A new Marist-McClatchy poll has revealed a disappointingly strong opposition to the notion of a free press in the United States. The poll showed strong support for the notion of censoring WikiLeaks and prosecuting anyone involved in the publication of classified data.
In 1971 the US Supreme Court vindicated the right to publish classified data in the public interest as part of the furor surrounding the release of the Pentagon Papers. Some forty years later, the poll points to a public in no mood for arguments related to its own right to know.
Only 22 percent of Americans thought the releases were a good thing, while some 59 percent believed that anyone involved ought to be prosecuted. Though there is no immediate indication that this is the case, one can hope the methodology of the polling somehow skewed the results. However it must also be considered that the American public has simply changed its mind about the historical notion of a free press and is now firmly in favor of broad censorship on national security grounds.
The poll will likely fuel the growing befuddlement of the rest of the world at the Obama Administration’s lip service for a free press (and the State Department’s announcement of a May event honoring the notion) even as they look to prosecute people on the basis of embarrassing publications and as Congress meets with the sole determination to change the law to restrict the right to publish such material even further.
If there is one silver lining to what must indeed be a very dark cloud, it is that the poll showed narrow support among Americans between the age of 18 and 29, suggesting that the younger generation are growing more supportive of the idea of free speech, even as the older generations have, according to the data, angrily dismissed the idea.
This was one of the most disappointing things I've read in a while. I don't know what to think. Part of me just wants to say "Americans are too stupid to have freedom so why care anymore?"
I can't even discuss the whole wikileaks story with anyone I know because its too hard to explain it to them. Such basic concepts as freedom of speech and freedom of the press are not even seen as worth worrying about. All they can see is that wikileaks did something the government doesn't like so the government has every right to assassinate or throw them in jail.
Another piece of evidence confirming that most Americans are clueless cowards that deserve to live in the totalitarian dictatorship they crave. Sucks for the rest of us.
Exactly. Now, if we could just get them to move South and hack the reborn Confederacy off what's left of reasonably normal America, we might have something. Barring that… it doesn't look like I'll be able to come home again anytime soon.
"it must also be considered that the American public has simply changed its mind…"
The American public has no mind–i.e., a "mind" is not necessary for TV watchers, and other cretins desperate for "entertainment".
That's why we're in this "Empire" mess–WE, the Sheeple, have fatuously enabled this global juggernaut by swallowing the ruse that we were (are) exceptional–i.e., die Übermenschen, or WASP master race! And, yet we have ALL partaken of the Ponzi looting and ill-gotten gains–NO exceptions.
Narcissistic schmucks deserve what they've accommodated, for 234 years…WE are Empire!
Robert Jackson SPECIFICALLY WARNED US at Nuremberg NOT to emulate those we were zealously, triumphantly walking to the gallows.
Guess whose turn it is to greet the hangman? WE are Empire!
I don't know that the majority of Americans ever supported freedom of the press except in a rhetorical sense.
This is why countries have written constitutions- to provide at least a brake on the notional excesses of the democratic masses. There's no way that the protection the constitution provides is perfect, or permanent; but at least, it's going to be hard for this new Tea Party congress to wipe away 230 years of freedom of the press. They'll need to repeal an amendment or two to get what they want- and clearly, Mitch McConnell will do that if necessary.
But that will take time, and perhaps the country will come to its senses before they get that far.
The real problem is, how many really pressing issues will pass beyond help while the formerly United States get our collective head out of the posterior orifice it's jammed in, and how badly will we be hurt as a nation and society in the process? This is starting to feel an awful lot like 1860 to this history buff, and I wholeheartedly subscribe to the premise that "good only defeats evil if good is very, very lucky."
And how come logging in is such a PITA?
This is the first bit of news that has made me seriously consider getting out of the US. And it tells me that the Empire is on its way to some really nasty wars.
Let us hope that China and Russia can stick together sufficiently to balance and restrain the Empire.
Americans are on the way to suffering greatly for their tolerance of Empire and the elite.
I reluctantly conclude that Jefferson was right and that we need another revolution – very painful process indeed.
Wikileaks allowed us to learn that Dyncorp used US tax payer money to host a party where they hired a boy as a sex slave for the guests. Proof –> http://j.mp/hChr8r Dyncorp has a long history of teafiking human sex slaves yet our government keeps giving them contracts. Or congress is either FOR preventing Dyncorp or it's employees from working under a government contract ever again, OR THEY ARE FOR using children as sex slaves. Dyncorp's repeated actions can not be forgiven or excused! http://j.mp/hChr8r
The real poll should have been separated into two polls: ones for heavy internet users, and one for light internet users. I think the poll as given reflects the comprehensive and coordinated pro-government spin presented by the MSM regarding the Assange/Wikileaks affair. It appears that corporate media left right and center, network and cable have all been negative with a two-pronged attack: "rape" on one hand and anti-Americanism to the point of "terrorism" on the other.
That explains the opinions of the tv watchers. What are the numbers for those who get their news — look for the facts — on the internet?
But here is not the case of "free speech"which is repelled by Americans but the truth which is refused,the cables are not interpretations are facts.Americans people love American myth which is far from truth
Yes, they are fake humans, I am afraid. "The proof of the pudding is in the eating". That special American nonsense philosophy of pragmatism, heavily supported by the Italian fascist and brute, Mussolini, seems wholly adopted, because it of course makes life easier to grasp, and more plesant and self-bolstering.
Lies do not exist! As the Fawlty Towers host, John Gleese expresses it at one point: "Who won that bloody war!" Or take that visionary sci-fi movie: "Forbidden Planet" from the fifties. In that one "the monster" is revealed as a psychologically self-inforced ever growing destructive force. The Arch-American himself!
All that nonsense about spreading democracy and freedom! Now it is obvious, that these things are much less valued than overwhelming power and full control! For anyone with half a brain to see. The monster is revealed! All that remains is for the living persons to reclaim a meaningful life. So pressure from abroad is not the real solution. Americans must cure themselves and their society! And do it deliberately and with full reason and mind. Or else the psychopaths will reemerge and continue their dark self-destructive course.
Please Google " Texas company dancing boy" you will see that wikileaks has a
exposed a huge coverup,
I did that and was quite disturbed! Unfortunately I could not see the video for some reason of "rights". Sounds really awkward in that connection! What is the name of the company that have rights – not to protect some artistic value – but instead rights to harbour evidence of children abuse? Paid for by an American corporation!
Can it become sicker than that, this modern world of the worst of nightmares on mankind?
No! All this means is that we have a lot of educational work to do. Let's get off our asses and do it.
good post!
It’s time to unplug those old fascist farts and reclaim this country.
I see this ending much the same as the McCarthy hearings with Lieberman being McCarthy. Unfortunately, I don't know whether Americans will end up on the correct side.
The whole reason our government is getting away with ignoring (wholesale) the constitution, is because the people aren't organized in any meaningful way. Who gets what they want in Washington? Special interest groups with large numbers of members, that's who!
It doesn't matter how the C.I.A. spins it,the oil is running out.The Western governments have no answer for this,America has no leaders of worth and the American People,on the whole,are not the brightest folks in the world.This is why you get polling numbers like we have here.There is some oil off of the coasts of Viet Nam and Cuba and the tar sands and oil shale have not been depleted much as yet.Iraq was a big bid to acquire more oil but Iraq has been pumping out it's oil since the 1920's and 30's and it's fields are in similar shape to Saudi Arabia.The American Federal Reserve printed nine trillion dollars to bail out the world banking system after the last oil spike.It will not be able to do that again.There are probably five or so years until the next oil spike of enormous proportions and it will be the last oil spike.In the mean time there is going to be nothing but ever increasing lies,b.s. and propaganda from the U.S. to convince people that what is happening is not really happening.China,of course,is the one wild card in all of this.China is simply powerful enough to take on the west and shows increasing willingness to do so.Things could get really bad in less than five years as America keeps pushing the limits of it's ever decreasing power.
Americans supported the "Patriot Act", the Iraq War, murder by drones, torture, so why the surprise they support censorship?
22% is still enough to hang a jury. Americans are still under the false impression that our government is protecting us. This comes from fear mongering and hate baiting. The government is protecting us from evil Arabs & Muslims, so we need to let them do their jobs, right? The solution is to work hard against xenophobia.
The results of this poll reflect years of intentionally poor education and indoctrination leading to expected misinterpretation of ” patriotism”. In the end you do what you are told, pay attention to something inconsequential and maximize your consumption. A perfect picture of the needs of a contemporary American baboon.
Add this poll result to the one, in which, most people supported the TSA pat down procedure and it doesn't bode well for the concept of privacy/liberty. I worry that people are so quick to surrender someone else's rights so eagerly. I'm more concerned that they allow their own rights to be trimmed away in the name of convenience. We had better draw the line somewhere real soon or any real concept of democracy and freedom will be gone. As Ben Franklin said before the Revolution, "We must all hang together, or surely we will all hang separately." God help us !
I always question these sorts of polls anyway. How they ask is important, but also, these are obviously great ways to take advantage of the bandwagon effect, and I'm sure that they are sometimes manipulated in order to manipulate the public.
They hate us for our freedoms!
And we praise ourselves for our gullibility and eager willingness to let other people suffer for our comforts!
largely supportive of "re-edittting" would have been a better,more humourous,,,dichotomy,,,hey Winston we invented a new "word" 4 ya
Assuming this poll is true, which I'm reluctant to do since polls are just another marketing tool of the system, it could be very well true that countries get the governments they deserve. The American people seem to be just fine electing these dumb, useless puppets as presidents who are just going to delegate running the country to necons and other traitors.
Don't worry, the propaganda will be over soon and the tide will shift as it has for the war. My uncle and his son the cousin-colonel have shifted positions after years to 'get the hell out' and home. It's taken time and some prodding but they freely admitted in the past week that it's a costly scan all for not. I see these folks as a MAJOR gage of what's going on in the 'rest of America' so have hope. Time will prove Wikileaks out.
Respondents age 18 – 29 DID support freedom of the press – not by a huge margin, but they were the only population group anywhere near 50% support for Wikileaks. Perhaps there is hope for the far, far, future.
Its a shred of hope, but I'm sure sufficient changes to public education can drum those numbers down a bit
All polls are fixed. Like Rick said, “Polls are a marketing tool”.
Even if the poll was accurate though it wouldn’t make any difference. At this stage of the game it doesn’t matter what foolish, bootlicking, toadys think.
The people that are fighting this corrupt, hydra-headed, monster don’t read polls. lol.
I think its clear what this is about. North Americans Don't Want To Know How Evil They Are.
And would also rather nobody else be able to confront them with it.
It is said that Evil can't stand sight of its own reflection. Wikileaks is trying to show the US government to the US people. They are like the post WW2 German Hausfrau running down the street blocking her eyes on being shown the local concentration camp by allied occupiers. They can;t handle the truth and don;t want to try.
Like others here, I'm skeptical of this and all other polls. I find it difficult to reconcile the massive outrage the TSA's pornoscanners and gropings have engendered with the poll showing 80% support for them. To quote the famous Lost in Space robot, "That does not compute." Don't forget, McClatchy is part of the dying MSM, which has become a government lickspilttle and which the Internet has rendered all but irrelevant.
My favorite example of suspicious polling happened 15 years ago when the liberal fishwrap in a nearby county touted a poll it had conducted showing solid support for a school bond issue — which lost by a 3-1 margin.
Of course, one can go even farther back to find examples of fouled-up polls.
Continued
Wow, and the Oil Industry (NRE – Non Renewable Energy Industry with their dirty little Secret = Invention Security Act of 1951 {The Cookie Jar, that last year alone suppressed 5,135 patents}) experiencing record profits. And continuing to in a Depression. It is about the Money. Just follow the trail(s).
The Most Important aspect of this Plan is to misdirect, obfuscate and confuse. Keep people from finding out. Keep them separate and arguing incessantly. The louder they yell out their innocence, then “me thinks that they protest, too much.”
People are selfish.
As long as the system, no matter how evil, provides for them, they will support it. It does not matter if it's killing millions of other people in a land far far away to do it.
A Gallup or CNN poll would be more convincing — and in any case you can't tell too much from a single survey.
A lot depends on the wording, order, and context of questions. Even the introductory message, the voice (male or female), the production value, and sound quality (clear or staticky) can influence results. These can all create what are called "demand characteristics": subtle things people take as cues for how they think they should respond.
As Strider55 noted, the results seem inconsistent with other polls (e.g., the latest Pew Research poll suggests that around 50% or more of Americans want to see troops removed from Afghanistan ASAP). If they had first asked "Do you think the war in Afghanistan is going well?", it's likely that more respondents — confronted with the need to be consistent — would have supported Wikileaks.
Hello, Dr. Paul Craig Roberts had a recent interview with Max Keiser. It was very good. One point he made was that Americans are not capable of defending their constitutional rights. They for the most have no concept of what rights are. I would like to add a new saying.
Old Saying: It is as easy as taking candy away from a baby.
New Saying: It is as easy as taking a Constitutional Right away from an American.
I think it is becoming fast to know Americans are actually the greedy people who desire democracy for themselves but do not want to see the rest of the world have it. I have a bad feeling how this is going to end.
I'm not surprised by the poll at all. The same gutless, subservient wimps 'outraged' over seeing their precious Big Brother exposed are the SAME gutless wimps who voted for Bush AFTER his torture chambers and other war crimes were widespread public knowledge.
It's time that people stopped making excuses for them.