Maybe you are like many people who believe the stereotypes that politicians and journalists are crooked. That's the way things are and that's how they will be, right?
Certainly, both professions have shown themselves to be laden with scandal in recent years. You are probably less likely to be called a conspiracy theorist nowadays if you don't trust the information you are being fed. Unfortunately, the once-objective and neutral image of journalism has gone the way of politics, as people choose between FOX News or CNN, considered by some as conservative-biased or liberal-biased information sources.
But, obtaining the facts shouldn't be an ideological choice. It's a right granted to all Americans, journalists or not, by the First Amendment.
This week has been dubbed Sunshine Week by media organizations and groups pushing for more government access. The purpose is to celebrate our rights to government information and take notice of what is happening in our governments, whether on a national or local level. Specifically, this week celebrates the Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, and the Open Meetings Act - laws that protect citizens' rights to access public documents, government meetings and other information vital to sustaining a democracy.
If you are skeptical of politicians and the media, this week is for you. It represents a chance to learn how the relationship between people and the government works; to see how rights might be taken away, or perhaps, how privacy isn't being protected enough. It's a chance to blow down the stereotypes.
Participating in, or challenging, local government might seem like a daunting task for many. It can be intimidating even for a journalist. Chances are, you've never filled out a FOIA request, and you might never have a need to. Just having a familiarity with your rights is an important step.
The most viable place to have an impact is on a local level. The East Lansing City Council, for instance, makes many decisions on how student housing functions, what amenities it has, and a variety of other issues that have more immediate impact than any federal decisions.
The truth is, the public voice has real power at these meetings. You are not a numberless vote on a piece of paper in a national election. You have the ability to hold the government accountable and to vocalize your opinions to decision makers. If the system is working correctly, they listen.
We live in a time when terrorists live amongst us, people rob our identities on the Internet and use public records against us in court. In this post-Sept. 11 world, giving our rights away might seem like the best defense to keep society safe.
But not knowing what your government is up to can be just as daunting, and, as the term Sunshine Week implies, the best option is to shine light on public affairs.
