Last week I gave an overview of how, for
the last 260 years, an independent and activist press has been the institution
around which movements for social justice have organized, activated and
advanced their causes. If there is one great tradition, which is truly
American, it is of ‘we the people’, rallying around a courageous voice that
dares speak truth to power. Let’s examine the pivotal role played by these
actors. Independent journalists are a key constitutive element in the birth of
every social justice movement in US history. Industrialization replaced
the independent American craftsman with hollow eyed laborers trapped in wage
slavery, which neither they nor their children had much hope of escaping. From
the midst of this grinding despair, William Heighton ascended from obscurity to
one who becomes the truth teller for an entire class.
American representational democracy is
supported by principles of free speech, education and political engagement. William
Heighton was the one who demonstrated how the independent journalist can
perform as: public advocate, educational resource, organizing tool and a forum
for public discourse and debate. The independent journalist provided the model
for how the un-propertied, un-educated underclass might demand a share of the
American dream. Their editorials laid common sense arguments for improving the
plight of the worker and his family as a betterment of society. They set an
open forum to promote discourse on the issues. They
educated the worker and prepared them to claim the promise of
American democracy and demand an equitable portion of the fruits of their labor.
The original agenda, which was entirely
successful, included end of the ‘sun to sun’ workday, implementation of tax supported schools,
the end of forced child labor, and abolishing debtor prisons. One of
his greatest contributions was in demonstrating how quickly change can occur,
once corrupt politicians are replaced by
representatives of the people. The advocacy journalists who would come after Heighton,
repeated and extended his use of an activist press to prosecute the war for
social justice. .
In each battle in the war for social
justice, the American independent journalist has performed the function of
intelligence agent, commander, diplomat, and in most cases a provider of
logistical support for the millions of Americans who have actively resisted
oppression based on: class, race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity,
religion, political affiliation, as well as the anti war movement. These were
costly battles waged against brutally corrupt business men who
employed mercinary armies against starving families.
Without the clear and insightful
direction provided by advocacy journalists, it is unlikely the labor movement
would have become the founding example of how to effect fundamental change
without a violent revolution. Let’s look at how the journalist advocate
contributed to the prosecution of the war for social justice: As intelligence
agent, the muckraker: identified the threat, revealed the enemy, explained what
the battle would be over, identified who the movement's allies and the allies
of its enemy’s were, and provided the movement with a map of the field of
contest. As commander the advocacy journalist: presented a cohesive plan of
attack, organized and directed the troops in order to advance that plan, and
ceaselessly motivated the troops, affirming the justness of the struggles waged
by those treated most cruelly by the United States. As diplomat they used
editorial license to directly engage meaningful public discourse between and
among all concerned parties. The advocacy journalist uses their
influence and imagination to extend a service, or meet a material need of the
movement by inventing a tactic, or brokering an agreement between allied
interests. It’s amazing that in many cases the entire operation was designed
and carried out by a single person whose vision and courage were only exceeded
by their determination.
Like some mythic superhero, who lives
anonymously among us, they reveal themself when the sacred tree
of liberty is threatened in our democratic republic. When exercise of authority
masks a tyranny of privilege the “mild mannered” reporter transforms into our
champion, “in the never ending battle for Truth, Justice and the American way,”
they rise to confront the enemy within our midst, and restore justice in
America. Indeed this Superman, or Superwoman, has shaped the course of the
mighty river of American history, and bent the steel will of American tyrants,
with her bare hands, and a printing press.
And like a comic book hero, ours is imbued with extraordinary superpowers like: 1) X-ray vision, which he uses to perceive dangers hidden from public view. 2) Superhuman strength: SuperJournalist contains and can rally the strength of tens of thousands, perhaps millions of mortals. In a classic episode of the Superman comic, the Moon has left her proper orbit, and is beginning to spiral toward the Earth. Superman flies up to the moon, and using “the strength of 10,000 men,” Superman pushes the moon back into proper relationship with the world. It would be difficult to imagine a more appropriate metaphor for the role independent journalists have played with regard to the government and the governed. The traditional role of the independent journalist in the US has been to push the eco-political sphere into a just and true relationship to its host, the American people.
Our Superhero’s third superpower is flight. Like Superman, the might of the press can span the country in a few hours, delivering the strength of our hero wherever liberty and equality are threatened. Operating from that vantage point, above the levers of power, our hero flies beyond the reach of a tyrannical government. The only thing that can bring our Superhero to his knees is the Kryptonite of Censorship. Like Kryptonite, censorship saps the life force quietly, imperceptibly at first. Then, suddenly journalism is on her knees, realizing too late her vitality has been compromised. Unable to rise and defend herself she falls prey to less worthy institutions. As the catalyzing force of the social movement loses its vitality the movement falters. However, though social progress movements seem to whither and loose relevance, the function of the truth teller has been reaffirmed, the lesson of the fallen hero is plowed under where it gathers strength as the hubris of tyranny rises once again. And again the hero of Truth Justice, and the American way appears on the scene, rising once again from the obscurity of the disenfranchised, armed with more experience, better tools, and the lessons of previous incarnations of the now familiar motif reinforced in both the hero and the people of the movement he or she rises to serve.
Part III of this series examines the evolution of the main functions these journalists performed, the characteristics of the vehicles they founded and the evolution of those roles into the independent media landscape of today.
Part III of this series examines the evolution of the main functions these journalists performed, the characteristics of the vehicles they founded and the evolution of those roles into the independent media landscape of today.
Blues Traveler and Phish did originally sell their products
directly to fans at their shows, and by mail order, which allowed them to keep
most of the profit. You sent the band a check or money order via snail mail and
they shipped their CD to you. When this was the case the production costs were
kept really low. Things like kickstarter and other crowd funding websites
didn’t exist, so artists had to fund themselves. A lot of their best work was
produced that way. It was lean and mean and edgy.
