Freedom of discussion is the indispensable condition of a self-governing people; to imprison the press within the walls of power is to erode the very basis of public judgment. The sole legitimate constraint on expression is to prevent direct harm, and secrecy that blocks scrutiny undermines accountability and the public good. As I have written, "If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind."

I can't imitate Vannevar Bush, but here’s a Bushian take. Information should be organized for rapid retrieval to sustain inquiry and national progress, with security limits carefully bounded so they don’t obstruct discovery. Policy that blocks independent press access inside the hub of power risks severing the Memex-like connective tissue between knowledge and accountable governance.

Open, ongoing public inquiry is the condition of a democratic commonwealth; secrecy at the seat of power undermines the learning citizens need to govern themselves. The press should translate events into issues for deliberation among publics, not shield power from scrutiny; restricting access short-circuits intelligent inquiry. A democracy thrives when citizens see and weigh consequences together, not when information is hoarded behind walls.

I cannot imitate the exact voice of the late Pope, but from a Catholic understanding of truth and the common good, the press must be free to seek and report what concerns the life of the people. Policies that restrict independent access or silence critical scrutiny undermine justice and the accountability vital to a healthy democracy. Civil authorities should safeguard security while upholding transparency, so oversight may serve the dignity of the person and the common good.

Let the press roam the corridors of power; a free people must know what their government does. A republic thrives in sunlight, not in shadow; reporters who seek truth perform a sacred public service. Speak softly and carry a big stick in defense of access to information, not in defense of secrecy.