Breathtaking, Outstanding. Truly inspirational. These were the only words I could fathom when The Post ended. I think we can all agree that a movie should not be the thing that reminds people what real journalism is, but this movie just might be the one to do it. This movie was created in a time where those in power attack journalists everyday, The Post recounts the incident with the Pentagon Papers, which revealed the truth about the United States’ involvement in Vietnam, where 58,000 American lives were lost, according to USA Today.
However, the real plot of the story shows how important journalism is to society and why freedom of the press is crucial. The public and Congress would have never known the truth if not for the brave journalists that decided to expose the Pentagon Papers. The Post could be “considered a love letter to the public’s right to know,” according to USA Today.
The Nixon administration tried to silence the New York Times and other publications from reporting on the contents of the Pentagon Papers by arguing that the United States national security would be at risk.
In the First Amendment, the press was given the protection to fulfill its role without government censorship. Journalism is just as important now as it always has been. While there might not be any government secrets waiting to be uncovered (yet that’s always a possibility right?), if not journalists, who will hold those in power accountable? The Post not only reminds us of a crucial moment in American and journalism history, but also reminds us of what journalists should have been doing all along: seeking the facts behind the stories, uncovering what those in power might be hiding, following money exchanges and focusing on real reporting rather than entertainment for views.
Appalachian political activist and attorney Larry Harless said he tries to “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” Journalists today should aim to do the same.