Fear of Expression

In Nuevo Laredo, Texas, Mexican drug cartel kidnappings are preventing one of the largest Spanish newspapers on the border from publishing information freely. The newspaper, El Mañana, developed a self-censorship policy after several attacks made reporters and the public no longer safe. El Mañana resisted the censorship policy for a long time, remaining undeterred even after the cartel murdered their editor, shot up their office, and attacked with homemade grenades twice. Soon after, however, something had to change and the newspaper began self-censoring their stories—no longer including bylines and omitting details as well as names and pictures of people being quoted. The censorship has changed the newspaper and disheartened the reporters and public, who officially feel the threat of the cartel on their freedom of expression.

This one instance highlights an issue that happens worldwide, every day. Fear of a higher power constantly puts an invisible filter on people’s speech and expression. No one can obviously blame El Mañana for instating their self-censorship policy, but in doing so they also relinquished a small amount of power to the cartel. Although they still publish stories on cartel violence from larger Mexican newspapers, they are no longer able to really tell their public what is happening—which is a right and obligation that all newspapers and journalists have.   

On a smaller scale, college newspapers can feel this imposing power on their speech as well. Unlike high school newspapers, college newspapers enjoy First Amendment rights and cannot be censored. This, however, does not mean that they don’t still feel the pressure of censorship. School authorities frequently attempt to impose censorship on college newspapers—especially when it comes to controversial material that could reflect poorly on the school. Threats to revoke funding or inflict other such consequences upon the newspaper sometimes ensure that writers are kept in line and that they don’t feel too much freedom of expression.

Working for the University News, I have already witnessed such hesitation from writers on a small level, and it makes me concerned that news everywhere has a slight veil of censorship. If our journalists and our news sources don’t give us the full, detailed truth, then how do we know what we’re missing? We might legally have a freedom of expression, but imposed fear can keep us from exercising this right.