you will be “disbarred” from the practice of journalism. Imagine the next electoral season at CNN. That leads directly to Orwell “Ministry of Truth,” where Winston Smith worked where everyone is “protected” from “fake news.”
A similar model which would act as a paradigm would be the practice of law. To even call yourself a “lawyer,” you need to get approval from your state bar association, who are similarly zealous about “protecting” the public from dishonest lawyers. Saying “I’m a lawyer,” even if you graduated from Yale Law School with a JD, can get you in a lot of trouble for “Unauthorized Practice of Law,” a misdemeanor. The legal profession is a cesspool of corruption just about everywhere you go these days. The truly honest ones, many of them crusaders for the public good that challenge the powerful, are often hounded out of the profession by witch hunting elitists.
Beware! Two plus two is rapidly approaching five, as O’Brien and the Party tell us.