The Lippmann tendency

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