Opinion: Capital Gazette Shooting Memorial Embodies 1st Amendment

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — Officials will unveil a memorial Monday for the victims of the 2018 Capital Gazette shooting. The ceremony falls on the three-year anniversary of the attack.

The Annapolis monument, called the "Guardians of the First Amendment Memorial," will have five pillars, one for each life lost in the assault. The text of the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of expression, will be inscribed in the dedication.

One business leader thinks the monument highlights the importance of freedom of the press.

Patch recently partnered with several local organizations to bring you their latest news. This guest contribution comes from the Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce. Here's what President and CEO Mark Kleinschmidt wrote about the memorial:

"It was just about three years ago when the Annapolis community was shaken and stunned by the tragic and senseless shooting at the Capital Gazette. This tragedy took the lives of five people and brought to light just how fragile life can be and highlighted how the world we know can change in the blink of an eye. In the aftermath of this tragedy, the families and friends of the victims struggled to come to grips with their loss and the entire community and country wondered how and why senseless shootings continue.

In many ways the Capital Gazette is a trusted friend for many Annapolitans as it provides original reporting about important local activities and issues that are not covered by regional or national news outlets. So, the attack really hit home for many of us.

On Monday, June 28th, the five slain Annapolis Capital staff members, Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca Smith and Wendi Winters will be recognized as the “Guardians of the First Amendment” Memorial is dedicated. The memorial will also keep the importance of the 1st Amendment of the US Constitution front and center.

The 1st Amendment is perhaps the most important part of the U.S. Constitution because it outlines the five basic freedoms that are guaranteed to each citizen: freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right to assembly and the right to petition the government.

The Capital Gazette shooting also sparked a renewed interest in the important role the free press has in our community and country at a time when the five freedoms have also been under attack. The importance of a free press and the preservation of the 1st Amendment are more important than ever as we have learned over the last 18 months as the citizens of Anne Arundel County and entire country needed reliable and timely information about the pandemic, the results of the election and its aftermath, growing racial tension and the impact of climate change. Most importantly we counted on the local and national media to keep us informed about how our elected leaders were dealing with all these challenges.

Freedom of the press is important because it plays a vital role in informing citizens about public affairs and monitoring the actions of government at all levels. In a democracy, like the U.S., the people have the right to know the happenings in government. The press serves as a watchdog or the people's check on government. If there is something the people should know, you can bet that journalists will be reporting on it.

We will come together as a community to dedicate the Guardians of the First Amendment memorial and to honor the five freedoms established by the 1st Amendment and we will also pay our respects to our five neighbors who lost their lives working to keep the public informed. The memorial will have five stone pillars to represent the five lives that were lost and text of the 1st Amendment and the cover of the Capital Gazette from the day of the shooting will be displayed in stone as part of the memorial.

It is important that we take the time to reflect and remember our neighbors and friends who died in the Capital Gazette shooting. We must also take the time to understand the five freedoms we are granted by the 1st amendment and dedicate ourselves to make sure they are not diminished in any way and continue to be a vital part of our everyday lives. I am sure Wendi, Gerald, Rebecca, Rob and John would have it no other way.

Mark Kleinschmidt is the President/CEO of the Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce which is located in Annapolis, MD."

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