Judith Miller

As a journalist I find it hard not to believe in freedom of the press, and therefore think that Judith Miller never should have been put in jail. I do understand the danger that Valerie Plame Wilson was put in by having her identity in the CIA revealed, and I understand the reasons that the government would want to know who revealed her.

But at the same time I understand that reporters have the right not to reveal their sources. If this person never should have revealed this woman's identity, why should Judith Miller be told by the government to do the same to someone else? It seems a little hypocritical to me, and I feel that by putting Judith Miller in jail, the government is belittling the importance and influence of journalism in our country. If it's not okay for a person to reveal a CIA agent through journalism, why should another reporter be reprimanded for not threatening another life by revealing their identity? It doesn't make any sense to me at all, and I think it is blatantly unfair and cruel to put someone in jail for standing by their word not to reveal their source. I think it is a major diss to the entire world of journalism to do so.

Although I have read reports of Judith Miller previously printing false information on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, I think that that is a separate issue altogether. It is irrelevant to this situation concerning Valerie Plame Wilson, and I feel that people are considering it to much when they judge Judith Miller in this instance.