Editor’s Note: Opinions expressed in letters to the editor are those of the author, and publication in the Graphic in no way represents an endorsement of any opinions published. This space is provided to allow public response and commentary on articles and issues that are covered by the Graphic and important to its readership.
As a Jew, a proud Pepperdine alum and former student journalist, it was frustrating to witness the unfounded criticisms made toward the Graphic and its student journalists in the Letter to the Editor from the Jewish Students Association of GSEP. After learning that a Jewish group on campus had responded to a recent article covering protests at Pepperdine, I decided to read the letter first, then the original article, to see if I reached the same conclusions.
Did we read the same article? Since when is quoting an interviewee an endorsement of their individual beliefs? I noticed a significant chunk of the article is dedicated to sharing more information about Moore, his opinions on Israel and the recent context around the death toll since the Oct. 7th attacks. This information seems useful in understanding why people may be opposing Moore’s appointment. The author also shares how “a U.N. commission found Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.” The inclusion of this commission seems fairly important for an article on Moore’s appointment, considering that his name is “on a petition demanding the International Association of Genocide Scholars retract its accusations of genocide against Israel.” I’m confused about how, in your mind, this context doesn’t use “various sources of information” when the author cites the UN, a number of people who attended the protest, a Jewish-American activist leader at CODEPINK, BBC News and other diverse sources. The journalist continued to show their integrity by reaching out to Pepperdine for comment, and they did not respond.
I do not want this student group to act as the sole representative of my identity. For a University with such strong ties to the state of Israel, isn’t merely acknowledging opposition movements important? If we are to break out of our political echo chambers, shouldn’t we at least accept that people may have other views and ask them to share so our community can understand?
On Oct. 25, Pepperdine released a statement on Johnnie Moore, lauding the new Vice Chancellor as a “renowned faith and policy leader,” according to an Oct. 25 email to the student body. The statement doesn’t address the controversy surrounding Moore or the information presented by the Graphic’s journalism. If the Jewish Students Association of GSEP wants to criticize organizations for supposedly having “one viewpoint,” why were they not doing the same when Pepperdine released a statement that lacked any information about Moore’s less palatable stances? By claiming that the work done by the student journalists at the Graphic was “unbalanced” and “narrow,” the Jewish Students Association of GSEP is further obscuring how our student journalists are covering untold and diverse perspectives.
Attacking an organization for simply interviewing protesters and asking questions about why people may be feeling heartbroken over the atrocities in Gaza is unfortunate to see. Personally, I think it’s unhelpful to disregard any platform that happens to discuss any criticism of American foreign policy in Israel. We have existed long before 1948, and we will continue to exist far past any government or nation. Just as it’s our duty as U.S. citizens to question or call out our government when it oversteps or commits crimes, American Jews with connections to Israel must do the same.
To all the students currently working at the Graphic,
Keep working and asking hard questions. You have a huge community that is proud of the standards you consistently set and supports your mission to promote diverse perspectives and understanding.
Joseph Heinemann (’24)
___________________
Follow the Graphic on X: @PeppGraphic
Contact Joseph Heinemann via email: Joseph.Heinemann@uvm.edu
