Fake News and the Enemy

   Freedom of speech works both ways.
   Some demand allegiance from everyone, on the principle that whoever is not with them is against them and therefore is an enemy.
   But this ignores the idea of neutrality and independence.  A political leader does just that when he attacks journalism as "fake news" and "the enemy of the people."
   An independent news outlet is neither friend nor enemy, but is neutral, reporting accurately what a politician says and does, as well as whether it conforms to fact or reality. Crying "that's not fair" is a child's way of objecting to disagreement.
   Much as he might want to, a politician or government leader cannot and must not be able to control the press. Many try, however, on the idea that there is no in-between. People generally, and news media especially, are either supporters or they are the enemy. For them neutrality and independence don't exist.
   There are, of course, news outlets that are not neutral even as they are independent. Also, there are some that masquerade as neutral, independent news outlets but are really public relations (read: propaganda) operations affiliated with a political party or official.
   They too are protected by the Constitution, and it is the people's responsibility to know this and to recognize which is which.
   Meanwhile, politicians manipulate this lack of responsibility to spread their own message of an "enemy" press that spreads "fake news," even as news outlets report accurately what the politician says and does, along with comments from opponents.
   This means that it's up to the public to decide who's lying. And an easy way to decide that is to look to history and reputation.
   If a politician has a long and proven history of being an arrogant, ignorant, vindictive, foul-mouthed liar, a cheat and a fraud, it's up to news outlets to point out examples of that behavior. And if readers choose to ignore that and accept the politician's version of "alternative facts," on the premise that "truth isn't truth," that too is their right.
   But neither the politician nor the public has a right to suppress any and all reports of information that disagrees with them. That's called dictatorship.
   Freedom of speech works both ways.