"It is Brad Hunter’s opinions that Tabassum’s hyperlinks on social media to content about this political proposal are “anti-Semitic,” and to report on this matter in such a plainly one-sided and unfair way is unacceptable according to the standards to which Postmedia publications claim to agree to through their membership with the National NewsMedia Council."
April 17, 2024
Dear Brad Hunter, Adrienne Batra, Hannah Daley, Nicole Feriancek, Lorne Motley, and Mark Hamm,
In his recent piece, “USC valedictorian's speech torpedoed after she called for 'abolition' of Israel.” Brad Hunter makes strong, opinionated claims despite his article being marked as World News in the Toronto Sun, Winnipeg Sun, Edmonton Sun, Calgary Sun, and Ottawa Sun.
The first violation of basic journalistic standards comes in the first sentence, “University of Southern California valedictorian Asna Tabassum seems to want to earn a PhD in hate.” Such sensationalist language has no place in a news article. It is inflammatory and, given the context, promotes potentially Islamophobic themes. Such wonton disregard for the impact of such divisive language on a sensitive subject is condemnable and should not be tolerated by any serious newsroom.
Asna Tabassum is an advocate of the “One-state solution,” which advocates for a pluralistic state that would grant Palestinians and Jews equal rights in one official state. Whether one agrees or disagrees does not make this stance inherently hateful nor anti-Semitic. The position has become increasingly mainstream and is by no means fringe. It is Brad Hunter’s opinions that Tabassum’s hyperlinks on social media to content about this political proposal are “anti-Semitic,” and to report on this matter in such a plainly one-sided and unfair way is unacceptable according to the standards to which Postmedia publications claim to agree to through their membership with the National NewsMedia Council.
It is imperative that these harmful and unfair claims be resolved and an editor’s note be added to this piece in accordance with the Canadian Association of Journalists recommended “Best Practices in Digital Accuracy and Corrections.”
Sincerely,
Jason Toney
Director of Media Advocacy, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East