Self-Censored Freedom of the Press

Self-Censored Freedom of the Press

Back in the seventies I remember a craze called streaking where someone would rip off their clothes and run through some public place. Even more people would keep there clothes on and run across the football field of a televised game, just to be seen on TV. Years ago nearly all sports networks decided not to show these people. And that was a very good decision. Technically, they are restricting what we see for the good of all. Many people who might make the dash will not, because they know they will not be on TV.

Today NBC released photos and videos of the young man who killed all those people at Virginia Tech. The killer had produced the pictures himself and sent them via overnight mail in the time between the first two murders and the other thirty. On one of the videos he was acting tough and explaining that we, not he, were responsible for what he was going to do. In a couple of the photos he demonstrated suicide poses, one with a knife and one with a gun, possibly the one he killed all those people with. I think that showing this was a big mistake, while at the same time, I would defend to the death NBC's right to show them. The only people that can be allowed to censor the press is the press.

I'm worried about copycats. There may be a lot of people out there just as sick as this guy and maybe they would have stayed under the radar. But now that they have seen a "success" story. How many people out there will be encouraged by this guy? How many will think they can do better? How many will die because NBC showed the pictures? I whole-heartedly believe in freedom of the press, but the press must consider that they may cause more disasters. I pray nothing comes of this.

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