No cornucopia this time

#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews Journalists #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fak enews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#fakenews #fakenews#fakenews#fakenews#A not so free press: how the world dehumanizes journalists

ADAM RUSH

head copy editor | @adamrush01

Fake news. Opposition party. Enemy of the people. These terms are frequently used by figures of immense power to vilify the free press. Yet what we fail to realize — or, more accurately, choose to ignore — is that these words can have terrible consequences. These exact words have allowed the country to dehumanize journalists and disregard their su ering by referring to them as “the enemy.”

The recent murder of Jamal Khashoggi, planned by Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, exemplifies how journalists across the globe are being treated. Khashoggi, a journalist, advocate for the free press and a resident of the United States, heavily criticized the new regime and crown prince in Saudi Arabia. After entering the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul, he was brutally tortured and killed by a 15-man hit squad. The details of his murder are gruesome and horrifying, yet America has refused to respond in any forceful manner.

It is important to note that America has a long and complicated relationship with Saudi Arabia. Beginning in the 1990s and continuing to this day, we have chosen to overlook their human rights violations because of the oil they sell, the weapons they purchase and their strategic value to the U.S. So how have the Trump administration and the people of this nation responded to Khashoggi’s murder at the hands of a longstanding ally? With smears and apathy.

With no evidence, congressmen have publicly stated that Khashoggi had terrorist connections. Even the President’s son has said Khashoggi was working with Osama bin Laden, while others have said his murder is irrelevant because no one knew of him before his death. We have chosen to smear him rather than celebrate and honor the life of Jamal Khashoggi. We forget that he left behind a fiancée and a son. Yet, these attacks persist, and thousands in this country will still believe them.

The citizens of our nation have not reacted much better. Many are indifferent about Khashoggi’s murder, either because he was a member of the press, or they just don’t care. Others don’t even know his name. According to a school-wide representative poll of 314 students, approximately 63 percent of Ladue students are unaware of who Khashoggi was. Ignorance of a problem does not justify standing by and watching as journalists — real, actual human beings — are being attacked by the institutions meant to protect them.

That is not to say the President or people of this nation led Saudi Arabia to commit this crime. Clearly, they did not. However, the nation must recognize that it has fostered an atmosphere where this kind of act is tolerated. This country is so divided that bombs are sent to newsrooms, and the President strips reporters of their First Amendment rights because he feels they are disrespectful. When the American people have virtually no response to these crises, it is time to take a step back. Everyone in this nation must realize the truth about the men and women behind the bylines they read. We must realize they are one of us.