It’s been said that the free press is one of the four pillars of democracy, and we, the Torch editorial board, couldn’t agree more with that statement. You are probably aware that President Trump and his administration have recently been villainizing journalists, calling them “fake,” “liars,” “the enemy of the people,” etc… But various news agencies and journalists alike have been pushing back. We would like to stand in solidarity with publications such as the Boston Globe, New York Times, Miami Herald, and our own Sarasota Herald-Tribune, along with over 300 others who published editorials yesterday to defend the free press.
The first issue of the Torch, which will come out Oct. 12, will feature a full page opinion spread on the importance of free press and journalism. But for now, the Torch Staff stands united with fellow journalists everywhere. And we hope that you, our readers, will stand with us in declaring the necessity of a free press to holding our government officials, regardless of party or politics, accountable to the truth.