The United States is now ranked 64th in the world for press freedom. Not 64th in GDP. Not 64th in military spending. 64th in its ability to protect the people whose job is to tell the truth about power. Reporters Without Borders released its 2026 World Press Freedom Index last month, and the findings are damning. For a country that has long held up its First Amendment as the gold standard of democratic values, slipping to 64th out of 180 nations should be a national crisis. I

Cole Allen walked into the most press-saturated room in Washington with a shotgun and two pistols. The story everyone covered was the shooting. The story fewer people covered is what it means for journalism.

It was a typical Sunday morning at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Warm greetings, handshakes, and friendly banter filled the room. Outside, however, tension was brewing. A group of protesters gathered, intent on making their voices heard. As the service began, protesters marched into the building and disrupted it with loud chants. Their slogans echoed off the church walls and drowned out all other noise. "Justice for Renee Good,” "ICE out,” and "Hands up, don’t shoot"