Addison Independent, Monday, December 5, 2016 — PAGE 5
Vermont should make voice heard Letter battleground communities, Vermont has always played in an important role in our nation, endorsed Clinton. And yet, it wasn’t particularly when the core of enough to change the mind of voters in democracy, freedom of speech, is swing states. Surveys show declining under threat. We must be prepared trust in the media across the country to play that role again. In the face reaching an all-time low of 32 percent of John Adams’ efforts to stifle free this fall. Trump was not afraid to fuel speech and prevent criticism of the that sentiment saying “70 percent, administration, Vermont’s Matthew 75 percent of [reporters] are absolute Lyons went to prison for speaking dishonest, absolute scum.” Trump’s campaign gave us a out…and was elected to Congress look into his approach to the First from his prison cell. Vermont Sen. Ralph Flanders Amendment by calling for the bucked the Republican party at the removal from rallies of protestors heart of the Red Scare by denouncing and suggesting that some should be “roughed up.” He Joe McCarthy’s fear remarked that “in the mongering on the Senate old days [protesters] floor. He is credited for would have been carried shifting the momentum out on stretchers.” We against the witch hunt This week’s writer saw unprecedented for communists, a shift interference of Russian that eventually brought is Matt Dunne, a fellow at the leadership and Wikileaks McCarthy down. by engaging in political We face a similar Vermont Law School Center for Legal cyber dirty tricks as a moment again. foreign enterprise hacked We have never Innovation a former and released the private seen a president like Google executive emails of the Chair of Donald Trump. He and Democratic Hillary’s campaign. The doesn’t appear to gubernatorial FBI Director’s October have an ideology or political philosophy. He has held a Surprise regarding Hillary’s emails variety of positions on a variety of found on Anthony Weiner’s laptop issues including abortion, marriage was also conveniently resolved the equality and even his own Muslim day before the election, when the damage had been done but it was seen immigration ban proposal. Trump appears to be comfortable as likely that Hillary would prevail. In Trump, I see a political leader saying whatever is necessary to close the deal. He’s already backtracking willing to do anything to be a on Obamacare and saying he wants “winner.” One who understands the to be a president for all Americans. power of direct communication and It should disturb us that he feels large-scale political rallies. He has comfortable scapegoating minorities seen how cyber attacks can expose and using violent language to win an a political competitor’s information election …and more disturbed that in devastating ways and issued no it worked. We will have to see if he condemnation of Wikileaks when they really delivers on that promise and we hacked Hillary Clinton’s campaign chair’s email. He has seen the FBI’s will have to be ready to push back. But what concerns me most is ability to deliver a political punch. From a technology perspective, that his Machiavellian pragmatism could lead to something much more we have seen the government, even dangerous. Trump’s area of expertise under a progressive regime, go so is communication and he mastered it far as to tap undersea cables between during his campaign. The lessons he data centers to access private citizens’ learned in reality television served emails. It is clear that the capitulation him well. His leadership team is of just a few large companies could also filled with experts in landing a give our government unprecedented narrative that produces emotion and access to the political views and motivations of most of the people in action. The campaign was lead by Breitbart our country. We also know that the freedom executive Stephen Bannon, who will now serve as the President’s senior of communication offered by the advisor. Newt Gingrich was famously Internet is fragile. The FCC, with the architect of the Contract with commissioners appointed by the America and has already suggested President, can make sweeping bringing back the Committee on changes to net neutrality and change Unamerican Activities, stating on Fox rules around whether a single News back in June, “We originally company or individual can control all created the House Un-American media in a particular region or market. Activities Committee to go after ICANN, the independent Nazis. organization that governs the Internet. We passed several laws in 1938 and is under threat as foreign governments 1939 to go after Nazis and we made it (like Russia) that are uncomfortable illegal to help the Nazis. We’re going with the freedom of information flow to presently have to go take the similar the Internet provides, demand a role in steps here.” Gingrich stated this overseeing the information highway. knowing full well that the Committee Some in Congress have advocated for evolved into an enterprise targeting the need to reduce the amount of user people with opposing political views generated content, a freedom which and creating a deep chilling effect on is key to allowing for the free flow of expression. information without censorship. The election also demonstrated All of these could allow a Trump how weak the media is today. A record administration to control the news number of newspapers, including Americans see. It has already traditionally Republican publications developed its own communication
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channels through Twitter and Facebook and could easily expand to cable channels that could broadcast “official” news and cover rallies, leaving traditional journalists out of the process. Through existing structures, an administration could systematically stifle other communication by limiting access to Internet content and threaten to withhold broadcasting licenses to the few remaining large media corporations unless they meet new, limited content standards or provide desirable regulation changes for those who comply. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting could easily be eliminated, and the resulting funding cuts would most likely reduce the distribution of Public Radio in rural communities and poorer states that have more trouble raising money from members. We are already heading into an era where we have difficulty settling on a shared view of the truth and an administration with experience in new media could accelerate the process of establishing a new consensus “truth” that simply reflects the message that meets the administration’s needs. In Vermont we have found ways to harness the Internet to advance national progressive causes, including Howard Dean and Bernie Sanders’ runs for President and the creation of the environmental organization 350.org. We also understand the complementary power of in-person communication. The power of town meeting, protest and collaboration. We are the state that found the intersection between the two, allowing 350.org to coordinate days of action throughout the world, the Howard Dean campaign MeetUps that drove campaigns in all 50 states and Bernie to demonstrate a real campaign can be waged with small contributions from millions of people. We have a tradition of speaking out against repression loudly, knowing that Vermonters will have our backs. We need to be prepared to play this role again. From our perch in the Green Mountains we must watch carefully for the signs of threats to our freedom of speech and the ability to convey what is actually happening in the world. Through great organizations like the Center for Media and Democracy, Democracy for America and Our Revolution we can keep a watchful eye on this fundamental part of our Democracy. We may even have to build new institutions protected within our borders to communicate freely and try new models for media like VTDigger and Seven Days. But we must be organized, educated to recognize efforts to stifle free speech and we must be ready to push back with a clarion voice. As Coolidge said, “If the spirit of liberty should vanish in other parts of the Union, and support of our institutions should languish, it could all be replenished from the generous store held by the people of this brave little state of Vermont.” It is now our generation’s turn to fulfill that expectation.
(Continued from Page 4) abuse through multidisciplinary investigation and intervention. The CAC has specially trained, trauma-informed investigators that interview children. I recently accepted the position of the CAC’s victim advocate. My role here is multi-faceted, but when children and families come to the center, the focus becomes solely on them and their needs. I’ll often play with children while their parents talk to investigators, and make referrals to further services, like mental health providers. We keep children at the forefront, providing a familyfriendly interview setting; while coordinating interviews so children aren’t subject to telling their
stories “multiple times in a ‘scary’ institutional setting,” as Nancy mentioned of the Stuart House. Members of our multidisciplinary team include the Addison County State’s Attorneys Office, the Department for Children and Families, law enforcement throughout the county, the Counseling Center of Addison County, WomenSafe, Porter Hospital, and Middlebury College. There are now over 750 Children’s Advocacy Centers nationwide, and the Addison County CAC is committed to both holding offenders accountable and most importantly, ensuring the investigation is as trauma-free as possible. Jennifer Ricard Middlebury
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