It is often impossible for me to read entire accounts of what our government has done in the name of Democracy in one sitting. The torture documents were the most difficult. But I return to the text, feeling that it is my obligation as a safe, comfortable citizen to at least know of the facts. The nearly 3000 pages that the AP wrestled from the grip of our government through a Freedom of Information lawsuit in 2006 that told of the horrors at Guantanamo challenged my assumed obligation to know. The Associated Press series earned an award at the University of Florida.( http://news.ufl.edu/...
University of Florida News - UF Freedom of Information Center honors AP writer ) When the Pentagon was forced to release the names of the detainees, I felt angst for them and their families....what if it were I? Would anyone demand to know?
I've been issued no takedown orders for my properly posted diatribes on various websites over the last eight years. I am not inconvenienced by citing the source, author, date and tag line along with a link and brief quotation of the text on matters of which I want to share my thoughts and opinions with fellow online readers.
Bill Moyers was my most admired participant in the information business, until he interviewed AP President Tom Curley. They now share that place of respect, side by side.
http://www.pbs.org/...
NOW with Bill Moyers. Transcript. June 11, 2004 | PBS
(bottom 1/4 of page, last interview)
Did you know that the AP is a co-op that is owned by it's member newspapers, and not the other way around? http://www.ap.org/...
About Us | The Associated Press They are our champions at enforcing the 'peoples right to know'. If you would, take a few minutes and read the links on the right side of the following page, and watch the brief yet informative video.
http://www.ap.org/...
AP and Freedom of Information
You owe it to yourself to search the AP FOI by year. Just this month a suit went to SCOTUS and had the high courts full support in rejecting limits on FOIA. We wouldn't really have much to talk about without the AP's diligence.
Participants of this website who diary raise the bar of public dialog, and are a valuable asset in the distribution of information on the internet. As you see, I'm not a writer and I'm not geeky, so bear with me if you will with my first diary. But I was compelled to share my admiration for the AP, and to bring to your attention what they do for the citizens of this nation. When I visited the Drudge Retort website to look for the contested posting, I was puzzled at the blogsphere's response. I still am.
If something in this diary needs to be "blockquoted" please tell me how ;)