"Ladies and gentlemen,
the very word secrecy is repugnant, in a
free and open society, and we are as a people, inherently and
historically, opposed to secret societies, to secret oaths and secret
proceedings.
We decided long ago that the dangers of excessive
and unwarranted concealment of pertinent facts far outweigh the dangers
which are cited to justify it.
Even today there is little value in opposing the threat of a closed society by imitating its arbitrary restrictions.
Even today there is little value in ensuring the survival of our nation, if our traditions do not survive with it.
And
there is very grave danger that an announced need for increased
security will be seized upon by those anxious who wish to expand it's
meaning to the very limits of official censorship and concealment.
That I do not intend to permit, to the extent that it is in my control.
And
no official of my administration whether his rank is high or low,
civilian or military, should interpret my words here tonight, as an
excuse to censor the news, to stifle dissent, to cover up our mistakes,
or to withhold from the press and the public the facts they deserve to
know.
For we are opposed, around the world, by a monolithic and
ruthless conspiracy, that relies primarily on covert means for
expanding its sphere of influence, on infiltration instead of
invasion, on subversion instead of elections, on intimidation,
instead of free choice, on guerrillas by night, instead of armies
by day,
It is a system which has conscripted, vast material and
human resources into the building of a tightly knit, highly efficient
machine that combines military, diplomatic, intelligence, economic,
scientific, and political operations. Its preparations are
concealed, not published. It's mistakes are buried, not headlined.
Its dissenters silenced, not praised.
No expenditure is questioned. No rumor is printed. No secret is revealed.
No president should fear public scrutiny of his program.
Because from that scrutiny comes understanding. And from that understanding comes support or opposition, and both are necessary.
I
am not asking your newspaper to support an administration.. But I am
asking your help in the tremendous task of informing and alerting the
American people..
For I have complete confidence in the response and the dedication of our citizens when they are fully informed.
I
not only could not stifle controversy from your readers I welcome it.
This administration intends to be candid about its errors. For as a
wise man once said, "an error doesn't become a mistake until you refuse
to correct it".
We intend to accept full responsibility for our
errors and we expect you to point them out when we miss them. Without
debate without criticism, no administration and no country can succeed.
And no republic can survive.
That is why the Athenian law
decreed it a crime for any citizen to shrink from controversy. And that
is why our press was protected by the first amendment, the only
business in America specifically protected by the constitution, not
primarily to amuse or entertain, not to emphasize the trivial and
sentimental, not to simply give the public what it wants, but
to inform, to arouse, and to reflect to state our dangers and our
opportunities, to indicate our crises and our choices, to lead,
mould, and educate and sometimes even anger public opinion.
This
means greater coverage and analysis of international news, for it is
no longer far away and foreign, but close at hand and local.. it means
greater attention to improved attention to greater understanding of the
news, as well as improved transmission, and it means finally, the
government at all levels, must meet its obligation, to provide you with
it's possible information, outside the narrowest limits of national
security.
And so it is to the printing press, to the recorder of
man's deeds, the keeper of his conscience, the carrier of his news,
that we look for strength, and his assistance, confident that with your
help, Man will be what he was born to be..
Free and independent."
-JFK
