Written by the Free Press Editorial Board
Since Donald Trump began his campaign, he has been relying on some negative sentiments of voters to gain popularity. It is plain to see that most media outlets are partisan, favoring either Democrats or Republicans, generally. Trump has taken full advantage of this fact, attacking news sources that support liberal ideologies and the democratic party. His attacks are often in the form of tweets, questioning the integrity of news sources, calling them fake news and sometimes disparaging the media in general.
In a recent press conference, President Trump refused to take questions from a representative from CNN, stating that their “organization is terrible,” and despite the reporter’s best efforts, would not allow him the opportunity to speak. While Trump is not compelled to answer every journalist that confronts him, it is in good faith to allow questions to be asked, especially by his opponents. If he is morally superior, then no question asked could harm him. Hopefully, this type of behavior will not continue through his presidency.
Unfortunately, the nature of his victory in the presidential election supports some of his claims. Many of the polls that were released throughout the presidential campaigns turned out not to be entirely reflective of public opinion. Trump, being the outspoken and brash individual that he is, immediately jumped on this and future polls, calling them “phony” and “rigged.”
Several polls close to election day showed heavier support for Hillary Clinton than for President Trump. Taking methodology into consideration, it’s not unreasonable for a poll to be incorrect. It is necessary to take a sample of voters into consideration, as it’s not possible to literally ask everyone who they’re voting for. Further, it’s likely that not everyone would tell the truth about who they’ll vote for, especially in such a tense political atmosphere.
News is something to be skeptical of and it is impossible to truly understand everything going on in the world regardless of how many articles one reads or newscasts one watches. Any article or story will have bias, but at the core of any media by someone who possesses some degree of journalistic integrity, there are objective truths and facts.
No information is perfect and no institution has a spotless reputation, but the media is an extremely important part of the culture and daily life of Americans. It is counterproductive for anyone, especially the President of the United States, to attack the media and attempt to foster distrust and disdain toward news sources.
It is important for people to trust certain news sources, from people who share similar views and who have similar interests. Even more important though is a trust in sources which do not. In order to get a more accurate and fair idea of happenings around the country or around the world, it’s important to consider the other side.
Freedom of the press is very important to the American political process as well, and increasingly so as we progress through the digital age. More and more, people continue to express themselves and seek information through the internet. The average millennial, as with any question they might like to research, will likely turn first to Google for answers about politics and the history of candidates and issues. With the rise of ‘fake news’, which people should be able to spot at a glance, the establishment and promotion of trustworthy news sources is even more important.
At the end of the day, there is nothing that can be done to turn back the historical event that was the Inauguration of President Trump, but the people do have the power to fight back the injustice. Contact your local government and voice your concerns. Obtain a subscription to your favorite news organization so that they can continue to thrive in a world where silencing the press is becoming a normality. Stand up for what you believe in, march for your rights and make your voice heard.