Judy in Jail

I've been quiet on the subject of the Jailing of Judy Miller, press martyr, due to my own mixed feelings. I'm all for freedom of the press, and in fact wish the press in general, and Judith Miller in particular, might have made more of an effort to exercise that freedom over the past 4+ years. But the reporting on the story is fatally compromised by the press corps' gigantic conflict of interest. Complicit in pushing the government's agenda, yet demanding protection; it all leaves me feeling pretty damn coldhearted.

So I was happy to stumble across this page of reactions from other Salon readers, and see that I'm not alone in my reaction. Take a look. Here's a sample:

Oh, how I wish our press could distinguish apples from oranges...

Can members of the press truly not distinguish between protecting a source of genuine, good-faith news, and protecting someone seeking an accomplice willing to facilitate a criminal act?

The outing of Plame had nothing to do with news. The intent here was criminal revenge and the willful endangerment of national security. These are not protected by the First amendment.

But please, members of the press, continue your feckless hand-wringing. As you go to jail with chin up, whining about the "chilling effect" of it all, you have my thanks for, once again, utterly missing the point.

-- Patrick Cunningham