No Excuses to not write about Palestine, as a newspaper

8.11.24

Someone back at my REDACTED  school (REDACTED REDACTED REDACTED REDACTED ) told me that I should write for another newspaper, instead of trying to get the one I REDACTED at to publish an article on Palestine (objectively explaining the ongoing war between Israel-Gaza) and another one explaining the ongoing genocide in Gaza committed by the apartheid state of Israel. 

Earlier in the spring, with the support of many friends from REDACTED REDACTED, REDACTED REDACTED REDACTED, and whom I met through school, I finally scheduled a meeting with my REDACTED's leadership. The reason I say finally is because I did not have access to my phone from mid-fall until mid-February because of grade reasons. As anyone can imagine, it is very hard to communicate important activities when you're only method of communication is through school email. During my electronic blackout period, which started in early spring, researched all about Palestine and created a 30-page source paper. 

At the meeting, I was immediately rejected and was completely shut down. Although for the 15-30 minute meeting, we went back and through with 6 different points:

1. Connection to the world through a local lens - claimed that an article(s) would not be relevant to local readers. Nothing more could be added, even if published.

• A genocide in Gaza is VERY relevant to ANY reader, especially if the country that lives in (the United States of America) is using tax dollars to fund billions upon billions (with the help of the U.S.'s military-industrial complex, that America manages) to back: Israel's genocidal campaign, apartheid state, and its being of a settler-colonial project.

2. Not a feature nor editorial, but a strictly informational article. - responses were to deflect from a strictly informational article and to focus on a feature/editorial article. When pressed on talking about a strictly informational article, leadership circled back on that nothing more could be added.

• Even though, I have NEVER stated that I wanted a feature or editorial article(s) (although it would be very important, the leadership was never going to approve), they kept trying to argue for those types of articles) to use a straw man argument. When I finally switched the conversation to a strictly informational article, they completely dismissed it [repeating the first point]. The reason that leadership argues about feature articles is that articles covering major world events were made from mostly feature articles (during my years, which is what I can speak on). I do not want to take away from feature articles, as they are a very important way to connect from a local environment to greater areas like national or global. Strictly informational articles are also very important because it is an objective way to discuss important topics - to get the facts, empirical evidence, and statistics out to the readers, so they can understand what is going on. 

3. Talking about the texts exchanged [not a recycled point, from texts below, obviously] - claims of my disrespectfulness and focused a lot on the texts exchanged

• Very unprofessional behavior. I tried my best to keep my cool. Sorry, I can't be so suit and tie & with a smiling face about it. 

4. History covering wars (within REDACTED) [not a recycled, from texts below, point] - an argument of the publication did not cover past wars like the Vietnam War

• This is not a logical argument at all because how could anyone use mistakes from the past (to talk about important events, from a strictly informational standpoint or really at all about the war crimes of America/the unjustifiable war itself) as a defense from writing about important articles now? You cannot justify it. It is a very cowardly move.

5. REDACTED's claim that covering Gaza (the genocide and apartheid in Israel) does not fit REDACTED being "just" a local student journalism organization - an argument of the publication covering (if it did cover Gaza and Palestine) topics outside the local REDACTED REDACTED/Los Angeles county area.

• [Point 1 and Point 2]

6. The United Nations's, human rights organizations's, non-governmental organizations's, and news publications's agreement that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, Israel is an apartheid state, and that Israel is a settler-colonial project are ALL wrong and DO NOT matter to be covered on - this one speaks for itself..

• This one was absolutely wild..I am only spending a few sentences to avoid typing up essays on each point. These arguments were made by a couple of leaders, not all REDACTED  NUMBER.

There is never not enough time to publish article(s) on Palestine, especially when there are 4 months of the 24-25 years left. It is a very illogical and weak argument.

I did make a breakthrough with them: I got them to acknowledge the importance of the United Nations, human rights organizations like B'Tselem, non-governmental organizations like Amnesty International, and news publications like the New York Times and the Washington Post - in reporting news and information on Palestine.

Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at 1:25 PM

Literally, I did my best to keep my cool & professionalism - While the REDACTED were telling me that I was being disrespectful to them as I kept trying to have a discussion on an info article

After the meeting, I felt very conflicted, I was surprised that they would be genocide deniers, and apartheid deniers, and shut down any articles to be released (to talk about the reality we live in). I did not pursue it further because if they were so comfortable (this is after previous discussions between leadership) to deny reality - I couldn't drag myself through it again. I do not know their communications with themselves; I don't wish to know at this point. What I do know, however, is that the leadership suspended previous attempts at any mention of Palestine within the staff (for the reasons, you can read below). Now, after months later, I have my thoughts together to take the time - to type this article. 

I hope that they all learn the truth about Palestine and Israel and that they will grow up from these experiences. 

Sunday, March 17, 2024 at 3:35 PM

Hi! For a while now, I’ve been watching and later researching the Israel-Gaza war. After many months of researching into Israel & Palestine, I became aware of the genocide in Gaza committed by Israel & the apartheid state in Israel.

I really think we publish an editorial, strictly informational, or article discussing the genocide in Gaza - we have the moral responsibility to shed light on this: as not only is it an important world news, but also our country is funding billions into Israel using tax payer money (which is the only reason that Israel can continue this genocidal campaign. Could we please schedule a meeting to talk about this, during REDACTED, that can work the best? We can discuss this using my now 21+ page source paper, where it is multiple pages on genocide ongoing in Gaza.

Monday, March 18, 2024 at 11:19 AM

Good morning I recognize that you all have decided not cover the war in Gaza. Just wanted to reaffirm that this isn’t just a conflict - it is a war & the war is not isolated to Hamas, it is a war on Gaza.I’m deeply saddened with the labeling of coverage on Gaza to be “divisive”, “too complex”, and “there’s nothing that REDACTED REDACTED can add”. When has divisiveness has stopped REDACTED from covering important topics like sex education to the Ukrainian War? It hasn’t and shouldn’t. From local to world topics and issues, student journalism is extremely important to cover to keep our growing readers very informed and reenforce interest to our local, country, and greater world. I understand that you all not informed and therefore don’t want to cover Gaza. However, this does not mean at all to not continuing the understanding and suppressing discussions of Gaza, the greater Palestinian Territories, and Israel - to point that you are all uninformed and are not comfortable. I’m also deeply concerned with that fact that you all “don’t feel informed enough to report responsibly”. The genocide in Gaza and apartheid in Israel is not unknown or in the shadows, it has been made clear for many decades and especially now like with the United Nations.

Monday, March 18, 2024 at 2:42 PM

Okay