Precarious Life

While reading the excerpt from Precarious Life I became interested in the idea that ever since the terrorist attacks of the past there has been increased levels of government intervention; so much so that it is quite possible the sovereignty of the media has been compromised like never before. Although thisis a nation of free apeech and press it is not always so obvious nowadays. With this rise of terrorism in the past years the media has been left with two options "Either you're with us or you're with the terrorists"(Butler 2). If a newspapaer or reporter speaks out agaisnt what is happening with our government and thier handling of foreign affairs these reporters must face the "consequences" of what they have written. This "binarism" has created a not so "free" America, where instead of freedom of press, the media meets with much censorship and legal red tape for things they may say or write.
According to Judith Butler these reporters must take one of two positions, see "terror as justified" (Butler 2) and therefore are allowed to continue reporting, or supposedly "[feel] sympathy with terrorism" and have their name tarnished. The way the media is being treated today makes it seem like they are working for newspapers from some other country. If we start with mild censorship, who knows, it could one day grow to become a "big brother" nation instead of a land of freedom. Once we promote a lack of speech in any area of this free society, there's no stopping this rolling ball before it spins out of control. It is true that in society one must watch what they say or face the consequences, but when a reporter writes their opinion on a topic and is chastised for it, that is not living the American dream. America is the land of many oppportunities, not a nation where "only two positions are possible"(Butler 2).