Freedom of the Press: The US Sucks, Finland Rocks

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.

Bush, I am sure, would love to tout the fact that Iran comes in at a dismal 162, but that might not be good for him because the nation he has the closest of ties to, Saudi Arabia, is 161. Our great ally Saudi Arabia comes in barely above Iran and well below Syria (153) and Lybia (152). Saudi Arabia is, I guess is too busy blaming America and "the Jews" for 9/11 to actually allow any real reporting. But they are our best friends, right? So Bush would like us to think. They have the oil, so Bush will kiss their asses no matter what.

But what about Iraq? Have we succeeded in bringing freedom of the press, a cornerstone of democracy, to Iraq? Well, Iraq actually comes in just below Syria and Lybia...so if we are defining what we have brought to Iraq as "freedom" then we have to say Syria and Lybia are just as free. Then again, Iraq is doing MUCH better than Saudi Arabia.

What about Bush America? Is Bush leading a free democracy with a free press? Well, that depends on how you view it. We are not down there with Saudi Arabia and Syria and Iran. But we are far below the top 10. Are we in the top 20? No. Top 50? Not quite. The United States of America comes in at 53...just below Croatia and just above Uruguay. In all seriousness, this is one of the biggest condemnations of Bush we can find: America has a press LESS free than most former Soviet Bloc nations INCLUDING Bulgaria. I can amuse my Bulgarian co-worker with that little fact. Almost all of Europe and many nations that once were bywords of oppression, beat us: El Salvador, Chile, Mali, Hong Kong (remember, Hong Kong is now run by China!), Namibia...all beat us!

Is this some fluke? Not really. It is rather a trend. I can only trace back as far as 2002, but the US has been declining in freedom of the press since then. We were ranked 17 in 2002. To me even THAT is embarassing when we really should be at the top. We are the paragon of freedom, right? So we claim, but that doesn't quite play out in freedom of the press in the 21st century. But at least ranking 17 seems tolerable. In 2003 the US plummeted to 31, tied with Greece and barely beating Albania. We briefly recovered some freedom in 2004, ranking 22, just below France and Bosnia/Herzegovina. Then, in 2005 (the current year ranked) we reach a dismal 53. Bush is TAKING AWAY our freedoms. And it just keeps getting worse.

Why not express your own freedom, while you can. Contact the media and tell them what you think about the decline in freedoms in the US under Bush.

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