This is the way Democracy ends, not with a bang but a whimper. Our major media companies are letting our First Amendment die without a whimper.
A motto is above the door at The Observer: “Small enough to tell the truth.” Maybe some companies are too big to tell the truth, too dependent on the largess of the government, and too cowed by the threats from Trump to fight for our country and not their jobs or bottom lines.

The Los Angeles Times editorial board decided to endorse Kamala Harris for President. Their billionaire owner spiked the endorsement. They have been taking Trump apart for two years, but with the realistic prospect of him being elected, they backed off and tried to protect Patrick Soon-Shihong’s lucrative contracts with the government. I’m sure they’re far more valuable than Democracy.

Mariel Garza, my second editor at the Daily News, where I wrote Opinion for 30 years, moved to the Times. She became Chief of Editorials. When she was informed that Soon-Shiong had killed the endorsement, she said, “I am resigning because I want to make it clear that I am not okay with us being silent. In dangerous times, honest people need to stand up. This is how I’m standing up.” Since her resignation, two more editors have resigned.

It’s the same at Jeff Bezos’ Washington Post. He also prevented an endorsement. And there, too, an editor, Robert Kagan, resigned and called it “An easy decision.”

Does anyone wonder if Bezos’ extremely valuable contracts with the government played a part in not wanting to provoke the wrath of Trump? His company, Amazon, has a $10 billion contract with NASA for Cloud services, plus a $3.4 billion contract to build a lunar lander. Bezos might believe Trump’s threats to raise Amazon’s postal costs or fear being subjected to further regulation.

Profits are more important than freedom. Job security for politicians too often is more important than the good of the nation. Our great leaders of industry and politics offer craven leadership, little character, and scant courage.

If you’re looking for Profiles in Courage, don’t search our boardrooms or the halls of Congress. Look to the working people, to young women like Cassidy Hutchinson and young men like Brian Butler who told the truth, lost their jobs, maybe their careers, but not their principles or dignity.
Without risk, we will lose our First Amendment, which is the keystone of our liberty. Fighting does not guarantee victory, but silence ensures defeat.