Imprint
[2021, Amnesty Internationa UK]
“On the eve of LBJ's electoral victory in 1964, 78 percent of Americans thought that the government could be 'trusted to do the right thing' either 'always' or 'most of the time'. By the eve of Ronald Reagan's election in 1980, however, that figure had plunged to 26 percent.”
- Josh Zeitz, "How Americans Lost Faith in the Government," January 30, 2018
Mistrust and Growth
"The Pentagon Papers," 2018, Pop History Dig
The Pentagon Papers created much distrust between the public and the government. However, diplomatic efforts by the government have attempted to regain public trust in recent times.
In 2011, the National Archives released all 7000 pages of the Pentagon Papers for its 40th anniversary, implying more transparency and accountability by the government.
“At first blush, it sounds like the release of one of the worst-kept secrets in history — finally unlocking the barn door four decades after the horses bolted. The study, after all, has already been published by The Times and other newspapers, resulting in a landmark First Amendment decision by the Supreme Court. It has been released in book form more than once. But it turns out that those texts have been incomplete: When all 7,000 pages are released Monday, officials say, the study can finally be read in its original form.”
- Michael Cooper, “After 40 Years, the Pentagon Papers are Complete,” June 8, 2011
Other Leaks of Confidential Information
"Collateral Damage," 2007, WikiLeaks
WikiLeaks, a website made to reveal secret information, rose to fame during the Afghanistan War. Whistleblowers like Bradley Manning and Edward Snowden exposed many secrets, from gruesome videos such as Collateral Damage to one of the largest data leaks in July 2010.
“Well, Wikileaks was meant to facilitate whistleblowing a world over.”
- Daniel Ellsberg, Harvard Law School Inteview, 2011
Newspapers such as the New York Times, The Guardian, and Der Spiegel gained access to massive amounts of information from WikiLeaks. While Manning and Snowden came to face legal consequences, the publishers (media) themselves faced no prior restraint or censorship, displaying the impact of New York Times Co. v. United States well into the 21st century.
Conclusion
The Pentagon Papers exposed deception within the government, resulting in a dispute between the free press and national security. Ellsberg’s decision to leak the papers, while regarded as heroic by many, can be considered questionable, as he breached confidential information, walking away with little consequence. Nonetheless, the battle was integral to defending the First Amendment.
“In the absence of the governmental checks and balances present in other areas of our national life, the only effective restraint upon executive policy and power in the areas of national defense and international affairs may lie in an enlightened citizenry— in an informed and critical public opinion which alone can here protect the values of democratic government.”
- Potter Stewart, History.com, 1971
“I Never Regretted Doing It”
~ Daniel EllsbergDaniel Ellsberg, The Guardian, 2021