Let Me Hear Your Yawp – Free Speech, Net Neutrality, and Election 2016

[Commentary] I was at my desk when I received news that the US Court of Appeals in Washington had upheld the Federal Communications Commission’s network neutrality rules. Before issuing my “barbaric yawp” of joy, I closed my eyes for a moment of thanks. When I opened my eyes, my gaze was on a painting displayed in the Benton Foundation’s office, Jack Levine’s “Witches’ Sabbath.” Levine is best known for his satires on modern life and “Witches’ Sabbath” was his commentary on one of America’s scariest moments, the age of McCarthyism when politicians investigated citizen loyalty and threatened personal privacy. Like you, I’ve followed the 2016 election news closely and I am very concerned with the parallels to the 1950s. Yes, candidates always perform an intricate dance with the press, simultaneously courting attention while trying to avoid scrutiny. But this year seems different. Far past avoiding inquisitive journalists, we’ve come to a place where entire outlets are banned from political events. And not just one or two publications – The Washington Post, Foreign Policy, Univision, The New Hampshire Union Leader, The Des Moines Register, The Daily Beast, The Huffington Post, Fusion, BuzzFeed News and Gawker. That list is way too big. It is a chilling time for free speech in America. But the court’s network neutrality decision could help bring the warmth of sunlight to our election climate.