“Democracy dies in darkness.” This phrase is enshrined in the masthead of the Washington Post. While democracy is kept alive by journalists who bring stories to light, their right to do so is protected by the service of military members, who swear to protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

As student journalists, we have the right to criticize our institutions and foster conversations on topics from on-campus conflict to large-scale issues. In a previous editorial, we wrote, “UTSA is our own little democracy.” The ability to hold President Eighmy, SGA, the UTSA Athletics department, and other campus administrators accountable only unifies and informs the UTSA community.

Students are afforded the opportunity to exercise their right to free speech rights on their campus — a right so vital that laws are constantly changing and being enforced across all spheres to ensure its protection. The culture we have on campus and in our country would not be possible without sacrifices by individuals willing to defend our constitutional freedoms — which prevent independent college newspapers from being censored by the government.

Journalism matters now more than ever. When UTSA raises the cost of tuition and fees, or when SGA repeatedly mishandles student fees, it’s important to have a journalist in the room who will report the story to the community.

We hope you thanked a veteran this past Veterans Day for their sacrifices. Members of our military have sworn to protect and defend the Constitution, which ensures freedoms like having an independent student newspaper to hold the institutions of UTSA accountable.