3 ms·
Can't some words written down nearly 230 years ago be updated to account for what we know to be dangerous now, in 2019? All safe, responsible reporting can stil
by gojomo 7y ago
Can't some words written down nearly 230 years ago be updated to account for what we know to be dangerous now, in 2019? All safe, responsible reporting can still be allowed.
I don't think the founders ever considered 24-hour cable news, or sensational (and often false!) instant-reporting via the internet and social networks. That's what's feeding these copycat mass shooting events today. In 1791, when the 1st Amendment was written, it'd take days for news to reach the next city, and weeks to reach another state! And printing presses were generally only wielded by a small set of accountable people.
Of course there's no "reporting licenses" – yet. There are powerful lobbies that have shot down reasonable reporting restrictions, whenever they've been proposed. But such licenses could restore the balance of reporting to that which existed, when the Bill of Rights was written.
And the 1st amendment is just an amendment – not even part of the original Constitution. It can be further reinterpreted, or new exceptions added, or revoked, if necessary. We'd still have the other 9 amendments in the Bill of Rights, in any case.