Speak up about the press

CERTAIN CONCEPTS ARE linchpins of democracy. Obviously, the deeply rooted concept of a free and unfettered press qualifies. So what does it say about a president’s respect for democracy when (his press secretary) bans major news outlets from daily press briefings?

For years I have been dismayed that Fox News was taken seriously by anyone. Multiple fact-checking, independent studies have shown that they are the most untruthful of major news organizations. My personal opinion of Fox is that they are an entity formed with the overarching mission of casting any and all progressive ideas in a negative light — a dedicated propaganda machine.

But they say what their viewers want to hear and, as much as I disagree with them being allowed to tout themselves as legitimate news, I would not argue with their right to cover politics and communicate with their followers.

So I can’t help but wonder: What would their viewers reaction have been if President Obama had banned Fox from the press corps? (The 2009 event doesn’t count since it was largely invented by a self-serving Fox News.)

I would have been deeply concerned about what such a decree would have said about Obama’s respect for the tenets of the Constitution, not to mention his resiliency and toughness for the job.

Call me naive, but I actually believe there are thoughtful conservatives out there who are not at all comfortable with Donald Trump’s disrespect of some of our most valued — and shared — democratic ideals.

I’m just wondering if any of them are going to speak up. BERNARD FULLER Albuquerque