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 Freedom.
by Peter Kohler Director of Editorial Services at Cablevision It's one of the key concepts we cherish in a democracy. But despite all our Constitutional guarantees of freedom contained in the Bill of Rights -- freedom of the press, religion, freedom to assemble and petition the government, freedom from unreasonable government searches and seizures -- our public life is full of disputes in which our guarantees of freedom are balanced against the powers we vest in government to keep the peace, protect our rights to own property and provide for our defense. Sometimes, the disputes over balancing these rights is played out in historic arguments before the Supreme Court, but in other cases, the disputes can involve more mundane or local concerns, though just as important in their own way.
All are instructive of the balancing act involved when government or institutions attempt to protect citizens through laws or rules that can limit individual freedoms. Bear in mind that news stories and editorials serve different purposes.
Editorials vs. News StoriesEditorials are created to offer an opinion and to stimulate debate and thought. Editorials, like news stories, contain facts. But unlike news stories, editorials offer an argument in support of an opinion based on those facts, often concluding by suggesting a course of action or solution to the problem. Click below to read three editorials presented recently by Peter Kohler, Director of Editorial Services at Cablevision, which speak to local disputes.
News is written to inform the reader; it emphasizes only facts, the who, what, when, where and how of a story. See how the following news sources treat controversial issues.
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