The Daily Error: Privelege and Ignorance
Dorian Blue #35.4 #daily emerald #bad writing #performative journalism #half assed apologies
Following the April 15 Shut it Down for Palestine blockade held on the I-5 by around
60 protesters, the Daily Emerald published an article covering the demonstration. In
this article, they included the full names of several activists who had been arrested.
\tThese activists had been cornered and arrested by more than a hundred police
armed to the teeth and in full riot gear, then were detained for upwards of 36 hours,
some in solitary confinement. According to the anarchist publication It’s Going Down,
“while protesters stood in the road, even sitting cross-legged for some time, officers
responded by mass arresting everyone present, even those who attempted to
comply with their demands and leave the freeway.”
While these activists were incarcerated and shut off from the wider world, without
their knowledge or consent, their names were exposed by a newspaper that claims
to “elevate the voices of marginalized people.” I find their mission statement to be a
joke. These activists had already endured horrific treatment at the hands of the police
state for their cause. The last thing they needed was to have their names doxxed by
a student newspaper that’s supposed to fairly and safely deliver the news.
It’s incredibly embarrassing and shameful that students who are in journalism school,
and are even required to take an Ethics in Journalism class, are breaking the most
basic rules of it. These so-called journalists have gotten comfortable in their own
incompetence. They constantly release articles riddled with misinformation and
quotes taken out of context. There’s a disconnect between true social justice and the
reporters at the Emerald. They don’t engage with any causes outside of shitting out
articles to meet their quotas.\
The activists who are current students here could have faced repercussions from
admin from their involvement with the protest, and one of the other people they
named as a student graduated last year. Even while doxxing people, they don’t have
their facts right.\
On top of Emerald still calling the genocide happening in Gaza the “Israel-Hamas
war,” they put these activists in harm’s way with their negligence. I have low
expectations for the Emerald already and they keep dropping the bar lower.
“It would be hypocritical of our values to hold other groups accountable yet not
hold those within our own organization up to our own ethical standard.” Given this,
I encourage them to release a full statement on their mistake. Their edits stating
their regret directly on the article aren’t enough. If they are so staunch about their
“impartiality” they need to honor that by giving their full respect to the people they
harmed.\