"Neglecting this context minimizes the voices of Arab communities in North America. Unfortunately, this oversight, whether intentional or not, is part of a broader media trend in Canada including at the CBC. Canadian media is increasingly erasing Arab narratives and their impact on civil society in Canada and the US."
October 30, 2024
To:
Alexander Panetta, Journalist, CBC
Nancy Waugh, Managing Editor, CBC News
Brodie Fenlon, News Editor-in-Chief, CBC News
Dear Mr. Panetta, Ms. Waugh and Mr. Fenlon,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) regarding your article “In the Shadow of Jan. 6, Harris Concludes Her Case Against Trump,” published by CBC on October 30, 2024. While your piece provides a solid analysis of the stakes in the upcoming American election, I am disappointed that you underemphasized the increasingly significant Arab American perspective on U.S. support for Israel.
Your article briefly notes that some voters feel disenfranchised by Harris’s unequivocal support for Israel’s actions in Gaza. However, this misses an important opportunity to explore how this position could impact swing states like Michigan, which has a large and politically engaged Arab American population. With nearly 400,000 Arab American residents, according to the Arab American Institute, Michigan’s Arab American community represents a substantial voting bloc deeply concerned about U.S. policy on Israel’s military actions in both Palestine and Lebanon. In 2020, this group largely supported Democrats, helping secure Michigan for President Biden, but today, due to the current administration's failure to achieve any tangible progress toward a ceasefire, many of these voters may either stay home or turn to third-party candidates.
Neglecting this context minimizes the voices of Arab communities in North America. Unfortunately, this oversight, whether intentional or not, is part of a broader media trend in Canada including at the CBC. Canadian media is increasingly erasing Arab narratives and their impact on civil society in Canada and the US. Excluding these perspectives, especially in coverage of this election cycle when US Middle East policy is a key concern for Arab voters, overlooks the CBC’s own journalistic principles of diversity and accurate representation. Including the concerns of Arab voters in Michigan would have provided Canadian readers with a fuller understanding of the stakes in the U.S. election
Although the elections are mere days away, I believe there is still time for the CBC and yourself to reflect on the role of Arab American voters to accurately present all the cards at play in this upcoming US election.
I sincerely hope you consider my feedback.
Anthony Issa
Media Analyst
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East