Freedman: A new day dawns in Washington, across America

On Tuesday, June 9, 2020, the National Press Club will resume limited in-person services for the first time since March 16.

We do so as a new day dawns in Washington and across America. The year, to date, has been one in which our nation has seemingly come apart and then come together, first to confront an unprecedented global pandemic and now, to face head-on, a two-fold plague as old as our nation -- racial inequality and social injustice.

We can -- and should -- all take pride in the work of our journalistic colleagues on the front lines of these stories. In the first, reporters have risked their personal health to tell of more than 100,000 lives lost to an invisible health crisis -- and in the second, to remind us of the story of lives lost needlessly to the all-too-visible racism that is woven into the fabric of our country.

Quite remarkably, amidst these crises, hope has emerged. It is a hope born of a phrase that is also as old as this country: “the people have spoken.” For the moment, they have drowned out the voices of racism and cynicism and hatred because millions of our fellow citizens have demonstrated the courage of their convictions.

And that courage has been reported in cities across America by journalists who themselves, have faced attacks and arrests, for doing their jobs.

These reporters are witnesses.

To silence the press is to silence the people, to silence accountability, and to silence the truth.

As we re-open the doors of the National Press Club, let us demonstrate the courage of our own convictions to make it a new day for us and for all of America.

This country belongs to us, as articulated in the first three words of the preamble to the United States Constitution, “We the People …"

I believe we will succeed because we are, in our hearts and our souls, good people. We live in a good country, we care about each other, and we are there for one another.

And as we begin the National Press Club’s slow-walk back to normal operations, we ask that everyone respect each other by following the guidelines from Executive Director Bill MaCarren, linked here.

On behalf of the Board of Governors, our officers, and our dedicated staff, welcome back -- to the dawning of a new day.