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U.S. PlungesTo 46th InWorldPressFreedomIndex… BelowRomania
SubmittedbyMikeKriegerofLibertyBlitzkriegblog,
Oneofmymost popular postsof 2013 highlightedthe decline ofAmerica’s once largeandenviablemiddleclass. Itwastitled: HowDoesAmerica’sMiddleClassRankGlobally? #27, andithelpedtodispelmanymythsAmericans (particularlythemainstream propaganda media) continuetotelltothemselves.
As you might expect, the economic decline of a nationinto rule by a handfulofcorruptoligarchswillhavemanyothernegativerepercussions. One of these is a loss of civil rights and freedoms that many of us have taken for granted. Reporters Without Borders puts out their PressFreedomIndexevery year, and the 2014 ranking came out today. It was not a good showing for the USSA. Specifically, the U.S. registeredoneofthesteepestfallsofallnations, down 13 slotstothe #46 position. As the screen shot shows, just above Haiti and just below Romania.
More coverage from the AFP:
Paris (AFP) – Conflictscontinuedtoweighheavilyonthe media lastyearbutpressfreedomwasalsounderincreasingthreatfrom abuses bydemocraciesliketheUnitedStates, ReportersWithoutBorderssaidWednesday.
In its annual World Press Freedom Index, the Paris-based media rights watchdog warned of the “growing threat worldwide” from the “tendency to interpret national security needs in an overly broad and abusive manner”.
The United States was singled out for its pursuit of intelligence leaker Edward Snowden, the conviction of WikiLeaks informer Bradley Manning and the secret seizure of phone records from the Associated Press.
The group, known by its French acronym RSF, said the United States had suffered “one of the most significant declines” in press freedom last year, dropping 13 places to 46th in the 180-country index, wedged between Romania and Haiti.
“Countries that pride themselves on being democracies and respecting the rule of law have not set an example, far from it,” RSF said.
Repeat after me: USA! USA!
Full article here.
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