[GPSCC-chat] Fwd: 48-Hour Countdown in Press Freedom Fight

Sat Aug 9 11:21:56 PDT 2014

Hello, All:

        If you haven't already, I encourage you to take action to 
support journalist James Risen, currently being threatened with prison 
by the Obama administration.  One suggested action is outlined in the 
email below.

        I believe that attacks on journalists, including this, represent 
the single greatest threat to world peace, democracy, and a better life 
for all.  All the other problems we face as a society would be more 
tractable if more people cultivated a voracious appetite for substantive 
investigative journalism and vigorous but respectful political discourse.

Spencer Graves, Executive Director
Effective Defense (effectivedefense.org)

p.s.  If you haven't already seen it, you might be interested in the 
1-minute YouTube and companion blog on "Restrict secrecy more than data 
collection" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV8mHfu3mDw and 
http://sanjosepeace.wordpress.com/2014/07/18/restrict-secrecy-more-than-data-collection/). 

-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject:     48-Hour Countdown in Press Freedom Fight
Date:     Sat, 9 Aug 2014 11:32:22 -0400 (EDT)
From:     RootsAction Team <info at rootsaction.org>
Reply-To:     info at rootsaction.org
To:     spencer.graves at effectivedefense.org

The petition you signed -- "We Support James Risen Because We Support a 
Free Press" -- will be delivered in Washington next week.

Please take a minute now to give the petition a final boost while 
Attorney General Holder ponders whether he wants Risen to go to jail.

** Forward this email to at least several friends, urging them to sign 
the petition.

** Then click here [ 
http://act.rootsaction.org/p/salsa/web/tellafriend/public/?tell_a_friend_KEY=9974 
] for fast sharing via Facebook and Twitter.

We have thousands of pages of signers. But we need a lot more within the 
next 48 hours.

We'll be carrying stacks of petitions to the front door of the Justice 
Department. Please help make our load heavier.

This is a kind of chain letter for freedom of the press. You are an 
important link.

Thank you!

-- The RootsAction.org team

PS Below is information to pass along to people you know who care about 
press freedom.

*****        *****        *****

Please join with Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg to take 
action now for freedom of the press.

He teamed up with us to launch an urgent petition -- at this crucial 
time for the First Amendment.

To join with Ellsberg in signing the petition, click here. [ 
http://act.rootsaction.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=9775 ]

The U.S. government is threatening to jail "New York Times" reporter 
James Risen if he doesn't reveal a confidential source. Risen, who 
covers "national security," says he won't capitulate.

Now you can let this journalist and top government officials know that 
you're in solidarity with his brave stand for a free press. Sign the 
petition "We Support James Risen Because We Support a Free Press." [ 
http://act.rootsaction.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=9775 ]

Why is your support so important?

The Freedom of the Press Foundation has called the government's effort 
to force Risen to reveal a source "one of the most significant press 
freedom cases in decades."

Daniel Ellsberg says: "The pursuit of Risen is a warning to potential 
sources that journalists cannot promise them confidentiality for 
disclosing Executive Branch criminality, recklessness, deception, 
unconstitutional policies or lying us into war. Without protecting 
confidentiality, investigative journalism required for accountability 
and democracy will wither and disappear."

Amplify our combined voices. Click here to sign the petition to 
President Obama and Attorney General Holder. [ 
http://act.rootsaction.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=9775 ]

A recent brief from the Obama administration to the nation's top court 
"is unflinchingly hostile to the idea of the Supreme Court creating or 
finding protections for journalists," "Politico" reported.

The newspaper added that Risen "might be sent to jail or fined if he 
refuses to identify his sources or testify about other details of his 
reporting."

This threat is truly ominous.

So much is at stake: for whistleblowers, freedom of the press and the 
public's right to know. And for democracy.

Please sign the petition and share it with people you know. [ 
http://act.rootsaction.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=9775 ]

Our combined actions can really make a difference.

-- The RootsAction.org team

Background:
> Freedom of the Press  Foundation: Court Guts Reporter's Privilege [
  > 
https://pressfreedomfoundation.org/blog/2013/07/court-guts-reporters-privilege-one-most-significant-press-freedom-cases-decades
  > ]

  > Truthout: Conversation With James Risen: Can Journalists Protect
  > Their Sources? [
  > 
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/23207-conversation-with-james-risen-c=
  > ]

  > Politico: Justice Department Urges SCOTUS to Pass Up Reporter's
  > Privilege Case [
  > 
http://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2014/04/justice-department-urges-scotus-to-pass-up-reporters-187455.html
  > ]

  > Letter to Holder from 46 News Organizations Re: Subpoena to James
  > Risen [
  > 
http://www.rcfp.org/sites/default/files/RCFP%20coalition%20letter%20re%20Risen.pdf
  > ]

  > Committee to Protect Journalists: U.S. Government Should Withdraw
  > Risen Subpoena [
  > https://cpj.org/2014/06/us-government-should-withdraw-risen-subpoena.php
  > ]

  > Columbia Journalism Review: Journalism Groups Rally Around a Petition
  > Supporting James Risen [
  > http://www.cjr.org/the_kicker/risen_petition.php ]

http://www.rootsaction.org

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-- 
Spencer Graves, PE, PhD
President and Chief Technology Officer
Structure Inspection and Monitoring, Inc.
751 Emerson Ct.
San José, CA 95126
ph:  408-655-4567
web:  www.structuremonitoring.com