We agree the press is not the people's enemy

There are still many Americans who appreciate the free press and place a high value on professional journalism and investigative reporting. Thank you, Western News, for printing the important editorial on this topic in Tuesday’s Western News (“A free press is not the enemy of the people,” Aug. 14).

You chose to join over 350 newspapers across the nation to proudly remind the President, and the minority of Americans that believe him, that the press is not the enemy of the people as the President likes to tweet. His attacks are as dangerous as they are unprecedented.

We agree with the editorial and especially these important words from it: “The time has come for us to stand up to (the President’s) bullying. The role journalism plays in our free society is too crucial to allow this degradation to continue. We aren’t the enemy of the people. We are the people. We aren’t fake news. We are your news and we struggle night and day to get the facts right ... Self-governance demands that our citizens need to be well-informed and that’s what we’re here to do. We go beyond the government issued press release or briefing and ask tough questions. We hold people in power accountable for their actions.”

Americans must stand together beside our free press as it is our democracy’s safeguard against all that threatens it. We understand fully the political landscape in Libby and because of that, we are in deep appreciation to your paper’s courage to print this important piece.

—Karen and Jack Wickersham

Crystal Lake/Missoula