FFQF is the brain child of Hercules Mulligan, the owner of Meet the Founding Fathers, where he invites others to participate in exploring a quote (of their choice) by a Founding Father. FFQF stands for Founding Fathers' Quote Friday.
While writing this week’s entry for my other blog site, Great Lives – which celebrates the birthdays of historical figures with a relatively short biography of the individual - I found a quote by George Clymer that is the contribution to the FFQF today.Clymer was the ‘behind the scenes’ man during his service in the Continental Congress, serving on several crucial committees concerned with the war effort. He didn’t seek the limelight. He sought to provide provisions, arms, and assistance to the country in its War for Independence. He was one of the early colonials who spoke out in favor of Independence before the idea became popular, was republican (philosophy, not party) in his ideals, and was a strong supporter of the common man. He put action behind his words – converting his specie (British pounds, gold, silver, etc.) in to the new Continental currency. His home was severely damaged by the British during a raid that was specifically aimed at trying to capture him. He signed both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution – one of only eight men to do so.
His contemporary, Benjamin Franklin, said of him that he had the “coolest, clearest head, the best heart, and the exactest morals of almost any man I ever met with.”
Clymer strongly backed the concept of ‘freedom of the press’. However, he recognized that with freedom comes responsibility. He once said:
His contemporary, Benjamin Franklin, said of him that he had the “coolest, clearest head, the best heart, and the exactest morals of almost any man I ever met with.”
Clymer strongly backed the concept of ‘freedom of the press’. However, he recognized that with freedom comes responsibility. He once said:
“A printer publishes a lie: for which he ought to stand in the pillory, for the people believe in and act upon it.”
I don’t believe that we ‘act’ on the news… we ‘react’ to it. We hear something, or read something that influences our thoughts and therefore our attitude and actions. By publishing – or not publishing – information (for instance on candidates in a political election) the reading and viewing public can be swayed in their thoughts and their votes.
Some of the errors are accidental. We have all read the typographical errors that occur with often humorous results. Other errors are due to the race in today’s ‘instant’ world to get the news out first, and henceforth the credit for getting the news out first – and having the news wrong in the process.
But it seems that some errors – whether of commission or omission – are purposeful, deliberately misleading the public into the view that the particular reporter and/or news organization has. We have all talked about the ‘slant’ that the news media has. “Fair and Balanced” news is right of center – so does that mean that ‘unfair and unbalanced’ news is left of center? Either way – the news is altered to present a biased view.
Biased viewpoints are a part of human nature, and have been part of the American press since it’s creation. I believe that most people in today’s world are – to an extent - aware of biased presentation. However, once the bias slips into outright lies, we find that there seldom is any real punishment. We quickly forget – or don’t explore the issue in the first place. Analyzing what we hear and see, balancing it with our own set of biases, and digging for the perceived ‘truth’ is often task that no one has the time – or takes the time – for.
We need to live up to our responsibility to monitor the ‘free press’ by holding it to a standard of truth in a consistent manner. Those who say that ‘truth is relative’ do not acknowledge that there is universal truth – it’s just that people prefer to ignore that truth to create their own.
There have been cases where the action of one person (assisted, I’m sure, by a battery of lawyers) have challenged an outright lie by the press, and won. A case with Carol Burnett comes to mind. But these cases are rare. We most often accept – then forget – what’s said and who said it.
We are seeing all too often “we regret the error” messages in our press. Errors are acceptable. The occasional blatant lie is not.
Some of the errors are accidental. We have all read the typographical errors that occur with often humorous results. Other errors are due to the race in today’s ‘instant’ world to get the news out first, and henceforth the credit for getting the news out first – and having the news wrong in the process.
But it seems that some errors – whether of commission or omission – are purposeful, deliberately misleading the public into the view that the particular reporter and/or news organization has. We have all talked about the ‘slant’ that the news media has. “Fair and Balanced” news is right of center – so does that mean that ‘unfair and unbalanced’ news is left of center? Either way – the news is altered to present a biased view.
Biased viewpoints are a part of human nature, and have been part of the American press since it’s creation. I believe that most people in today’s world are – to an extent - aware of biased presentation. However, once the bias slips into outright lies, we find that there seldom is any real punishment. We quickly forget – or don’t explore the issue in the first place. Analyzing what we hear and see, balancing it with our own set of biases, and digging for the perceived ‘truth’ is often task that no one has the time – or takes the time – for.
We need to live up to our responsibility to monitor the ‘free press’ by holding it to a standard of truth in a consistent manner. Those who say that ‘truth is relative’ do not acknowledge that there is universal truth – it’s just that people prefer to ignore that truth to create their own.
There have been cases where the action of one person (assisted, I’m sure, by a battery of lawyers) have challenged an outright lie by the press, and won. A case with Carol Burnett comes to mind. But these cases are rare. We most often accept – then forget – what’s said and who said it.
We are seeing all too often “we regret the error” messages in our press. Errors are acceptable. The occasional blatant lie is not.
Essential Question: How can we make our students aware of the concept – and responsibilities – of the free press, and of the citizen’s responsibilities to not only protect and guard it, but to hold it to a standard of honest reporting?
1 comment:
Wow. This is great information. Thanks for participating today, and for the very informative lesson about George Clymer.
I wrote my FFQF post. Maybe, it will partially answer the question you posed at the end of your post.
Happy FFQF!
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