Ever since last week’s Hot Air video, it’s become clear that there are many misperceptions about Josh Wolf’s case. One myth is that Josh is not a journalist. The argument is that he’s just a guy with a video camera. And if anyone with a blog can be a journalist, then everyone is a journalist. Well, someone thinks Josh is a journalist.
“The Society of Professional Journalists put up $30,000 on Friday to defray the legal expenses of Josh Wolf, the San Francisco freelance journalist who has been in jail since Aug. 1 for refusing to turn over videos of a political demonstration to a federal grand jury.”
We did a brief interview with Jackson West to dispel some of these myths. Jackson has been trading snail mail letters with Josh…which allows Josh to keep blogging.
Putting politics aside, many people don’t seem to realize how the case relates to each of us. Saheli Datta said it best:
To spell out for people what’s wrong with this picture—if journalists have to hand over their outtakes and their notes and negatives, if every camera–even a journalists’s camera–at every protest or gathering automatically becomes federal property, nobobdy will talk to us, and nobody will let us take pictures of their gatherings and videotape their opinions. And it’s not because people know they’re doing something illegal. It’s because people know that even legal things can be held against them, and they don’t want to have to deal with the incovnenience of being on a mistaken no-fly list or proving their innocence. And if journalists are not allowed to check things out and write about them, independent of the government, you, the citizen, won’t know anyone else’s side of the story.
Background:
I was in my work truck today listening to NPR. I heard a report about 2 journalists and the federal courts my ears perked and I wondered if one of these journalists they were mentioning was Josh. Turns out they were speaking about his case.
I don’t know the details of all this. I don’t know for sure if Josh is right or wrong for what he is doing. But I do think this is an important issue. And it is one that will effect us all as bloggers, vloggers, people capturing personal media, or just as citizens.
Thank you for sharing this information here. I hope that we can all continue to be the media without fear and in freedom.
Also, I am glad that this is all bringing about talk of a federal shield law, similar to California’s.
Another great post. Thanks for doing this interview. It’s really important to keep drawing attention to what’s happening with Josh. Saheli’s comments are utterly chilling when you think about what it means to be living in a free society with a free press.
On a lighter note, I notice Ryanne and I frequently choose the same music (yes, I’m assuming Ryanne picked the closing music).
wow, that quote from Saheli Datta really pulls this whole sorry situation together in my head. I’ve been sitting on the fence for a while on this one (mainly becuase there was so much hot-air flying around the yahoo group, Although it has been a good source of debate for me outside of the vlogosphere.)
I’m glad you’re continuing to document this case with a clear head/eye.
be well
I haven’t watched the video yet – I’m downloading it right now.
But I just wanted to say that I didn’t realize the full effect this has on everyone until I read your post. This is serious…
I’m exhausted and have a splitting headache – or I would be posting Bethany’s video tonight; I happen to think that her video is very well done, and is actually an entirely valid work.
Yes, her arguments are flawed in a number of ways – and her attempts to spin the situation is not without it’s weaknesses – but – it is an excellent example of citizen journalism and is a vital part of establishing a marketplace of ideas and I will be e-mailing her to thank her for making it as soon as I get a chance.
Here’s the thing; I consider her a journalist – she doesn’t consider me a journalist. The real question now is does she consider herself a journalist. If not, why not?
I know from previous encounters that these folks’ experience in sophsitry really shows when they’re looking bad, i.e. when their fundamental attitude towards civil rights comes to light.
I’m no Bader-Meinhof type but when you stand fast you can expect the full treatment. (Hey, I’d rather dogs than to have tear-gas rubbed under my eye-lids!) To take a page from Gandhi’s satyagraha, the major tactic is to cope well when things go pear-shaped big-time.
Matrix isn’t about controlling truth … it’s about manufacture of concensus.
Let each do what they can as they see fit, yaa?
Venceremos!