Freedom Of The Press In a Rare Two Newspaper Town

The venerable Niagara Gazette, a much more broad-minded and liberal publication than the rag-like Niagara Falls Reporter, published this picture of the marvelous and inclusive, the wondrous Mayor Paul Dyster at his new taxpayer-funded Cricket field built for an affluent group of Buffalo amateur cricket players. The Gazette editorial writers think it a joyous occasion to have such a taxpayer - funded field here. The Reporter may disagree but is thankful that the Gazette and the Reporter do not agree on many things: It provides an opportunity for readers to read both papers and decide for themselves.

 

Here at the Niagara Falls Reporter, one of the very few things we hold absolutely scared is the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. We make our living based on the principle of free speech, and anything short of an absolutist position on the matter wouldn’t be in our best interest.

The amendment was written by Thomas Jefferson, but it is said that Benjamin Franklin, who had owned a newspaper and a print shop, was heavily influential in its crafting.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

The importance of the amendment to the Founding Fathers is obvious. They made it the first one.

 In her 1903 biography of Voltaire, the British author Evelyn Beatrice Hall summed the French writer’s feelings about freedom of expression up in a single phrase.

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it,” Hall wrote, although the quotation is today often misattributed to Voltaire himself.

To this Enlightenment principle we also subscribe.

Niagara Falls is lucky enough to be a two newspaper town. There aren’t many of those left these days. And competition being what it is, the Reporter and the Niagara Gazette have often found themselves taking the opposite positions on matters of public interest, particularly those involving Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster.

That’s a good thing, and we, at least, enjoy the give and take.

Take the Mayor’s new cricket field, for example. Please.

Just kidding.

The Reporter broke the story back in May when, according to several eyewitnesses, Dyster showed up late to the Opening Day festivities of the Babe Ruth Little League at Hyde Park. Those present said Dyster told them he was planning to build a cricket field at Hyde Park, and that the league would have to “make some room” for the cricketeers.

We called the city’s planning office, which confirmed that they had been asked to see what it would take to build a cricket field at Hyde Park. We published a story about it.

As he so often does, Dyster flew off into full denial mode. The next day a story appeared in the Gazette quoting the mayor as saying that there would be no changes to the little league diamonds at Hyde Park and that none had ever even been contemplated.

He lied, in other words, but it often the sad duty of the newspaperman to write down the lies of all manner of politicians and include them in a story. They call it “objectivity,” or giving both sides.

Here at the Reporter we are very fortunate in that Dyster won’t speak to us, so if three or four people tell us something happened we can pretty much just go with it without having to actually listen to him lying. The Gazette has no such luck.

In any event, the Gazette published an editorial last week, in the wake of Dyster’s new cricket field opening up in a vacant, city owned lot over on 61st Street. The editorial celebrated the opening, said it made the city more diverse and might attract more people here.

It is still unknown what the cricket field cost Niagara Falls taxpayers for planning, design and execution. And there can be no question but that Dyster badly mishandled the episode regardless of whether it’s a good thing or not.

Thus, while we disapprove of the position taken in the Gazette’s well written editorial, we will defend to the death that newspaper’s right to espouse it.