Don’t Silence Us!
Recently, the Oklahoma State Supreme Court ruled that government employee birth dates are not public information. This ruling will prove to be a road block to the media’s watchdog responsibilities. Why? Routinely, journalists request employment rosters from various agencies and then check them against legal data bases. Let’s say John Doe shows up on the sex offender registry and on the employee roster for one of the local schools. The only way to confirm that these are the same two people is to verify the birth date. If the birth dates are withheld, then it is next to impossible to determine whether Mr. Doe is the same person on the list.
The people have a right to be informed about their government. And, it is the duty of journalists to inform them. If we do not fight when they start taking that right away, then what will they take next?
This Independence Day, remember that freedom is not something given. It is always earned. Every country has fought for the freedoms they enjoy. Let’s not give them up so easily.
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