This is the kind of press release that I like to get. Think back and remember how the mainstream media virtually blacked out this important story. And note how they most likely won’t cover it now. But this was a major victory for the press, for the First Amendment, and for the citizenry. I raise my Potrero Hill martini glass to the Free Press group, the Society of Professional Journalists, the many organizations, and more than 60,000 people who helped put the pressure on the St. Paul authorities. Impertinent question: where was the rest of the press? Sign up for the next battle. B3
Free Press Action Alert:
St. Paul City Hall announced today that they are dropping all charges against journalists arrested while covering the protests outside the Republican National Convention — including Amy Goodman, host of Democracy Now!
Your action made all the difference.
You and more than 62,000 other people signed our open letter demanding that the charges be dropped. The day after the convention, we delivered your signatures in person to the mayor of St. Paul.
Today’s great news happened because together, we responded quickly and spoke out strongly. This is your victory.
But before you celebrate, I need you to do one thing. Please ask three friends to join the Free Press network, so that the next time we need to act, we will have an even greater number of allies to add to our collective voice. Our struggle for an open and democratic media system is so crucial right now. We need your help bringing more people to the cause.
Tell your friends to promote better media.
Our task now is to ensure that our press remains free to report on the events, issues and stories that matter to our country, our communities, and our democracy.
We’ll stay vigilant — I hope you’ll join us.
Onward,
Josh Silver
Executive Director
Free Press
www.freepress.net