Editorial: Time Magazine Lets Us All Down

BBSNews Commentary - 2005-07-02 -- According to the New York Times, Matthew Cooper of Time magazine and Judith Miller of The New York Times submitted "preferences" as an alternative to regular jail time for the offense of not revealing a source.

Time Magazine 2002, "The Secret History". Photo Credit and source: BBSNews filephoto by Kandy Ringer 2005.

In fact, I was under the impression that this was one of the most important aspects, and in the publics eyes the only redeeming aspect, of a free press that will get out the real story by being able to give at the very least, temporary anonymity to a trusted source so an authoritative and factual story can be filed and printed for public consumption.

Some secrets of a hotbutton and political nature can be held as long as thirty years. This fact was revealed recently when "Deepthroat" was unmasked as W. Mark Felt.

And then news breaks of this plea bargain for preferential treatment in jail placement, and as a small news editor it just has to give me pause.

I know now, that when I get access to an exclusive source, or put together two and two in a compelling way that makes a difference for a minute on this planet we call Earth, I will have to give up my source to the United States government, thanks to Time Magazine.

BBSNews does not have a team of lawyers ready to argue for alternatives to jail that any other law breaker does not get. What do I say to a seventeen year-old Alabama kid facing 20 years for selling an ounce of pot to a purported undercover officer?

Should I have ignored his story for fear I too will be called to court to testify if I know anything about his sources?

Should I be worried that now law enforcement will be backtracking every story? Will they be asking me now what I know about past stories? Now that they have a Supreme Court decision in their hands will they look at all the gravy cases? Yes, in my opinion they will. Just as sure as only two weeks seperated a new raid on medical marijuana by federal agents in California and a US Supreme Court decision that said federal law could trump state law in this matter. Obstensibly because of the Interstate Commerce clause instead of in spite of it.

A cover from Time Magazine hangs here at BBSNews. I believe it was some of their best work, it's called The Secret History from August 12th, 2002. Should I take it down now?

What has happened? The smaller newsfry such as BBSNews has lost an icon that stands for the principle of protecting a source. Will we be able to negotiate our punishment from the goverment also?

Who will come to protect us?