"We see our work as vital to the functioning of a healthy democracy, one that treats violations of journalistic ethics and standards as a profound issue deserving of extensive attention. To portray these efforts as being opposed to “free speech” or an effort to “silence” perceived opposition is a distortion that can only be made in ignorance or bad faith — I can only hope it was the former."
December 18, 2024
Right of reply: “The lie behind definitions of 'anti-Palestinian racism'” by Jesse Kline, published November 14, 2024
As the Director of Media Advocacy for Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME), I am compelled to respond to the fallacious accusation against my organization's work. After quoting CJPME’s well-founded and widely-shared concerns about the IHRA definition of antisemitism’s focus on the state of Israel, Jesse Kline claims that CJPME “frequently tries to silence pro-Israel voices in the media.” This accusation appears to be in relation to the work of CJPME’s Media Accountability Project (MAP). As the Director of the MAP, it is my duty to ensure that we fulfill our mandate of advocating for improved coverage of the Middle East based on well-established journalistic ethics and standards in Canada, primarily as expressed by the Canadian Association of Journalists. Our feedback to journalists, editors, and broadcasters always seeks to be fair-minded and professional.
We stand firmly against silencing any group. We champion Canadian media ethics rooted in diversity and transparency, ensuring a plurality of voices are heard while being transparent about their relevant backgrounds as they relate to a particular story. We oppose the practice of unpublishing and have not advocated for stories to be censored or otherwise removed.
Unsurprisingly, I tend not to agree with many of the jingoistic pro-Israel op-eds published by the National Post. That is no secret. However, CJPME never attempts to “silence” anyone. Instead, we seek only to hold media outlets to account — at least those that have agreed to these widely held standards. This work is more necessary now than ever as anti-Palestinian racism runs rampant in Canadian society. We see our work as vital to the functioning of a healthy democracy, one that treats violations of journalistic ethics and standards as a profound issue deserving of extensive attention. To portray these efforts as being opposed to “free speech” or an effort to “silence” perceived opposition is a distortion that can only be made in ignorance or bad faith — I can only hope it was the former.