Recently the Alabama state legislature met to discuss several things. I am sure the list included issues of high importance such as taxes, education, budgets … and press passes.
I cannot claim to know what runs through the mind of a politician, but I can claim to be confused as to why this was important enough to discuss. Out of all the pressing issues that need to be dealt with in the limited time they have to meet, who will be granted a press pass should not top the charts.
Maybe delegating press passes has a high impact on how money will be allocated to funding public works, or maybe it has something to do with increasing Alabama’s education systems. Or maybe we can be realistic and notice what a waste of time entertaining this idea was.
To clarify, a press pass grants a journalist access to attend events that may have otherwise been off-limits to the general public. If not granted a press pass, the journalist is denied the ability to report on the event. The journalist then has the right to sue in civil court claiming a violation of his or her First Amendment rights.
I am ashamed that our elected officials even see denying this right as an option. A right is something that is unconditionally given to every citizen, not an issue that can be debated on. Only handing out press passes to those that will write you the shiniest review is not, and will never be, and option. Whether the opinions be good, bad or moderate, it is not up to the legislature to decide who gets to write them.