Freedom is under attack constantly and from all angles. A free society is a strong and powerful, living, breathing thing, but at times an uncomfortable wrestling match between the watchdogs and all levels of government must take place.
We cherish the role of both community watchdog and community cheerleader. At this newspaper, we approach government accountability as a part of our daily mission. “Accountability” does not necessarily mean wrongdoing, it simply equates to transparency among organizations that collect and spend the people’s tax money. Most days, everything moves appropriately; other times, strange things occur and public officials sometimes run afoul. There’s no emotion to it. It’s just news and it gets reported.
Today kicks off Sunshine Week 2021, a seven-day period where all states in America focus on free speech, public records and public notices as they are made available at every level of government. The public notices and the paper trails of public records reveal often what the talk from politicians often omit — certainly the spin and sometimes the facts.
Sunshine Week always falls during the week with March 16 included, which is the birthday of founding father James Madison, the fourth President of the United States. Madison penned the Bill of Rights in the Constitution.
Free speech, a free press, freedom of religious choice, among others, all come from the First Amendment in these Bill of Rights and we grow in American strength in the details of the other nine amendments that follow. It is the formation of who we are, what we believe and how we protect and defend ourselves as an American society.
Every year, there are legislative attacks attempting to chip away at the public’s right to know. Currently in the Florida House and Senate, there are bills introduced to change the Florida Constitution and remove the requirement of publishing public notices in newspapers in print and online. These attempts have been ongoing for several years.
Governments at all levels from the federal government down through the state level to local governments in all branches, occasionally attempt to change the metric on what documents and information fall under open records law, what can be withheld or what information can be redacted and kept from the public.
Open government and open records laws are in place for the utilization of all residents. Our job as your local newspaper is to research, obtain and report using these documents when needed. It’s a task that most members of the public don’t have the time or career flexibility to undertake. It’s our job.
Our focus is on the local areas of Columbia and Suwannee counties and doing our best to protect the public’s right to know. If we don’t, who will? Your social media “news feed” is not going to stand up to any local public official and demand a public record or a proper meeting notice.
Our focus also is to cheer for these local governments and their officials when they do outstanding work in the public’s best interest. We try to do this often, as well. If we don’t cheer for Lake City, who will? You won’t see and hear those details on daily Jacksonville or Gainesville TV reports.
Small, local newspapers do a portion of the people’s work, thankfully, in an open government realm. During Sunshine Week, or any other time during the year, the luxury of freedom cannot be taken for granted.