29 April 1987: The executive editor of the Washington Post on why governments lieBen Bradlee obituaryI would like to talk approximately government lying. Calculated lies. The wilful deception of the public for political close,especially under the disguise of national security, and what an poor price we pay for such lies under any name: misinformation, or disinformation,deceit, deception, or just plain dishonesty.[br]In America,the press is curiously shy, even embarrassed when faced with the need to use some form of the verb “to lie, or ” even now when public tolerance for the unexplained and for the unbelievable explanation is wearing thin. We seem to drop quickly into a defensive crouch,when even, as now, or we are accused of abusing our power by not accepting explanations which often defy acceptance. We are,too often, close enough to the Establishment ourselves to be comfortable in calling a lie, or a lie.
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Source: theguardian.com