Comforting the afflicted ...
Talking freedom of the press at Rockville United Church, pictured above.
The rainbow flag flying in front of Rockville United Church wore out; steady persistence had paid off. The previous two times the church had to replace the flag was because it had been stolen or ruined.
Now, not only had the flag celebrating the LGBQT community been flying long enough to need replacing, a neighbor offered to pay for a replacement. The neighbor was not a church member.
Had The Gazette still been in business, that story would have made a fine little feature, the kind of story that local beat reporters can write in their sleep, but that never make the front page or get the most clicks or trend on twitter: #rainbowflaglove.
The flag story represents the kind of news that many readers still appreciate because it reminds them that their cities, towns, or hamlets are flush with good people doing good things. In fearful and divisive times, that reminder is most welcome.
Too many of those stories go unreported now simply because newspapers are being bought, sold, merged, and killed mercilessly on a daily basis. When newspapers die or are diminished, we all lose. Quality and quantity slips as newsrooms shrink or disappear altogether. On top of the loss of independent newspapers, we are now faced with deciphering real news from fake news, questioning everything and believing little.
I found out about the flag story at the Rockville United Church because I was invited to talk about freedom of the press. I am sure there are far more qualified journalists than me to talk about this lofty topic, but I was curious enough to say yes. Curious at the message being conveyed, inviting a hyper local reporter to talk about a free press in a time when everyone’s hyper focused on the news coming out of Washington, D.C. I was intrigued by what freedom of the press means for church goers in this context, especially church goers from a D.C. suburb.
Of course, I assume church members want to be good citizens. Being a good citizen means staying educated and informed on the state of the world you live in. When you want to keep your finger on the pulse of the machinations of the world and its people, you read or watch or listen to the news. But as the flag story indicates, this is a church that promotes free speech and free expression, a church that welcomes all. Below is an image from the church's website, rockvilleunitedchurch.org.
The Rev. Dr. E. Scott Winnette, or Pastor Scott as he’s called, fashioned an entire sermon on the value of a free press. He imparted to his flock that freedom of the press is the key to democracy. The fourth estate’s role in speaking truth to power is ultimately the crucial check and balance that holds a democracy together, he said.
Pastor Scott also told them that the source of the saying that journalists adopted in the 19th century to define their cause was not particularly flattering. “To comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable” was just one of the powers bestowed upon the fourth estate, but was originally written from the point of view of a fictitious Everyman in the early part of the century. The character was, in his own colorful way, complaining about the power of the press to change lives, for better or worse. Despite its origin, journalists, and later churches, adopted the mantra as both rallying cry and mission statement.
After this rousing sermon, and some rather stellar post-sermon snacks, about 35 folks stayed to talk about the value of a free press. Many of them wanted to know how to separate fact from fiction, true stories from fake stories, and whether our freedoms are being compromised by the new administration.
According to President Donald Trump, journalists are the real power mongers, conspiring to squash stories on terrorist attacks, lying about facts, figures and events. He went so far as to label journalists “the enemy of the people,” and shut out major news organizations from White House press briefings. Of course, conservatives have long alleged that the media is biased towards the left and the Democrats. Some of it is, some of it is not, just as some is right-leaning, catering to more conservative view points.
As for President Trump’s allegations, he’s not the first president to point fingers at the media. Former President Richard Nixon called the press, the “enemy,” and wanted to quash bad press about himself and his administration.
The internet has spawned many news-oriented blogs, some legitimate, some not so much. The reliance on traditional newspapers for our news has hit new lows. An estimated 1,300 daily newspapers, mostly local, were in circulation as of 2015, a record low in the history of newspapers. As jobs and outlets vanish, the pull of the bottom line has led to more sensationalism and an urgency to be first with a story, even if it means not fully vetting the facts.
As consumers of news, we are responsible to research until we are satisfied that our chosen news sources are reliable. A newspaper’s number one asset is its reputation for accuracy and an intention to get it right.
Does this mean that the best reporting shows no bias? As long as human beings are observing, translating and reporting the news, bias will be a component of that news. Reputable journalists and editors, however, are committed to getting the story right, regardless of bias. Their credibility and success depends on it. Now more than ever.
My advice to the church members beyond being responsible consumers, is to support the news outlets you respect and believe in – read, watch, give feedback, buy ads, send story ideas, write letters to the editor. If you are fortunate enough to still have a local press, be grateful, and be avid readers and ombudsmen. And send them some flag stories.
