"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." First Amendment to the US Constitution
Back in the 1790s, the government imprisoned two editors for writing negative editorials. It was not a shining moment in American government history.
Neither is the current war on the media.
