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Introduction. As One Looks Through Recent Histories Of

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Introduction As one looks through recent histories of the media, it quickly becomes apparent that there has been an influx of controversies regarding the freedom of the press. Considering the age of America, and the state of current technology, it is understandable why it is now reaching such discrepancies. In particular, the decisions leading up to the conviction of Theodore Kaczynski, known as the Unabomber, is one of much dispute. By taking a closer look that this case 's situation, values applied, principles upheld, and loyalties owed, one might be able to have a clear understanding of what ethical decisions should have been taken in regard to the media.
The Situation Theodore Kaczynski, the Unabomber, was a domestic terrorist …show more content…

Combined, these two realizations opened up the door for much commentary by journalists. This situation became apparent, and while the action of publication could not be taken back, there was still significant discussion about the decision-making process.
Values Applied Proceeding from understanding of the situation is a close examination of the values associated with the case. As defined by Merriam Websters Dictionary, the word value is “something (as a principle or quality) intrinsically valuable or desirable,”(Webster). In application to the case, values can be seen by all three parties of interest(the public, the media, and the government). Clearly, the public is concerned largely about safety and the overarching goal to bring the Kaczynski to justice. Safety an be seen as the value of nonviolence which falls under the category of morals. While the public can not be assured that Kaczynski will not continue his bomb-making with the publication of the manifesto, they can be reasonable assured that the bomb-making will continue if it is not published. To this end, they value the preservation of life. On the other hand, the media has a different set of values. Both The Washington Post and The New York Times have the desire to be “[independent] from the government, [and] from hostile groups who make threats,”(Christians 55). Both are reasonable utilizations of the value of professional independence. The media is

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