Reporters without borders

The organization Reporters Without Borders has come up with its 2005 rankings of nations based on freedom of the press.

Our Founding Fathers would not be pleased.

At the top of the list are Finland, Iceland, Ireland and the Netherlands, all tying for #1 in Freedom of the Press. I am surprised by Ireland, I have to admit, though for no particular reason that I can think of. Finland, Iceland and the Netherlands are no suprise whatsoever.

What fascinates me are the others in the top 10. Norway and Switzerland are up there, no big surprise, as is Portugal. But the biggest surprise among the top ten are the number of former Soviet Bloc nations: Czech Republic, Estonia, Slovakia, Hungary, Latvia (one of my ancestral homes!), and Slovenia. Bravo to these nations for coming so far so fast. Russia itself does not fare so well, coming in 147, right above Yemen, the Gambia and Tunisia and below, get this, the "Democratic Republic" of the Congo and Somalia! Coming on the same day I read about the vandalism of a synagogue in Vladavastok, coming on the heals of a skinhead gathering, I can't help but think Russia is slowly failing in its experiments with democracy.

The bottom of the list is no surprise at all: China, Burma (sic), Cuba, Eritrea, Turkmenistan, and, rock bottom, North Korea at 168. I almost think North Korea has turned every possible measure of failure into a goal: starvation of its population, cult worship of living people, absolute censorship of pretty much everything. "Burma" (now actually called Myanmar) and Turkmenistan are about the shittiest nations (in terms of human rights) we actually have friendly dealings with, and our close friendship with these two nations pretty much belies any claim we have to advancing democracy. Sure, we condemn Cuba and North Korea, but Myanmar, Turmkenistan and, in terms of trade, China are among our best buddies.