It doesn’t take much to be accused of supporting terrorism these days. And that doesn’t just go for student activists. In recent months, dozens of lawmakers and public officials have, without evidence, insinuated that U.S. news outlets provide material support for Hamas. Some even issued thinly veiled threats to prosecute news organizations over those bogus allegations.

Their letters were political stunts. Prosecutors would never have been able to carry their burden of proof under anti-terrorism laws, and all the pandering politicians who signed the letters knew that. But next time might be different, especially if nonprofit news outlets, such as The Intercept, manage to offend the government.

There’s no reason to believe the press is exempt from overreach. In their recent letters, elected officials called for terrorism investigations of the New York Times, Reuters, CNN, and the Associated Press, relying on allegations that those outlets bought photographs from Palestinian freelancers who covered Hamas’s October 7 attacks.

  • Billiam@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    13
    ·
    6 months ago

    Don’t you know that “freedom of religion” means “freedom of religion to do whatever they want”?

    Roberts’s SCOTUS shoulda told you.

    • spujb@lemmy.cafe
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      arrow-down
      4
      ·
      edit-2
      6 months ago

      ok then what is freedom of the press then 🤨

      edit: /s

      sorry to those who thought i was being serious lol

      • ALQ@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        6
        ·
        6 months ago

        Freedom of the press to do whatever they want.

        “They,” of course, doesn’t refer to the press itself, but to the government toadies pushing this crap.