From the Smoky Mountain News (3/14/12): We — this country, its leaders and all of us — are imperfect. We're human, and that means we get it wrong sometimes.
But this is about something we’ve collectively gotten right from the very beginning of this republic. It is embedded in the Constitution, is a cornerstone of our civic life and is why we remain a bastion of freedom. I’m talking open government, and this week the North Carolina Open Government Coalition at Elon College is marking Sunshine Week. It’s a celebration of the free flow of information and the people’s right to know how its government operates. We will continue to argue about the scope and nuances of public records and open meetings laws, but in this country the government must do its business in the open. No other place in the world does it like us.
In this day of Twitter and the blogospere, an increasing number of everyday citizens are turning into reporters who shine a light on the inner workings of our government. We welcome them to join us as watchdogs of local government. We’re all fighting for the same cause. And every one of those citizens has the same rights to information as members of the traditional media.
The N.C. Open Meetings Law has its shortcomings — particularly when it comes to personnel law — but it is also clear in its access to information. Here are a couple of points that citizen-journalists and readers might find interesting. The wording is taken directly from a pamphlet produced by the N.C. Attorney General’s office: