Letter: Free press helps keep our republic

A month after taking office, President Trump began to label the news media as “the enemy of the people.” He has also repeatedly called the news media “fake news.” On Aug. 16 at least 70 news organizations will publish opinion pieces pushing back on Trump’s attack on the media. Every citizen should support them.

Our founding fathers forcefully disagreed with President Trump on this issue. One of their greatest fears was how to maintain a check and balance on the executive branch. They did not want a king. When our country approved the Bill of Rights, the very first amendment to our constitution prohibited Congress from “abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.” A free press is the strongest deterrent against tyranny and government wrongdoing. The first strategy of tyrants is to oppress the press. Consider Nazi Germany, Russia and Turkey.

There is a story, that upon exiting the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin was asked “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” His answer was: “A republic, if you can keep it.”

A free press can help us keep it. Thank you Tri-City Herald for your service in keeping us informed.