• by Philip Rosenstein , Staff Writer, February 23, 2017

The Washington Post has gone what some are calling “emo” with its new slogan: “Democracy Dies In Darkness.”

The new tagline, which appears just below the masthead, may embody how a majority of mainstream and progressive political journalists perceive the Trump White House's hostility to the press.

“Democracy Dies In Darkness” has been used periodically by legendary Washington Post columnist and editor Bob Woodward -- one half of the team that exposed President Richard Nixon's illegal activities, ultimately leading to his resignation.

Does it foreshadow events and policies in Donald Trump’s presidency?

"Late Night" host Stephen Colbert thinks so. Other potential slogans that Colbert joked were passed over in favor of “DDiD”: “No, You Shut Up!” and “We Took Down Nixon -- Who Wants Next?”

The Washington Post, however, does not attribute its new slogan specifically to the Trump presidency. When spokeswoman Kris Coratti was asked, she said it had no relation to Trump’s attacks on the media, noting: “This is actually something we’ve said internally for a long time in speaking about our mission. We thought it would be a good, concise value statement that conveys who we are to the many millions of readers who have come to us for the first time over the last year.”

Coratti points to recent Washington Post converts, making it difficult to separate the new slogan from the rise of President Trump.

The Washington Post has added sections to its editorial pages that further its stated mission. Earlier in February, the Post launched ‘DemocracyPost’ covering the “challenges facing democracy around the world.”

Approaching journalism as a breakwater against the rise of populism and authoritarianism is part of Western democracy. Effective reporting can change history and directly affect politics.

As John Peter Zenger's famous 1736 trial proved: Truth is the best defense. When a corrupt government holds power, in Zenger's case, the colonial governor, the press becomes a critical weapon.

Zenger's victory enshrined the idea that no democracy can exist without a free press to exchange ideas and voice dissent. In his words: "The loss of liberty in general would soon follow the suppression of the liberty of the press; for it is an essential branch of liberty, so perhaps it is the best preservative of the whole."