Source Protection

I have a confession to make.

My wife, pre-Smallholderette, was a journalist!

Zounds! Indisputable proof that the Smallholder family is part of the vast liberal conspiracy!

(Offstage, the Maximum Leader begins quiet preparations for a purge...)

One of the central ethical standards of journalism is to protect the anonymity of sources. She and I have gone around and around about this. I believe that some protection of sources is necessary for the proper functioning of a free press, but, being the "squishy" progressive that I am, think that there should be some limitations - both legally and ethically, just as there are certain limitations on rights like free speech. She is an absolutist. Were a D.A. to pressure her to divulge the identity of a source, she would go to jail.

Spurred by Memento Moron, I hereby offer the following bit of doggerel. Before the literary critics launch an attack on my poor poetry, please be aware that, "Dammit, Jim, I'm an inbred agrarian, not a poet!"

Source Protection

The function
Of the anti-revelation injunction
Is to assure potential whistle-blowers that they can reveal information
For the public to assess
Through the medium of the press
Without the fear of immediate and painful retribution.

Society benefits
When an independent press
Revealing corruption or malfeasance
Alerts us to a mess
And we are able to address
The situation or redress the grievance.

Reporters observe
Its the public they serve
Indeed, they proclaim, we will our sources protect.
The D.A. may wail
Even threaten jail
But the reporter will prosecutor's entreaty reject.

But a virtue becomes vice
When against all advice
CBS wraps itself in righteous indignation.
We, the Bush Guard
Forger regard
As protected by our reporter tradition.

Not the goal of the gag laws:
Protecting scofflaws.
What purpose could be served by hiding
An election diverter,
A press perverter,
Who deserves a good, sound, public chiding?

False, libelous acts
Distorting facts
Ought to be regarded with scorn.
Give us the name!
Free speech will remain.
Danny boy, why art thou so torn?

One hopes it is not
Biased, partisan rot
That led to the Sixty Minutes parade.
Prove that it is not
Biased, partisan rot.
Publicly expose the author of the charade.

Bloggers unite!
Defend what is right.
Keep the pressure on the CBS chiefs.
Annika want their collective head,
Rather's career dead, dead, dead:
Go thee hence and read her briefs.

The forgery stain
Will surely remain
Unless CBS shows its goodwill.
Give us the name!
Free speech will remain!
Divulge! Reveal! The beans you must spill!