Washington Bureau Chief for New York Times Speaks t SIUC

The article, “Washington Bureau Chief for New York Times Speaks in SIUC,” reports Philip Taubman, chief of the New York Times Washington, D.C. bureau, delivered a speech at SIU emphasizing that to publish the anti-terrorism program last December that after 9-11 attacks, the U.S. government eavesdrops in civil phones on international calls for national security factors was the toughest, but the right decision. Later on, Taubman described after investigated for several months, although he and his co-workers directly encountered the huge pressure from government, even Bush himself since 2003, they still made it public because citizens have right to know. In the end, he accented it is not easy to make this decision. Besides the role of journalists and editors, they are people who are threatened by terrorism, too.

In this case, although the U.S. government administers the tapping program for national security, it endangers citizen’s right. That’s no way that the government can promise they always use this resolution in the right way. Furthermore, does this kind of program really bring the sense of security for people? But there should be a deadline of the press freedom, too. Nowadays, most of journalists consider themselves are the representatives of justice. Sometimes, truths are exaggerated, but people tend to believe dramatic stories, so-called truths will cause civil fear and lead to a mess of country then. I think this kind of issue will never stop.

by Bi-Chien