In its February 15 issue, the Communicator at Indiana-Purdue University, Fort Wayne published the 12-cartoon series originally featured in Denmark that featured anti-Islamic messages and has sent the international community into a frenzy.
In its staff editorial, the Communicator said, "As a newspaper The Communicator has an obligation to report the whole story. The Communicator has decided to print the 12 cartoons based on the fact that they are newsworthy and the public deserves the entire story behind the world-wide violence."
Our duty as journalists is to inform the public. It is to alert them to the world around them. One cannot expect to enter a career in journalism without the full expectation of a career in public service. Journalists are expected to go against the very grain of human nature – to be unbiased, to be unselfish, and to act in the best interest of our audience.
What The Communicator chose to run on the opinion section of its February 15 issue violates the tenets that journalists strive to live by. Just as doctors pledge to “do no harm,” we as journalists must pledge the same to ourselves and the public we serve. What possible good did it do to the IPFW and Fort Wayne communities to run the cartoons that have indirectly led to havoc and deaths worldwide? What possible benefit did it serve to the readers of the student newspaper?
Perhaps a more accurate question to ask – what benefit did it serve The Communicator?
Was it a result of ulterior motives of publicity? To create a stir? Is The Communicator so desperate for attention that it must resort to cheap tricks? If people at IPFW wanted to see these cartoons, a simple Google search would yield the same product. If it is a stir The Communicator wishes to create, write a poignant column. Write a news story focusing on a controversial issue. Ask students what they feel about an issue, such as the anti-Islam cartoons.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Al Barger
Miss Chelsea, I love you dearly and sincerely, and you have one of the tastiest arms going. Nonetheless, I must respectfully submit that you are totally, 100% wrong in this column.
These cartoons obviously are TOTALLY newsworthy. Every newspaper in the world should have them as a matter of public record. There's a great deal of grief worldwide over these pictures, and the entire world public thus needs to see what is setting people off for murdering and killing.
These are EXACTLY the the kind of documents that newspapers need to be publishing, regardless of whether somebody wants to declare that it hurts their itty bitty feelings. You think that it is somehow not just advisable but morally incumbent for newspapers to self-censor a major story like this on grounds that some Muslims will arbitrarily be mad?
Again with love, but a lot of your stuff in this column about journalists are supposed to be "unselfish" among other things is nonsense. You start to sound like Elmer Gantry. I was about expecting you to say something like "Journalism is the morning and the evening star." That's silly. And I don't even know what would constitute "unbiased."
The big job of a journalist is to hunt down facts and tell the truth. That is how you actually serve the "public interest." I might look at those pictures and say, "They're rioting over THIS?" You might look at the pictures and say, "See, no wonder they're mad." Put the pictures out far and wide, and I'll figure it out for myself.
In fact, the way you put it, it occurs to me that as a matter of principal I'm going to have to stop somewhere in the next few hours and hunt these cartoons down for my MoreThings pages.
2 - Adam Drake
Chelsea:
Your piece is well-written, but I am siding with Al on this as well. The fact that someone was offended by free speech is a simple byproduct of successful society. The only unfortunate part is the subsequent immature response that ensued.
I think that speech uttered by white supremacists is offensive, but that does not in any way diminish my respect for their rights to free speech, nor am I tempted to burn any buildings.
3 - Bliffle
When people see how bland the cartoons are they will be amazed that 29 people, so far, have died because of them. Perhaps this will put the madness of islam in perspective.
4 - Howard
Amen to Bliffle
5 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Chelsea,
Given the fact that 29 poeple have did in riots over these cartoons, and given the provisions in place under the U.S. and Indiana constitutions, there is nothing wrong with publishing these cartoons in the college paper.
The death of 29 people over them is what makes them newsworthy. The fact that college newspapers tend to take an anti-Jewish and anti-Israel slant routinely these days in your country, means that publication of these cartoons lends just a bit of balance to the coverage. That in itself is refreshing.
If Arab students trash the offices of this college paper, or attack its writers, then you will see just how well they comprehend concepts of American democracy. And the writers attacked will comprehend that exercise of liberty comes at a price. If they are unwilling to pay this price, they will deserve to lose their liberty - and so will you.
6 - gazelle
Sensationalism.
Yellow journalism.
Bad training.
best, Yeahhh!
7 - Chelsea Snyder
Al (and others), I do see where you are coming from. But it comes to the point of questioning whether it's newsworthy, or if it's yellow journalism, as gazelle stated. I guess it's more because I worked for The Communicator and personally know the editor-in-chief, and it's pretty easy for me to assume the motives on this one. (This is actually the letter to the editor that I wrote.)
If I truly believed that these cartoons were published in the name of journalistic integrity and the right of the reader, I wouldn't be this upset. I think what put the cayenne pepper in my rim job is the fact that I can almost guarantee that these were not the reasons the pictures were published in this particular newspaper.
Just wait. The president of the student government, which provides funding to the newspaper, is Muslim. It's totally based on politics, but hey, this is college....
8 - Chelsea Snyder
(And PS, good to see you Al, a pleasure as always.)
9 - Purple Tigress
If Arab students trash the offices of this college paper, or attack its writers, then you will see just how well they comprehend concepts of American democracy. And the writers attacked will comprehend that exercise of liberty comes at a price. If they are unwilling to pay this price, they will deserve to lose their liberty - and so will you.
Not all Arabs are Muslims just as not all Muslims are Arab. Some are even Danish. Most Muslims are neither Arab nor Danish.
There have actually been Muslims in the US since the turn of last century.
I won't take sides on this as I don't know what the content of the opinion piece was.
10 - Matthew T. Sussman
It's a very college-y decision, simply to show that the First Amendment exists. Um, yeah, we knew that already. That's not the issue.
It's kind of like when a girl turns 18 and wants to dye her hair blue to show "she's an adult who's old enough to make her own decisions." That's not what's being debated. What's at stake is a matter of taste and restraint.
Were the photos even in context with a story, or just full-on "here's Mohammed about to blow up" goodness?
11 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
PT,
You are so right. Not all Arabs are Moslems, and not all Moslems are Arab. In fact, if my counting is right, the Arabs are a minority of Moslems. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. And you are correct. There have been Moslems in the United States since the beginning of the last (Christian ) century.
But, it appears, that the "militant" students on this side of the issue have been mostly Arabs who have almost always been Moslems. And oftimes, they have not been citizens in the United States, but students from abroad.
12 - Carl Edwards
Journalistic integrity eh? Check out the link to find out more.
13 - lammoush
hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
14 - lammoush
hahahahahahahahah so u think that its democracy what you are talking about?????????? so drawing Mohammad (pbh) is a democracy!!!!! Mohammad, a messenger from God, the prophit that forbid us to cut a tree to lie steel n kill, the one that loved his enemy n never hurt a fly!!!! democracy is to make fun of the chosen one well allow me to tell you that its LOWWWWWWW besides go get an education because the Quran is all about peace n love guess what! we believe in Jesus Christ n all the prophits of the holy books and as Mohammad has taught us to love our enemies, i tell you: may God forgive you
15 - lammoush
im a Muslim girl
16 - lammoush
i just want to say that iv made my comments n nothing appeared on screen bec i tokd about Islam in good
17 - lammoush
halooooooooooooooooooooooooo
18 - lammoush
you want your "freedom of speech" ??????
dont go over the freedom of others
19 - lammoush
well, dnt think that you have terror, because killing at least 20 newborns everyday is MURDER and its everyday in Iraq n Palestine!!!!! on the hands of who???? on the hands of american freedom n democracy to save us from terror ha! just how stupid can that be!!!!!!!!!!!! and you speak of terror!!!!
20 - Christopher Rose
lammoush, the hysteria over a couple of cartoons just reveals how deeply insecure some people are. Freedom of speech is exactly that and it's time people started to recognise and accept that rather than only wanting people to say things they agree with.
Here's another example of freedom of expression for you:- there is no god at all, we are alone on this planet and it's time we started to accept that, and one another.
21 - lammoush
christopher, even though i strongly disagree but its your opinion and ur choise n ur beliefs but thats not the case! you cant expect muslims to stay quite when the see all their beliefs and their beliefs chatter infront of their eyes by an anti-muslim
22 - Christopher Rose
lammoush, that is just silly. If people are going to riot and murder every time they disagree, we are just going to keep killing each other until there is nobody left alive.
23 - lammoush
there is a huge difference between democracy and printed war of course we do not expect to hear what we like but we strongly dont expect humiliation n what was done is humiliation not democracy
24 - lammoush
exactly so why war in iraq n palestine y is that!
25 - Christopher Rose
lammoush, cartoons are funny; humour is not humiliation unless you are insecure. If someone you know makes fun of you, do you kill them? Of course not!
Many people do not support the war in Iraq and are unhappy with the situation in the Middle East.