03/08/2018
The Vigilance Committee have released the second track from their new album "Join Us"
Proceeds from this song will go directly to benefit the
REPORTERS COMMITTEE FOR FREEDOM OF THE PRESS
- rcfp.org
"Sick people." "Scum." "The enemy of the American people."
These are only three of the ways President Donald Trump has chosen to describe the American news media. And his actions have also been as crass as his words. Aside from being generally combative with any media outlet that doesn't sing his praises, the president also only held one press conference throughout his entire first year in office. One. His predecessor held seven in his first year. The guy before him held 4. We can do better.
For the second week of "Join Us," we present to you "The Grey Lady," our song about press freedom. The song was named after the nickname for the New York Times, an American media institution. Most definitely not fake. The president and his allies can dismiss damning reports all they want, but they're dead wrong.
This president, and those who support him, don't seem to understand how important a free press is to democracy. Without a free press, Richard Nixon skates through his term, Harvey Weinstein is still Harvey Weinstein, Russia gets away with meddling in our election.
They tout the constitution when it means protecting their gun rights, but they balk when their leader threatens to sue a newspaper for printing something he doesn't like. Both of those things are in the constitution. Both deserve protection.
Down with Trump.
Proceeds from this song will go directly to benefit The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, which provides free legal resources to journalists and news organizations.
Since 1970, the Reporters Committee’s has protected First Amendment freedoms and the newsgathering rights of journalists by: operating a 24/7 Legal Defense Hotline to answer questions from journalists and media lawyers; filing amicus briefs and representing journalists and news organizations pro bono in court cases involving First Amendment freedoms and access to public information; providing free trainings and resources on media law topics to help news organizations, freelance journalists, documentary filmmakers, and others who gather and report the news navigate legal issues; and preparing the next generation of media lawyers for a career defending the First Amendment through fellowships and internships.
In 2017 alone, the Reporters Committee’s work to protect press freedom and the public’s right to information has included efforts like: Helping launch the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker to document and track threats to press freedom in the U.S., including attacks on journalists and chilling statements made by public officials; pushing back on President Trump’s statements promoting violence against journalists and jailing reporters, as well as moves by the Department of Justice to revisit subpoena guidelines that help protect journalists from being forced to turn over materials and source information in leaks investigations; tracking the cases of journalists arrested while covering events like the Inauguration and protests at Standing Rock, and made sure they have access to lawyers and more.
If you would like to support the Reporters Committee’s work, you can make a one-time or recurring donation online at https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/reporterscommittee. Here’s how your contributions help:
$10 helps us keep our Legal Defense Hotline running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for any journalist who needs assistance.
$20 helps us defend the free press and the First Amendment in court.
$50 helps fund a fellowship for a young lawyer to fight for the rights of journalists and protect the First Amendment.
They need your help, because you need their help. We hope you'll Join Us.
https://www.rcfp.org/
Thank you.
