Freedom of Information“More than anything, FOIA helps set the terms of the relationship between the governed and those who govern. It puts flesh on the idea that government ought to be accountable to all of us. It says we have a right to know. We have a right to question. It constantly reaffirms a basic standard of transparency, and this standard has served the American people well. It has helped reporters, researchers, historians, bloggers, activists and ordinary citizens shine a light on countless examples of incompetence, waste and corruption. It says that we are governed, not ruled—a distinction at the core of the American experiment.”
—David Barstow, investigative reporter, The New York Times, March 16, 2011.
“Freedom of Information Day: Five Questions With David Barstow,
Investigative Reporter for the New York Times”
Investigative Reporter for the New York Times”
Congress created a national Freedom of Information Day in 1989, to be observed on or around March 16, the birthday of James Madison, fourth president of the United States and primary architect of the Bill of Rights.
Editorial Comment: Bright light: A good remedy for government mildew.
HB477 Cartoon by Pat Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune: Utah’s House Bill 477, which rolled back the state’s open-records law, was repealed in a special legislative session on Friday after widespread outrage by citizens and journalists, and a statewide petition campaign. The existing Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA) law will be reviewed by a working group and may be rewritten this summer.
The ‘Dying Newspaper’? Salt Lake Tribune editor Nancy Conway comes to Utah State TODAY to deliver a Morris Media & Society Lecture—“The Myth of the Dying Newspaper.” As Mark Twain might have said, rumors of the death of the newspaper are greatly exaggerated, says Conway, the first woman to lead the 132-year-old Trib. Come hear why. Eccles Science Learning Center 046, 9 a.m., followed by Q&A for journalism students. URLJoin Today’s WORD on FaceBook and Twitter! And (be)Friend USU JCOM Alumni & Friends.
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To fully consent, the one getting screwed must be fully informed. That's why we have laws like statutory rape.
ReplyDelete—Will