Unfreedom of the Press

I have been a fan of Mark R. Levin’s Fox news show “Life, Liberty, and Levin” for a long time. His insight, knowledge and logical mind on American political history, cultural developments and constitutional law have always been interesting and educational. I just finished reading his best-selling book (Unfreedom of the Press by Mark R. Levin) and enjoyed his keen evaluation of how the American press throughout our history has influenced our culture and political landscape. Before reading this fantastic book I did not realize just how politically biased the American news media has been in American history and how they often sided with a particular political party and point of view. I also discovered that early in our history the news media USED TO BE PATRIOTS when they wrote about the news in our country. This book exposes the news media for spreading not just news, but pure lies and propaganda as well depending on their political point of view. I was surprised but also aware of the almost total lack of objectivity in the news media resources both in the past and as well as present day. The sad thing is how the destructive collective mind-set seems to dominate most of the news reporters in the papers, T.V. and other news outlets. It seems our colleges and universities had succeeded in brain washing their graduates to believe that a failed socialism form of government is superior than our freedom based form of government. In fact, it is scary to think that so many people today prefer slavery over free markets? This excellent book covers the following material: News as political and ideological activism, the early patriot press, the modern Democratic Party –press, the real threat to press freedom, new, propaganda and pseudo-events, the New York Times betrays millions, and the truth about collusion, abuse of power, and character. This is an important book for anyone who is interested in truth and facts when it comes to the American far left present day politics and the role our media plays in promoting their socialistic and collectivist ideology. Rating: 5 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Never Trust a Politician: A critical review of politics and politicians).

I spent my life as a Plumber. Never, in my life, did I think I was an Intellectual. However, after reading this extremely readable, understandable, and educational book, I can feel like one. In fact, I now know for a fact, after reading Mark Levin's new book, that my intelligence is, in this area, is greater than Assistant Professor Mark Lerner at Marist College, and anyone at NPR radio. This is just a simple fact. This may be one of the greatest books of our time, dealing with an issue haunting this country, for decades. We hear pundits on TV, telling us that the media is "slated left", some can get honest enough to state what they really are: leftists, who's ideology is in lock-step, with the Progressive/Democratic-Socialist (oxymoron's anyone?), party. They tell us "This is just the way it is". Really? WHY? Are they they only party in this country? NO. So, why is this "Just the way it is"? This should be criminal. Our Founding Fathers, saw the importance of the Press. They have the power they have, so that they may INFORM Americans, with OUT bias, with OUT their ideology, effecting their reporting, so that, the AMERICAN PEOPLE, can make the BEST decisions they can, no matter their party, or standing in life, for themselves, their families, and for the future, of this great country. Today, I have hope, once again, that we may just be able to get back to, TRUTH IN JOURNALISM. Mark Levin gives us TRUTH, backed up by FACTS, with all the references you will need, to defend your stance for a FREE and UNBIASED Press. If you see a one star review? If you see so-called "Professionals", who are attempting to destroy the importance of this book? They are LYING to you. I give you MY WORD. What they are doing, is giving you THEIR biased, ideological OPINIONS. They are NOT based on fact. They are based on EMOTION. BUY THIS BOOK. If I could give it 6 stars, I would. I stake my reputation as one who attempts to review everything I read, see, or experience, with as much honesty and truth, as I can. I have NO desire, to deceive anyone, for my own ideological or political ends. Ever. I love my country. I love my countrymen. ALL of them. Even when I disagree with them, I try to respect them, and to understand their point of view. Even when it seems insane to me. I can ALWAYS be wrong. I'm in no way, perfect. However, in this matter of "UNFREEDOM of the PRESS"? I'm NOT wrong. You will LOVE this book. You will gain immense understanding and insight. I give this book, my HIGHEST Recommendation. BUY THIS BOOK.

Levin, Mark (2019). Unfreedom of the press. New York: Simon & Schuster. Levin is a lawyer and former adviser to Reagan Cabinet Members (such as Attorney General Meese). He is chairman of the Landmark Legal Foundation, and noted author and radio personality. He is a Constitutional scholar, and excellent legal analyst. This book, in seven chapters, examines to role of the press in Revolutionary America and since, showing its critical role in spreading the ideas of the Revolution. Since then, however, the government and press have been strongly partisan, from the Alien & Sedition Acts of the Adams Administration, to press repression under Lincoln, during WW I under Wilson, under FDR, and since. He describes the misbehavior of the Kennedys and Johnson with the press. Finally, he describes the partisan press of today, with its relentless attacks upon President Trump, fueled by their politics and the use of “advocacy journalism.” Chapter 1 describes how the Press should behave, compared to how it does. Chapter 2 describes the role of idealism and the press during the Revolution: such as Tom Paine, and others described by historian Bernard Bailyn. Chapter 3 describes today’s press, with its abandonment of any pretense of reporting the facts or neutrality. Chapter 5 describes modern press methods, including “pseudo-events.” Chapter 6 describes the failures of the New York Times, including failures to report the Holocaust, failures to report the murders of millions of Ukrainians by Stalin, and more recent lies, omissions, and failures. Chapter 7 reports on press abuses towards Trump including the false Russian Collusion narrative. Among the great evils of the 20th Century were the deceit and self-deceit involved in European and American “intellectuals” supporting communism, especially Soviet Communism. The NYT was part of this, using Walter Duranty as its Moscow reporter, who reported lies which denied the murders and denied the truth about the Soviets. Those delusions continue with today’s Marxism of the universities and many elites, and fuel much of today’s anti-Americanism. In criticizing the NYT, Levin does refer to the brave and excellent reporting of Malcolm Muggeridge, and the historical work of Robert Conquest. The truth was there, for those willing to see it. Great as they are, we did not need Solzhenitsyn’s One Day and The Gulag Archipelago: it was already all there. He does the same when writing about the Holocaust, and about misbehavior of other Presidents with respect to the press, including Lincoln, Wilson, FDR, Kennedy, and Johnson. The book is not a history of the press in America, but of press misbehavior in America. Levin’s is an excellent book for what it does. It does not treat the history of major legal cases involving press and free speech in America. There is no discussion of John Peter Zenger, or New York Times v Sullivan, the Pentagon Papers case, or other leading cases, including on defamation and public figures and immunities. This is not a book on the history of censorship by government, but mostly of self-censorship and collusion with government by the media. Thus, to me, at times the book seems “thin,” although it has several pages of endnotes. Still, it well proves its major points.

Mark Levin brilliantly catalogues the battles against fake news in a must read great book enjoyably disrobing the grey lady, the New York Times, revealing all her warts and wrinkles. "Unfreedom of the Press" takes a big bite out of the 'Big Apple', New York City, and the mainstream media in a meticulously well researched volume beginning back in the American Revolution chronicling the evolution of the Democrat and Republican parties. Busting his journalistic diatribe on the anvil of truth, Levin draws the reader into the historical quagmire that is the shady progression of American development washed in the effluence of printer's ink staining the history of the greatest experiment ever attempted by mankind. Swirling out from New York's mainstream media headquarters , Levin's well researched documentation maps the disintegration of freedom of the press, an element of society that shall be lost to the destruction of all. Sadly, few will recognize, including the author, the subtle side-track that evolved into the main line of narrative woven for students of history striving to discover the real truth. Returning to the dustbin of records one would be astounded to uncover King George's greatest fear of his errant child, the Black Robed Regiment, the colonial men of God that stirred their Sunday morning congregants for well over a century and a half preceding and inspiring the American Revolution, to consider what price glory when seeking the shores of freedom. It was this fifth column that King George worried over, which by his time had whipped the populations in the New World awake, stirring even the likes of Deist Thomas Paine to begin considering the common sense of prayer, even though his religious convictions swore him to unbelief that the Creator had any concern for His Creation. Where did the Ship-of-State-to-be sail off course? When men began to use the Word of God euphemistically. A practice that has continued refining on Madison Avenue, even as this review is concocted. Again, consider Paine's contradictory conclusion that his God, who Paine believed remained aloof to the daily frustrations of His Creation, would somehow deign to listen to the prayers that Paine himself attested were being rejected? (see para. 2, pg. 56) First, the Apostle Paul summed up the true gospel, not the gospel truth, which often has no connection with God, but the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ as, "...(His) death, burial and resurrection." I Cor. 15:1-4 Followed by Jesus' own proclamation, "31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31-32, Auth. KJV Why is this truth not plainly spoken in public discourse? Easy. "The Unfreedom of the Press." Truth leads to freedom. TL Farley, author, Blast Off Rapiemur: The 1st Century proclamation and practice of the imminent Rapture. I Thess. 4:13-18

Great book outlining the truth about the media

Mark Levin is the best. Other reviewers wil provide a detailed review regarding the content. He's a true patriot. it's a great book.

For most of the book, it did indeed read like a novel. There were two points of contention i have with the first chapter however, which for me, is the most important since it sets the tone for the rest. First, the long lists of examples such as names of people and what they did pertinant to the point being made. I understand that examples are necessary to make a point, but I have to admit that after the first few, i started skipping them and i hate doing that since i bought the book and want to get my moneys worth. Im glad i stuck with it though because it truly is a great book and very informative. My only advice would be to give fewer examples and direct readers to the source if they wish to see complete lists. All i could think after reading the first few examples in any given list was, 'Ok, i get it. Point taken. Lets move on.' The second were the direct quotes from modern media sources. These people are so unintelligible i would spend more time trying to figure out what they were trying to say than i did reading it. I could feel myself getting stupider just reading and i swear i could hear the stuttering and stammering. I think it would better serve the reader to simply paraphrase what they said so people can understand, and again, direct the reader to the source if they wish to see the direct quote, but thats just me. So overall, a great book, just needs fewer examples and more paraprasing of stupid people. Im not sure who the intended audience was, at least for the first chapter. Anyone who may believe whats written doesnt need long lists and direct quotes, we have eyes and ears and gray matter between to see the perfectly obvious. Those who will not listen, never will no matter how long your lists or how direct your quotes because they do not want to listen. Sorry to belabor those points, but they made the first chapter difficult for me. Fortunately, the rest more than made up for it, hence the 4.5 stars. Thank you Mark for this contribution to society.

I would argue that Mark Levin's new book, Unfreedom of the Press is perhaps the most Important book since Thomas Paine's Common Sense. The parallels of the two publications as are amazing as are the historical points in American self-awareness. On January 10, 1776, Thomas Paine's enormously popular Common Sense argued that representative government is superior to other forms of government previously based on monarchy, aristocracy or heredity. This one book, still in print today, is credited to have played a critical role in convincing colonists to pursue a course for American independence from England. In fact the influence of Common Sense was so strong on the American psyche that John Adams was reported to have said, "Without the pen of the author of Common Sense, the sword of Washington would have been raised in vain." Paine also argued that America needed to break away from the control of England in order to survive. In this sense, Paine argued that in order for Americans to be truly free, freedom itself must be guaranteed. On May 21, 2019, some 4 days ago, Mark Levin's Unfreedom of the Press appears to be also destined for enormous popularity and a place in American self-awareness as no other book since Paine's. In Unfreedom of the Press, Levin argues that a representative press - a free press - is superior to other forms of journalism currently based on political bias, social activism, or personal opinion. Without journalistic standards of self-examination and professional limitations, Levin asserts that America risks loosing their own freedom of speech and self-sovereignty of thought. Just as Paine did some 243 years ago, Levin argues that America needs to break away from the control of an oppressive, biased - unfree - news media in order to preserve it's liberty. In the same sense, Levin argues that in order for Americans to be truly free, freedom of the press must be guaranteed. Without free speech, personified in a free press, America's liberty will have been lost from within. In this sense, Unfreedom of the Press is America's new Common Sense. It's written in an easy to read style and should be accessible for all. It's the common man's history lesson, and the thinking man's philosophy book. It examines the powerful role the press plays on our own self awareness as a nation, our perceptions as individuals, and the destructive potential when journalists abdicate their objective duties. As was Common Sense, Unfreedom of the Press is the everyman's manifesto of American citizenship. For the sake of American liberty, I sincerely hope every man reads it. Unfreedom of the Press is truly America's new Common Sense. Let's hope this generation will be just as inspired by the spark that ignites in the hearts of all Americans - the quest for liberty. Perhaps one day it might be said that, "Without the pen of Levin, the Common Sense of Paine was raised in vain."