Democracy Dies In The Dark

The United States of America is a nation founded upon certain fundamental premises. First and foremost of these premises is the notion of government “by the people and for the people,” as labeled by President Abraham Lincoln.

In order for our nation to survive as a representative republic, and to truly be by and for the people, it is essential for people to know and to understand the actions of those chosen and empowered to act on behalf of the public. It is for that reason that both the federal government and the various states – including Oklahoma – have enacted laws to protect the public’s right to know, the right to attend the meetings of government bodies and to read the records of those bodies.

“Transparency builds trust,” wrote Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter in his foreword to the Oklahoma Press Association’s Open Meetings Act and Open Records Act Handbook. “I believe that an open government is an essential hallmark of a free society. Oklahomans have a right to know how their government and elected officials are using the powers granted to them. Citizens must also have the ability to hold them accountable when necessary. The state’s open meetings and open records act gives citizens those rights and abilities. The act also provides them with a behind the scenes look on how their tax dollars are being spent.

“As public officials, we should always act in the best interest of those we serve. It is our duty to uphold these laws and provide Oklahomans with a complete picture on how their government operates whenever possible.”

While every citizen has the legally-protected right to attend meetings and read the records of government bodies, most people just don’t have the time to keep up with it all. That’s why the United States Constitution also provides protections for a free press – to allow for people to be informed about their government’s processes and decisions. The watchdog role of the press is, in my opinion, the single most important job of a newspaper or any other media outlet, and one we take very seriously at The Cordell Beacon.

It is more than our job to report on the actions of our government, it is our responsibility to dig deeper than the public statements and official meeting minutes to provide you, our readers and fellow citizens, with information. When bodies of government stand in the way of the release of that information, it becomes our job to fight for your right to know.

Sometimes that fight may seem a little nitpicky, but the necessity of having an informed citizenry is far too important to let violations – and suspected violations – of open meetings and records laws go unchallenged. As members of the only civilian profession specifically protected by the United States Constitution, we owe our readers a commitment to shine the light on our government and public bodies, and that is a commitment we at The Beacon will continue to take very seriously. As United States District

As United States District Judge Damon Keith famously wrote, “Democracy dies in the dark.”

Bob Henline is managing editor of The Cordell Beacon.