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According to the Committee to Protect Journalists 1,082 journalists have been killed around the world since 1992. Reuters has created an interactive visualization, Journalist Deaths, of all 1,082 such journalist by time and location. How many journalists were killed in the United States? Six.
Men and women of great courage are dying every year trying to bring the truth to the citizens of their country. While other organizations have projected even higher numbers, the point of this commentary is the same: the Unite States is one of the safest nations in the world to be a journalist. That's the good news.
The bad news is American journalists are failing the people because they are not taking advantage of the conditions created by the social contract in the United States under the Constitution.
Yes, a few have been killed. Yes, a few have lost their careers. But not enough to justify the failure of American journalists to demonstrate the courage and will to challenge the government in all things and bring the truth to the people, who can most certainly handle that truth and have every right to know.
The most important news story in history has been embargoed for 70 years. Now it is breaking, and it is absolutely essential the high-paid, First Amendment protected reporters, editors and producers do their job on behalf of the people they serve.
"Our Republic and its press will rise or fall together."
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