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Rachel Maddow-Journalists push for 'forceful defense of freedom of the press' at dinner attended by Trump
It is, shall we say, awkward that this president will attend an event that is supposed to honor and celebrate the free press in this country.
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/white-house-correspondents-dinner-trump-petition-attacks-on-freedom-of-the-press
On Saturday, journalists will gather in Washington, dress up all fancy and get together to celebrate the First Amendment at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. (No, I’m not going. I’m allergic.)
The point of the event is to put a spotlight on the importance of the free and independent press in this country. The dinner also funds scholarships for journalism students......
Traditionally, the dinner involves lots of jokes at politicians’ expense — particularly at the president’s expense. We all know Trump cannot stand anyone making fun of him, and so he has avoided the dinner.
Until now. This year, he says he is going.
And it is, shall we say, awkward that this president will attend an event that is supposed to honor and celebrate the free press in this country......
More than 250 veteran journalists signed on to a petition urging the White House Correspondents’ Association to protest at the event on Saturday, against what they call the president’s efforts to “trample freedom of the press.”
The petition includes a handy bulleted list of all the ways this president has tried to block the First Amendment in this country.
In light of that list, the petitioners say the association should offer, from the stage this weekend, a “forceful defense of freedom of the press and condemnation of those who threaten that freedom” and should do so “in front of the man who seeks to undermine our country’s long tradition of an independent, strong, and free press.”
As I said, more than 250 veteran journalists signed this petition. I wonder what will happen on Saturday.
The point of the event is to put a spotlight on the importance of the free and independent press in this country. The dinner also funds scholarships for journalism students......
Traditionally, the dinner involves lots of jokes at politicians’ expense — particularly at the president’s expense. We all know Trump cannot stand anyone making fun of him, and so he has avoided the dinner.
Until now. This year, he says he is going.
And it is, shall we say, awkward that this president will attend an event that is supposed to honor and celebrate the free press in this country......
More than 250 veteran journalists signed on to a petition urging the White House Correspondents’ Association to protest at the event on Saturday, against what they call the president’s efforts to “trample freedom of the press.”
The petition includes a handy bulleted list of all the ways this president has tried to block the First Amendment in this country.
In light of that list, the petitioners say the association should offer, from the stage this weekend, a “forceful defense of freedom of the press and condemnation of those who threaten that freedom” and should do so “in front of the man who seeks to undermine our country’s long tradition of an independent, strong, and free press.”
As I said, more than 250 veteran journalists signed this petition. I wonder what will happen on Saturday.
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
Here is the list mentioned by Rachel in the OP
Link to tweet
Over 250 journalists signed a letter to the White House Correspondents Association asking them to send a message condemning Donald Trump’s attacks on the First Amendment:
“The collective weight of the administration's actions - retaliatory access bans, coercive regulatory investigations, frivolous lawsuits against the press, defunding of public broadcasting, dismantling of international broadcasting, physical restrictions on journalists, personal verbal attacks on reporters, assaults on the media in official White House press releases and social media posts, the arrest of journalists, and the pardoning of those who committed violence against the press - represent the most systematic and comprehensive assault on freedom of the press by a sitting American president.”
The letter proceeds to list all of his attacks.
“The collective weight of the administration's actions - retaliatory access bans, coercive regulatory investigations, frivolous lawsuits against the press, defunding of public broadcasting, dismantling of international broadcasting, physical restrictions on journalists, personal verbal attacks on reporters, assaults on the media in official White House press releases and social media posts, the arrest of journalists, and the pardoning of those who committed violence against the press - represent the most systematic and comprehensive assault on freedom of the press by a sitting American president.”
The letter proceeds to list all of his attacks.
