This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Aug. 2, 2013: Dear Beaconites -
The case of Pfc. Bradley Manning brought to light the usual arguments over the public's right to know and the government's need to keep secrets. Manning was convicted on most counts this week but acquitted on the most serious charge, aiding the enemy.
You don't have to like Manning's motives or methods -- or those of Julian Assange and WikiLeaks -- to understand that leaks are vital in helping citizens keep their government in check. The authors of the First Amendment knew full well that journalists and their sources could be vindictive, incompetent, egotistical and inane. They protected press freedom anyway under the theory that eventually truth will prevail in the marketplace of ideas.
Over the last couple centuries, that's generally proved to be true. Still, on any given day rumor tends to outrun fact. Digital technology seems only to have accelerated the pace.
The First Amendment guarantees that the press will be free, but not that it will be fair or thoughtful. Not that it will focus on anything significant. And not that those news organizations that strive to be fair, thoughtful and substantive will thrive. All that depends on the perceptiveness, principles and perseverence of journalists and citizens. We must redeem the promise of the First Amendment or suffer the consequences.
This week, William Freivogel analyzed the grand First Amendment issues in the Manning case and others. Meanwhile, the Beacon worked in several humble ways to redeem that promise.
Washington correspondent Rob Koenig and reporter Mary Delach Leonard focused on lessons learned and ignored from the Great Flood of 1993. Rob looked at national policy on river management and flood plain development.
Mary revisited residents of Valmeyer, who moved up the bluffs rather than rebuild on hazardous ground. Next week, Mary will explore Chesterfield, which took the opposite approach. This month, 20 years after the Chesterfield Valley flooded, two new malls will open in a heavily developed flood plain.
On another matter of great importance to our region, reporter Bob Joiner and presentation editor Brent Jones continued our coverage of the school transfer issue. It's the latest chapter in a decades-long saga that revolves around educatonal quality and inequality.
Working with general manager Nicole Hudson Hollway, Brent kicked off a new effort to supplement our steady diet of in-depth reporting with easily digestible bites of relevant information.
Brent charted the number of transfer requests by grade and the average class size in different districts over several years. The tide of transfer requests may be large overall, but it looks less daunting when broken down. For example, it might mean only one additional kindergartener traveling to a given receiving district.
We're sharing this information as quickly as we dig it out in hopes that facts will feed into and perhaps temper the ongoing debate. You can help us explore the significance of the numbers. You can also help by letting us know what else you want to know. Email questions and thoughts to education reporter Dale Singer, dsinger@stlbeacon.org.
Complex topics such as flood plain management and school quality may not get as much attention as Manning's macro leaks or Assange's swashbuckling tactics. Yet ultimately, our democracy depends not just on high profile defense of First Amendment rights, but also on how well we use those rights to inform citizens.
At the Beacon, we're using those rights to help build a better St. Louis. We're grateful that many of our fellow citizens recognize the importance of the effort and have stepped forward to sustain it.
Sincerely,
Margie