APs Everywhere

Advanced Placement Stress (oh APUSH...)

Dear Associated Press, YOU RULE.

May seems like a very AP-ish month, considering I had my AP US History test recently (I thought I did alright, for those who care) and the whole AP/Obama Administration scandal.

For those of you who don't really know what's up, Associated Press is currently under some serious crackdown or a "sweeping records seizure" from the Dept. of Justice, more specifically, 2-months worth of phone records from 20 phone lines in 4 different locations due to the reporting of super-sensitive material regarding a CIA mission in Yemen.

Apparently, the reporting of these deets and speaking to someone on the inside about the specifics (a leak) was a big national security threat. The CEO of AP, Gary Pruitt, went on Face the Nation and said that this action was unconstitutional, and sets a really dangerous precedent for the future of the press.

Mr. Pruitt, I whole-heartedly commend your strong stance on this issue. I think that's it definitely, utterly, completely, NOT OK for the government to do this. Freedom of speech is what we journalists pretty much live on, its our duty to the nation to report what's going on.

I thought that Sen. John Cornyn's (TX, R) remarks were smart and absolutely in the right. He stated that the government shouldn't get ticked off at the journalists (who are just doing their JOBS), but rather focus their energies on the leaks within government itself (where they actually have the power to do something). He also stated, "What confuses me is the focus on the press, who have a constitutional right here and we depend on the press to get to the bottom of so many issues that we, as individuals, cannot."

Bottom line is that this crap against the press it NOT OK. So, DOJ, please back off and watch what you do. I don't know if we've made it clear enough, but the journalists of this nation are NOT going to deal with your crud without a fight. Same with you ETS/College Board. If I don't get a good score... I will throw a hissy-fit. :)

-Julia