We also reject the characterization of our organization as one that "expresses hatred." We are a human rights organization that advocates for Palestinian human rights.
Dear Adrienne Batra,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) to request a correction to the article "Jewish journalist faces discipline at CBC after documenting pro-Palestine protest."
The article states that CJPME "permitted a post on its Instagram account likening the Star of David to a swastika." However, this is unfair and defamatory. The author links to a screenshot of a comment on a CJPME Instagram post, which we were unaware of until we read this piece in the Sun. The post is four weeks old and has over 200 comments. The comment in question is no longer even visible. The suggestion that we "permitted" this comment, or ultimately any comment, is unfair. Like virtually any organization of our size, we rely on the social media platforms we use to moderate comment sections. This is a ludicrous standard to try to hold us to, and one I'm sure the Sun and author would not appreciate either. For example, here is a comment on a September 24 article by the Toronto Sun about the Belleville shooting, in which a commenter compares the Liberal Party to Nazis, using a swastika. If I wrote an article accusing the Sun for "permitting" that comment, would that be a fair description? I will answer for you, of course not.
We urge you to make an immediate correction to the article clarifying we did not "permit" this comment, nor any other, and issue an apology for this damaging claim.
We also reject the characterization of our organization as one that "expresses hatred." We are a human rights organization that advocates for Palestinian human rights.
Lastly, it is utter malpractice that the author omits who the protesters were actually targeting and what the journalistic issues were with Herland's posts. Demonstrators were at the Meridian Arts Centre to protest a speech by Mark Regev, a former high-ranking Israeli official known for controversial statements and attempted justifications of Israel's war crimes. Herland failed to use Regev's name and only described him as a "teacher" and former Israeli ambassador to the UK. Herland also said that he was going to a "Toronto Synagogue," where he was faced by "protesters trying to taunt and intimate" him from "entering the building." These are violations of CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices and that is why he is allegedly facing accountability. These basic facts should be noted in the article.
Regards,
Jason Toney
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