| Friend, Just days before a presidential election that could decide the future of our democracy, both the Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post have declined to endorse anyone in the presidential election, despite their editorial teams preparing endorsements Vice President Harris. (1) The billionaire owners of both papers are apparently afraid of retribution from the federal government if Donald Trump wins. Countless reporters and editors at the institutions have forcefully spoken out against this cowardice, and some -- including Los Angeles Times editorial board members Mariel Garza, Robert Greene, and Karin Klein -- have bravely resigned in protest.(2) We stand with the journalists and editorial staff working tirelessly to expose the threat Donald Trump poses to our freedom and the very nature of our republic, and we’re redoubling our efforts to educate voters about the choice they face on November 5. Some pundits are shrugging their shoulders, saying an endorsement from the likes of the Los Angeles Times wouldn’t make a difference in the presidential race anyway.(3) They’re completely missing the point. In a healthy democracy, we need a vibrant, independent fourth estate unafraid of hard-hitting journalism and fact-based criticism. As Greene noted in a statement when he resigned, failure to endorse Harris “hurt because one of the candidates, Donald Trump, has demonstrated such hostility to principles that are central to journalism -- respect for the truth and reverence for democracy.”(4) In fact, every time a major news outlet cows to threats from Trump and his MAGA minions, we slide ever closer into an authoritarian state like Russia, where Vladimir Putin has eliminated the free press. Just as alarming is the fact that the Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon one of the world’s richest men, owns The Washington Post. Living in a country controlled and silenced by Trump and billionaires like Elon Musk and Bezos is unthinkable. At Courage California, we stand with the journalists and editorial writers who still believe in free, ethical, and independent press. And we’re doing our part to inform voters in this critical election. Will you share our voter guide with your friends and family and help reject fascism on November 5? In solidarity, –Irene, Annie, Angela, Isidra, Mario, Marvin, Alyssa, Jen, Cecilia, and Lindsay (the Courage team)
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