Democracy relies on a free and open press

President Donald Trump repeatedly refers to journalists as enemies of the people. Trump praised Montana Republican Rep. Greg Gianforte for assaulting a reporter during his campaign last May, saying 'any guy who can do a body slam ... he's my guy.” And now Trump hesitates to even say that the killing of a journalist is evil and absolutely unacceptable (this is true regardless of whether he has all the facts about Washington Post journalist Jamal Kashoggi's disappearance or not - this is a simple moral statement that Trump needs to reinforce in the face of Kashoggi's apparent murder).

Journalists who risk their lives to uncover the truth are heroes, not enemies.

A democracy demands three things: a free and open press, a transparent government, and an educated citizenry. Donald Trump clearly wants none of these.

Glenn Freeman

Mount Vernon