World Press Freedom Day -- Not Just For Journalists

As a journalist I have my own special reasons to care about the issue of press freedom.  But so does should every freedom-loving individual on our planet. Americans enjoy the fruits of a well-conceived system of law and values, won through sacrifices including many wars and constant vigilance. Among the most necessary institutions which must help us to sustain our precious liberty is a free press.

So, I bring World Press Freedom Day to your attention. It is proclaimed by the United Nations and supported by the U.S. government, celebrated by many organizations and professional journalists. This year's events are being held in Tunis, where the Arab Spring is thought to have been inspired by a young street vendor who set himself on fire in late 2010. Supporting press freedom celebrations or events are being held elsewhere around the world, including at the National Press Club. 

I had the honor of presiding at the key World Press Freedom Prize ceremony last year at the National Press Club. Both on that day and ever since, hearing first-hand accounts from journalists who suffered oppression or torture have touched me to my core, as would any compelling tale of human suffering.  You can read about one of those stories, about Mukesh from Pakistan, here.

Take a moment to think about where we stand at the moment.  Reporters Without Borders counts 21 journalists killed while doing their job so far this year. Some 161 have been imprisoned.

The Committee To Protect Journalists is drawing attention to countries that are the worst offending  censors. Perhaps surprising to some is the worst censor listed, Eritrea in Africa, where the last accredited foreign journalist was expelled in 2007.  Better known are the repressive conditions in North Korea, number-two on the list. Others cited as top censoring offenders include Syria, Iran and Cuba. China gets the equivalent of a dishonorable mention.

Also on this day, it is time to think about journalists who have died in the line of duty, both recently and long ago.  CPJ says there have been more than 900 such deaths since 1992, including 692 murdered over those 20 years. Three of the journalists murdered just this year have been in Somalia.

All lives are precious, of course. But by monitoring how journalists fare, we can also get a sense how well all people are engaging in their own treasured pursuits of life, liberty and happiness, or all too often, how they are not.