Lewis Wallace makes it very clear to us that we should express our freedom of speech.There are many issues in our world and nothing is being done to resolve them but we aren’t helping neither.Wallace clearly points out to us that we have freedom of speech and that it’s our right to use it.We want something done we have to do it ourself people won’t stand up so we have to.Wallace’s way of indicating facts is very smooth because he helps us really comprehend how a journalist should be.There are many errors journalists make and the facts used by Wallace clearly help us see those errors made.In a way Wallace makes us seem like weak in a way because we aren’t brave enough to speak up when it’s our choice weather to speak up or not.Many people have the urge to speak up but they don’t and Wallace wants us to change that.
Page 4 of 27
In a paragraph, respond to one point Wallace makes in his writing that you found interesting and important. Alternately, give a current example that speaks to the danger of journalists being too neutral or a story that isn’t being covered but should be.
What I found interesting about Wallace’s writing was how he typed down numbers to label his explanation. Label in numbers he talked about the important key point when it comes to being a journalist and that includes journalists fighting back and about journalists should tell the truth and check facts before publishing their article. I stand for what Wallace believes in as a journalist and he said that targeting people is not a natural thing. For example, one of his quotes explains about telling the truth when journalists write about someone else’s stories, and he said, ” In other words, we can check our facts, tell the truth, and hold the line without pretending there is no ethical basis to the work that we do.” One of the current examples that explain the dangers of journalists being too neutral was that some journalists can’t be neutral at all. Furthermore, Wallace explains that being neutral isn’t for every journalist and he would know because he, himself is transgender. Coming out as a transgender isn’t easy and Wallace did keep quiet and that includes another journalist who is minorities who fear racism and discrimination. Wallace continues to say that reporting can no longer remain neutral because many of the journalists who’ve told the truth in key historical moments have been outliers and members of an opposition.
Upload your OpEd below.
Here are directions for the assignment: OpEdAssignment.
Please upload this assignment HERE.
For Next week (I will be posting more information on this soon):
Watch: Or Szyflingier and Jonathan Baez, “The SoHo Memory Project” (2020)
Read: Kyle Spencer, “The Memory-Keeper of SoHo” (2015)
————————————————————————————————
“To call a politician on a lie is our job; to bring stories of the oppressed to life is our job; to represent a cross-section of our communities is our job; to tell the truth in the face of “alternative facts” and routine obscuring is our job; and we can do all that without promoting the […] falsehood of objectivity.”
Judley choose this vital quote from Lewis Wallace to focus on. It truly is a fresh call to budding journalists to re-write the many wrongs around us today with brutal honesty.
Yet, balancing a reporter’s feelings (“passion” as Chala labels it) with his/her professional duties is a tricky one. Melissa, Marina, and Eric wisely remind us of the virtues of “sticking to the facts” to insure credibility. Offering a solution, Eric writes, “we should not [entirely] give up on ‘objective’ journalism.” Journalists should only express their point of view “after fully analyzing the facts of a story.”
At the same, Sergio and Sean provide stellar examples of when just being objective is actually being dangerously biased. Sergio refers to the mostly “political” coverage of Afghanistan (amidst so much suffering), whereas Sean discusses how important it is for journalist’s to put their paddles in the waters on the issue of “Defunding the Police.”
Anna and Daniel remind us of just how “tough” a job it is to be a journalist today given these and related concerns. Yet important work remains. It’s unfortunate thus, as Jailyn comments, that so much news is actually pointless when so many dire concerns are facing all of us.
For this week, I ask you to work on your own OpEd topics to express your views on a topic you are passionate (and knowledgeable) about . If you haven’t done so already, start by reading an article or two on your chosen topic. Take notes (grab a quote, an image, and some statistics perhaps) and begin outlining your piece. Upload a draft of your OpEd by next week (Wed., Nov. 17).
Here are directions for the assignment: OpEdAssignment.
Please upload this assignment HERE.
HERE is a recent OpEd by Charles Blow in response to the victory of the new Republican Governor Youngkin in Virginia (NJ just narrowly escaped electing a Republican as well). It’s compelling to see how he connects this election result to white racial anxiety and the absurd fear of teaching actual history (labeled “Critical Race Theory”) in our schools. Also note how he connects the stirring of racial fears to various episodes throughout our history.
Over the weekend, a two week climate summit in Glasgow just ended. Please watch this speech by the courageous young lady Greta Thurnburg, who has used her voice and platform to energize a new youth movement on this issue. In this speech, she calls out the failure of the leaders of the summit to enact meaningful change once again.
On a related note, please also watch this video by climate scientist/professor/ journalist Katherine Hayhoe. In it, she discusses her book on how to actually get folks to recognize that the problem is real.
Video by Climate Scientist Katherine Hayhoe
Feel free to respond to the topic of Climate Change (Inaction) or the battle to teach real history in schools as your OpEd topic.
I am available today during office hours on Zoom (Monday 4-5) to discuss or help choose your topic (or email me at mnoonan@citytech.cuny.edu) Some topics students have already chosen include 1) student debt forgiveness and 2) maintaining mental and physical health during the pandemic. Think about what matters to you. To get additional ideas, review current issues in the news (especially in the NYTimes).
Recent Comments