The First Amendment guarantees both freedom of speech and freedom of the press, and both are under attack. These protections apply universally, ensuring that anyone can express themselves without prior restraint, though certain limitations exist through laws addressing harm or falsehoods.

Professional journalists adhere to a clear ethical code: never knowingly publish false information. This principle is at the core of responsible journalism and shapes the profession’s commitment to truth. Intellectual honesty and a commitment to factual reporting are key.

We talk with Marty Schladen, a reporter for the Ohio Capital Journal, about the challenges the press faces.

With the reduction of local news outlets and mainstream newspapers, a void has emerged, filled by individuals who lack professional training and oversight. This “fog machine” of misinformation makes it challenging for the public to distinguish reliable news from opinion or falsehoods.

In today’s media landscape, anyone can reach a large audience, making it difficult to discern professional journalists from amateurs. The lack of a regulatory body means that the honor system and personal credibility are vital for maintaining standards in reporting. Journalists must rely on their reputation and adherence to ethical guidelines to build trust with the public.

The Trump administration seeks to suppress or delegitimize the press, such as restricting access and publicly shaming specific journalists and outlets. Personal attacks and refusal to answer questions have created barriers to information, both at the national and state levels.

Reporters regularly face personal attacks and efforts to undermine their credibility. Despite these challenges, maintaining professionalism and composure is key, so that journalists can keep politicians and businesses accountable.

Efforts to restrict journalists’ access to government information, such as requiring loyalty pledges or excluding major news organizations, are particularly concerning. These actions undermine the press's role as a public watchdog and threaten the decentralized power structure that is fundamental to American democracy.

There's been a push in recent years by Ohio legislators to accommodate religious education in public schools. We talk with Gary Daniels, lobbyist for the Ohio ACLU, about this movement.

Most recently, Republican state reps. Gary Click and Mike Dovilla introduced Ohio House Bill 486, also known as the Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act, which promotes teaching in public schools the positive impact Christianity has had in America.

“What it does is it removes the invisible shackles that often hinder a full transparency in the teaching of American history,” Click said during his sponsor testimony. “We are not inviting instructors to teach doctrine or to proselytize … we’re simply affirming what is already in the law that exists.”

Well, maybe, but it's if not as if these legislators are advocating to educate students about the positive impact of all religions or the negative impact of all religions. They'll deny it, but these legislators are promoting Christianity, which is prohibited by the First Amendment.

The problem is that legislators are pushing to promote only the positive aspects of Christianity, which means their message is not neutral, and if the message is not neutral, it means the message is promoting a certain religion, and that’s not permitted by the First Amendment.

The bill lists some 20 items that teachers should feel free to teach in their classrooms—all positive, nothing negative such as, how the Bible was used to justify slavery or indigenous children were taken from their families and raised in group homes where they were forced to adopt Christianity.

The New York Times Editorial Board published a piece on October 31, 2025, about a variety of indicators that should alarm everyone about the threat President Trump poses to our democracy.

The first is Trump’s effort to stifle dissent, something we haven’t seen before with other presidents. The Associated Press has been denied access to the White House because the AP prefers the name “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America.”

To get access to the Pentagon, journalists have been told they must sign a pledge that limits their access to information. Even Fox refused to sign.

Senator Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain, has been threatened with court martial for stating publicly that service members are not obligated to obey unlawful orders.

Trump has usurped Congress’ right to tax by setting tariffs on just about everything. If you don’t think tariffs are taxes, ask yourself who pays tariffs in the end. Consumers do. All the while, Congress stays quiet; our senators and representatives are more concerned about keeping office then speaking out against Trump and getting primaried.

Same thing for Trump directing the military to sink boats that supposedly running drugs in the Caribbean. What’s going on certainly looks like an act of war that only Congress can declare but, once again, Congress sits by and says nothing.

Trump has turned the Department of Justice into his own personal law firm, something no former president ever did.

And then there’s the matter of misinformation and disinformation that comes from the White House, and Trump always changing the narrative to suit his needs.

Trump has created a national police force of sorts—ICE agents—that conducts raids and wear masks and rounds up people without explanation simply because of skin color and accent.

And there’s more that is equally frightening. Listen to the conversation.