So Much for Freedom of the Press – Georgia Ethnic Newspaper Journalist Physically Removed from Obama Presence - Opinion

Pro-Choice Catholic Journalist Removed by Obama Security Detail -AP Photo, NBC Affiliate

The Reverend Brenda Lee , a Catholic, African-American Journalist, was physically removed from a press area, while waiting for Air Force One to arrive. Brenda Lee writes a column, “The Birds Eye View” for the African-American Newspaper, The Georgia Informer. The report, from LA News, an NBC affiliate, described Ms. Lee as a “reporter for a small newspaper”, who was removed because she wanted to hand Obama a letter, asking him to “take a stand on traditional marriage”.

Apparently, Ms. Lee was first escorted away from the Press Area by the Secret Service, then allowed to return under conditions that she not “yell or wave”, however, another security team forcibly removed her.

First, it should not matter what type of newspaper, or media one works for, in fact, local community and ethnic papers are the lifeblood of many communities – not, perhaps, as grand as the local daily paper, should there still be one, but more in tune with what is happening in that particular community, giving the readers local coverage, and in some cases, opinion and coverage on state and national issues - they can often be apolitical.

Secondly, the woman, a professed Catholic, was penalized because she wanted to hand a letter, first to the Secret Service detail, who refused to take it, and then directly to the President, not a staffer to whom she was referred. Frankly, she was in the press area, she was surrounded by not only Secret Service, but by another security outfit and she identified herself. The fact that she was first allowed to stay and then removed, because she wanted to hand a letter, to the President, an act that would have taken 5 seconds, seems ridiculous. Where was the harm in allowing an African American woman Journalist, from an African American Publication in Macon, Georgia, to hand the President a sealed letter?

Perhaps with the emphasis on domestic terrorists, Ms. Lee may have been on some watch list, as a potential threat due to the fact that she is also a Catholic and pro-Life.
Her last column, , a Mother’s Day missive regarding traditional values, asked that the President appoint a “God Fearing” Judge, rather than one more liberally inclined. The African-American community (which this blog hates to pigeonhole, as we are all American’s, should we have legal citizenship, and therefore, the designation of ethnicity and race, in every facet of American life, lends to a separation , not inclusion into American Culture, leading to bigotry and racial tensions. The language is to keep in context with the original story, however, one feels somewhat hypocritical in doing so.) is, for the most part, conservative regarding social issues, like so many other “ethnic groups” that adhere to Christian principals. Those that would dismiss the overly enthusiastic Catholic, pro-life, pro-marriage, journalist from a small newspaper in Macon Georgia, would do well to remember that not all journalist and newspapers (regardless of size) are staffed by the “elite” East and West Coast brand of progressives who hold themselves above the “masses” who they feel are, unfortunately, unable to form an opinion. Although this woman does not meet certain elite criteria, she certainly meets the criteria of “American Journalist”, and therefore, should have been treated with respect.