Let the sun in

Let the sun in

Our View

By:

Posted: 3/10/08

National Sunshine Week, a week designed to highlight the need for open government and access to information, runs from March 16 to 22.

 
 

Since we'll be taking in some literal sunshine next week during Spring Break, we thought it appropriate to speak about Sunshine Week before it gets underway.

 
 

"Sunshine" laws are laws that allow for public access to government records and meetings. Though this information is truly open to the public, these laws are most often used as tools by journalists to get information some recalcitrant bureaucrat is unwilling to give up.

 
 

Sunshine laws are vital to the operation of good government.

 
 

Without them, governmental bodies could operate in secret, without fear of oversight or a check from those they supposedly serve. In the absence of sunshine laws, government is much less accountable than it would be if strong laws were in place to protect the public's right to know.

 
 

We can't say this often about Alabama, but we actually have pretty good laws in this area. Still, they can be stronger, and reforms must be enacted by the same legislators who often times have a vested interest in keeping affairs secret.

 
 

The importance of these laws cannot be understated. It's no small coincidence that many states began to pass legislation of this sort in the 1970s after Watergate. We've all seen what happens when government goes awry - the public trust is easily abused in secret for personal political gain.

 
 

Even outside of the abstract principles of democracy, we still have an interest in what goes on in our government. They are spending our tax dollars - money from our pockets that deserve a full and honest accounting.

 
 

Though the secrets they can expose are often embarrassing, sunshine laws should never be used as a club against our government officials. Sunshine laws, as they were designed to be, are in place to protect the public - to shield it from the abuses and largesse of government gone bad.

 
 

So while you're at the beach or by the pool next week, take a moment to reflect on the importance of sunshine laws and open access to government.

 
 

Because, without those laws, when it comes to our government and its business, we could all be in the dark.

 
 

Our View is the consensus of the CW editorial board.

 
 

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