Contempt of Conscience

WHEN IVAN WELLAND discovers that the freedom of the press provision of the Bill of Rights is about to be exploited by an international media conglomerate, he is forced to come to terms with what may be some basic flaws in the American democratic system. His investigative team delves into the world of international mergers and acquisitions, and discovers that the people in control of words and graphics can be at least as worrisome to the Department of Defense as terrorists armed with guns and bombs. Is the media obligated to report the truth, or does the First Amendment protect a reporter's right to twist the facts? Is America what it was meant to be, or is it only a reflection of the hidden agendas of various interested parties? In this fourth political thriller by Aidan de Vries, hero Ivan Welland is cast into a dangerous void where appearance and reality become blurred. The reader is challenged, along with Ivan, to re-examine the meaning and perception of truth, and how it should be presented to the public.