FOIA Was Featured In The Little-Known Sequel, “1985”
This isn’t really any more inane than all the other “Quacks And Smacks” features (Quacks to people who separate their recycling! Smacks to colon cancer!) but one of the Smacks deserves a comment:
Smacks to the Pentagon for withholding images of dead soldiers’ coffins until a Freedom of Information Act request forced their release. The limits imposed on the press are downright Orwellian and violate the spirit of open government when it’s needed most.
Pictures of soldiers’ coffins: OK. However, I think that is the first time I have ever seen the word “Orwellian” in the same paragraph as the phrase “Freedom of Information Act”.
Bravo. Bitch and moan all you want about the Pentagon’s hesitance to provide information, but the only imposed limit here is the media’s own laziness in not requesting info sooner. If I walk into 6th Street, and I am not immediately provided with an El Dorado, I would not consider that an imposed limit. Seems I should have to actually request one before the limiting starts.