Stenographers to Power
A principle of democracy that is truly paramount
Is that those in power should be held to account
We need journalists to scrutinise what leaders are doing
And to report on any misdeeds or trouble that’s brewing
But the mighty US government grew mightily scared
When the news from Iraq by Wikileaks was shared
They didn’t want their war crimes in public arena
They couldn’t tolerate a journalist with such a demeanour
The US set its lawyers to work on getting Assange indicted
Told the UK to lock him up and then to have him extradited
The Guardian embraced Assange and published many a story
With one scoop after another they could bask in the glory
But when the US decided that Assange was their foe
The paper quickly dropped him like a hot potato
Mainstream journalists won’t risk their careers turning sour
They tow the establishment line as stenographers to power
On the Court of Justice ruling there’s agreement worldwide
Israel’s occupation is illegal and they’re committing genocide
But Starmer stands with Israel and claims the UK does too
He thinks that as he’s our PM he can speak for me and you
In Britain three quarters of us want a ceasefire today
Although the truth is hard for us to find in any which way
Because our mainstream journalists are a spineless shower
Who care not for the truth they’re just stenographers to power
Abuse of Terrorism laws is a chilling sign of the times
Police target journalists who do report on Israel’s war crimes
They detained Craig Murray and seized his laptop and phone
They were waiting for Richard Medhurst when he flew back home
Sarah Wilkinson’s home was left looking like she’d had a break-in
And she and Asa Winstanley both had all their devices taken
These independent journalists tell the truth and refuse to cower
But there’s no sign of solidarity from the stenographers to power
The journalists who live in Gaza are the world’s bravest
Where Israelis regard a press vest as a target on your chest
To prevent the truth about the genocide from being spread
They are trying to make sure that all the journalists are dead
They shot Mohammad Al-Salhi in Central Gaza back on day one
And killed one hundred and forty by the time the year was done
Their deaths went unreported in our papers or on TV news hour
There’s no respect for martyred colleagues from stenographers to power
Dave Peck