Thursday, October 23, 2008

US Ranks 36th In World Press Freedom Survey

Reporters Without Borders today released its annual Press Freedom Index. Think Progress had the report I lifted for this post...

Interesting, innit, that in spite of all the 'exceptionalist' rhetoric in which most of Murka wallows contentedly--despite, that is, purporting “to be a beacon for the rest of the world” for human rights protections and freedom of thought--the U.S. has been ranked 36 out of 173 countries — a spot also shared by Bosnia and Herzegovina. The ranking, tied with 6 other nations, marks a decline since the first survey was conducted in 2002. At that time, the US was ranked 17th. This year's standing is, however, an improvement over last year, when the US ranked 48th.

Iceland ranked number one in press freedom, with Ghana, Slovenia, Trinidad and Tobago, Surinam, and Jamaica also ranking higher than the U.S.

The report singled out “wars carried out in the name of the fight against terrorism” as a cause for the steep decline in press freedoms around the world.

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