The Washington Post and Full Frontal explain FOIA for Freedom of Information Day

Happy National Freedom of Information Day to my readers!

March 16th recognizes National Freedom of Information Day annually during Sunshine Week. It also commemorates the birthday of President James Madison. 

Madison earned the name the Father of the Constitution and as the foremost advocate for openness in government. Additionally, he is hailed as being instrumental in the drafting of the United States Constitution and as the key champion and author of the United States Bill of Rights. Madison held individual rights and freedom of information in high importance.

National Day Calendar suggests "learn[ing] more about the Freedom of Information Act and how it impacts your rights" as a way to celebrate today.  To that end, I'm going to do one of my serious and silly takes on a subject.  For the serious, I'm sharing Everything you need to know about FOIA | How to be a journalist from The Washington Post.

The second episode of “How to be a journalist” looks at the Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA. Libby Casey talks to investigative reporter Kimbriell Kelly and database editor Steven Rich about how they use open records laws to get information from the government.

I'm glad I discovered this series.  Not only is it informative, it will be useful for my blogging.  One of the episodes is "Whistleblowing 101," which I plan on using to update Rand Paul calling for publication of whistleblower's name illustrates how America fails its whistleblowers, the most read entry posted during the current blogging year.  Watch for that on January 26, the first Throwback Thursday of the tenth year of this blog — that is, if I'm not critically ill or dead from coronavirus by then.  I hope not.

For the silly, I'm sharing Ashley’s Totally Basic FOIA Tutorial from Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.

Ladies, petitioning your government is in season! Let’s get this look trending!

Ha, ha, only serious!

With that, I've used up the best resources for this topic.  Bad environmentalist!  Here's to hoping more become available in the next year.  If not, today is National Panda Day.  That would also fit one of the themes of this blog.  Lucky me.

Stay tuned for another edition of marching music for a primary election, this time an update of A Drum Corps Ides of March for an election year on St. Patrick's Day.  The holidays March on!