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The First Amendment is the foundation of all of our freedoms. That is why it stands atop our Bill of Rights, which spells out strict limits on the governments power to crush individuals and deny them their liberty.

Under the First Amendment, Congress and, by extension, state legislatures shall make no law abridging freedom of the press.

Freedom of the press has been of incalculable value to the people of the United States. It has brought to light corruption and other problems that powerful officials would rather have suppressed. It has informed the American people about the issues so that they may govern themselves. It has righted injustice and championed justice.

Given the hunger for power reflected in the gnawing desire of some politicians to micromanage peoples lives the First Amendment provides an essential check against tyranny. Many politicians would like nothing better than to shut up the public and have their way. Certainly, this is how authoritarian regimes function.

Members of the Rhode Island legislature should understand all that. If they do not, it seems clear that our civics education is even worse than advertised.

Last week, we learned that four senators, all Democrats Sandra Cano, of Pawtucket; Elizabeth Crowley, of Central Falls; Ana Quezada, of Providence; and Harold Metts, of Providence sponsored legislation that on its face was an assault on the First Amendment.

It sought to dictate to the press what must be reported.

As the bill ludicrously put it: The state has a compelling interest to compel the press to promote the objective truth for the sake of the viability of democracy and for the safety, health, and welfare of our communities and in keeping with the spirit of the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and to stop the press from serving as a slander machine.

Needless to say, such an approach would be blatantly unconstitutional. As Steven Brown, executive director of the Rhode Island chapter of the ACLU, noted, These types of efforts to control the press have absolutely no place in a democratic society.

Sponsoring an assault on the peoples most basic freedoms for whatever reason is a black eye to those members and should be of concern to the voters in their districts.

Fortunately, even the sponsors backed off late last week.

According to Senate spokesman Greg Pare, Senator Cano sponsored the Senate legislation as a favor to Rep. Grace Diaz, D-Providence. Ms. Diaz said she withdrew her House bill after a colleague told her, you are setting yourself up for a headache.

Senator Cano then withdrew her bill and vowed in a tweet, My family came to this country for the freedoms of the 1st Amendment & I will do better in defending it!

It is, of course, the responsibility of the news media to strive to be fair and balanced.

But, for obvious reasons, you dont want politicians and bureaucrats dictating whats fair and what isnt in news coverage. And, under our glorious First Amendment, they may not.

Read the original:
Editorial: Preserving the First Amendment - Opinion - The Providence Journal