Commentary; Posted: 3/16/05
Free flow of information is vital for a free society
There is a growing concern that since the tragedy of the 9/11 terrorist attack, the government has been putting more restrictions on the free flow of information in this Democracy.
The First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees every American freedom of speech, of the press, the right to peaceably assemble and to petition the Government for a re-dress of grievances.
The public, as well as the press, should be concerned about a recent study that showed one in three U. S. high school students said the press ought to be more restricted. Even more of them said the government should approve newspaper stories before readers see them.
Observers tell us these results mirror what adults are saying. This is scary because the bottom line is that public records are the friend of the people as well as the news media, says Jim Pumarlo who edited the Red Wing Republican Eagle for 16 years and is the author of ìBad News and Good Judgmentî.
Pumarlo says, ìA basic premise of Minnesota open-government laws is that all information is classified public and all meetings are deemed open ñunless laws specifically say otherwise.î
He says itís unfortunate but far too many public officials withhold information based on a personal preference or hunch.
Reminding citizens and public officials about the right to access to government information is the focus of ìSunshine Sunday and Sunshine Week: Your Right to Knowî, which kicks off March 13.
The press believes it has an obligation to every American to protest closed meetings, to protect sources of information and to battle any effort to restrict access to public information.
Attempts at limiting the publicís right to know are occurring in board rooms and council chambers throughout the state.
The Mille Lacs County Board of Commissioners closed meetings when it had discussions on how to proceed in a lawsuit involving Native American treaty land rights. At a closed meeting, commissioners decided to spend $50,000 to hire an attorney, with the cost of that case finally reaching $1.1 million.
Another county decided to hear the publicís comments after it had voted on a particular measure.
The Brainerd City Council closed a meeting when it discussed the threat of a lawsuit from a peace group that had been denied permission to march in a Fourth of July Parade.
During the last session, the Minnesota Legislature, at the last minute passed a provision to limit the press to access to polling places and only if granted by an election clerk.
Wally Wakefield, a part-time sports reporter from North St. Paul, was fined $18,200 ($200 a day) for refusing to divulge his sources involved with a defamation lawsuit. The entire fine was covered by donations to the Wally Wakefield Defense Fund.
These abuses of First Amendment rights add up to the pressís concern about protecting the publicís right to know. A Democracy can be messy business, but one thing is certain. A free flow of information is vital for a free society and protecting that right is worth the battle.óDon Heinzman
Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605