The White House’s recent effort to diminish the power of journalism was visible when the recent anonymously written The New York Times Op-Ed, ‘I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration,’ published Sept. 5.

The shocking essay was written by a White House senior official and the article has then led to White House staff rolling out denials and accusations as a formal investigation develops. The source reveals the “president continues to act in a manner that is detrimental to the health of our republic.”

The issue that has come to light due to this recent piece is if journalism or the press is the enemy.

Journalism gives storytellers the ability to share the voices and of those who feel unheard. By stating the facts and utilizing others’ voices to create a publication that is informative and beneficial to the public, the press gives a platform for the truth.

Journalists should use the power of speech to its fullest capability. The First Amendment given to us by our Founding Fathers states that we have the freedom of speech and press. We as reporters and most importantly as citizens of the United States have the responsibility and duty to share citizens’ stories, opinions and their voices.

Without freedom of the press, people would be constricted of their opinions—journalists would not be journalists.

At a time in where our country is divided by party lines and the press is named the enemy is when our country needs journalism more than ever. In order to preserve our democracy, journalism comes into play by doing what it was intended for; sharing the truth and keeping our leaders in check.

By definition, democracy is fueled by the opinions of its population similar to a car without gas, cannot progress forward without said viewpoints. And the press, whose job is to inform citizens, enables them to form the opinions upon which democracy is founded.

Therefore, without the press, democracy becomes meaningless; the cornerstones of our founding beliefs collapse with the unsuspecting population scrambling to pick up the pieces.

It is essential that the media and the President should work collectively with one another for when the President has a strong connection with the media, it allows for a liaison between government and the people of the United States. The president relies on news conferences to answer questions from the media, using journalists to conduct the information and stand as a representative for the people.

We, at The Ledger, uphold the highest standard of student journalism in that we only present to you, our readers, the truth in its purest form. That is, after all, what journalism is intended to do. So despite the recent bombshell coming out of Washington D.C., we as a staff promise to continue to protect and preserve the truth.