America’s founders valued freedom of the press so highly that in 1791 they wrote it right into the First Amendment of our U.S. Constitution – and it became part of the law of the land for our brand new democracy.
More than two centuries later, we are seeing press freedom in action as journalists – including our own Voice of America colleagues - bravely cover protests and demonstrations in cities across our country.
Members of the media have become a target of a growing number of verbal and physical threats to their safety – including arrests despite displaying press credentials – simply for covering the events of the day.
As President Thomas Jefferson said, “Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.” VOA laments any individual or institution that limits our nation’s cherished press freedom, especially because we know – more than most – what countries look like that have none.
