Is ISIS a threat to our First Amendment?

The grotesque beheadings of two American journalists by the terror group ISIS, captured on video for all the world to see, was a propaganda tool that seems to be working.

Experts say the ISIS executions of Steven Sotloff and James Foley were the work of provocateurs who seek to demonstrate their ruthlessness and to focus attention on their message that U.S. airstrikes in Iraq represent an American Air Force choosing sides in a conflict designed to create the militants’ Islamic State.

In fact, there seems to be some evidence now that the two beheading videos actually took place back-to-back on the same day, not several days apart. That implies an unspeakable social media strategy by ISIS to hold back on the second video and to play it across the globe when the time was right. This is what these monsters call a recruiting tool.

The second ISIS strategy that may be achieving success is their attempt to terrorize journalists and prevent them from reporting on the realities of ISIS’ murderous rampage across Iraq and Syria.

The beheadings sent a chill up the spines of many Americans, but they may also put a chill on press coverage throughout the region where ISIS roams.

War correspondents often say that they accept the risks of covering a danger zone because their job is to “bear witness” to what’s happening “over there” for the rest of us. No journalists, no facts – just propaganda put forth by the fighting forces.

In the past, reporters covering wars in the Middle East were sometimes kidnapped, but not killed. ISIS has changed the rules of this ugly game. They are targeting and terrorizing the media, trying to scare them away from doing their jobs.

Major media organizations spend considerable sums on security and training for their correspondents who cover global hot spots. But in the chaos of Iraq and Syria, too often freelance journalists are betrayed by their cameraman or their translator or their “fixer” who arranges safe passage and access to interviews.

One regrettable development is that some news agencies now refuse to accept photos or other news content from freelancers working in war-torn areas because they believe these journalists are taking unacceptable risks. Many freelancers work in the field on a budget, putting them in greater potential danger.

The Committee to Protect Journalists estimates that at least 70 other journalists have been killed covering the Syrian civil war, which spawned ISIS. More than 80 have been kidnapped, and about 20 are currently missing.

In response to the killings of Foley and Sotloff, CPJ released a statement that said the two freelance journalists “went to Syria to tell a story. They were civilians, not representatives of any government. Their murders are war crimes and those who committed them must be brought to justice swiftly.”

Of course the executioner displayed on the videos, clad in black, a mask covering his face -- the voice of evil -- knows that it could be years (or never) before U.S. authorities track him down.

Unfortunately, other journalists who met the same fate as Foley and Sotloff have ironically received nearly no media attention and their killers may never be brought to justice.

A recent tally of journalists’ deaths found seven killed in Syria, five in Iraq, four each in Israel and the Palestinian territories, and others spread across the globe.

What’s more, the International News Safety Institute reported that two weeks ago four other media workers died -- one in Gaza and three in Pakistan.

In fact, INSI’s list of high-risk countries for journalists is a long one: Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, Egypt, Sudan, Chad Central African Republic, DRR Congo and Nigeria.

Despite the safety precautions available, such as hostile-environment training and security teams, the lethality of trying to keep all of us abreast of actions overseas has increased dramatically, according to the Rory Peck Trust, which gives support to freelancers.

Trust Director Tina Carr told CNN: “We’ve been assisting freelancers for almost two decades, and we’ve never seen a demand for our assistance like this before.”

The United States has a big stake, a lead role, in destroying ISIS. So, Americans have an enormous interest in what’s happening “over there.” But what if ISIS manages to manipulate media coverage or block it entirely?

At that point, is ISIS not just at war with the American military in the sky but also waging war on our First Amendment?

The deaths of war correspondents are no longer a matter of collateral damage – they are now targets.

When you come across photos or a story about what’s happening in Iraq and Syria, take a few moments to appreciate that content. And thank a journalist for that glimpse into the ugliness that could spread across the globe.

The man or woman who brought that information to you, someone who can bear witness, probably risked their life to enlighten you.