The Lippmann tendency

Arya Gunawan, in his letter titled, Response to Frank Richardson(The Jakarta Post, May, 21) has, not unexpectedly, set about defending his credentials as a columnist by trying to show he is familiar with the writings of Walter Lippmann, who he quoted in his article, Indonesian Press: Walking a tightrope (The Post, May 14). Arya Gunawan has, it seems, scraped around for some pro-democracy sentiments expressed by Walter Lippmann, but, by stating that Lippman is "regarded by some as a potentially authoritarian thinker", appears rather reluctant to face the truth.

Democracy was to Lippmann what judicial trials were to Joseph Stalin: a process that could be cynically engineered to serve narrow political ends. I am sure Stalin extolled certain virtues of court procedure; but I would not quote him to support an argument in favor of achieving justice through the judicial process!

Hilde May's letter titled, Who controls the media? (The Post May, 22) refers to, what I see, as a Lippmann tendency in Indonesia by press moguls to use their power to exert political influence. This was particularly rampant during the period that led to the downfall of former president Abdurrahman Wahid.

What is needed by the press in Indonesia is a high level of integrity that facilitates strict adherence to democratic values and principles. Only this will ensure that the needs of the nation prevail over the narrow political ends of its various protagonists, who may try to distort the democratic process through the media, just as Lippmann would have envisioned.

FRANK RICHARDSON

Tangerang, Banten