thinking a lot about this and “compromising objectivity” particularly in light of what we are taught in Medill. i’m recalling the events surrounding jeff sessions’ appearance on campus in nov, and the dread and conflict of it all which had me on the brink of transferring out 1/ https://twitter.com/bacontribe/status/1266239595953283074

of Medill. i remember being in my 201 lab the next day, consumed by anxiety and texting my sisters back home about what appeared to be a clash between my ethics and my job. i did not think that The Daily Northwestern should have published the names and pictures of protesters. 2/

i did not think that Daily journalists reported with integrity and empathy. and consequently, i felt that the apology issued was not ‘apologising for being journalists’ but apologising for being irresponsible journalists. which is what, in my opinion, they were. 3/

nobody seemed to agree. it seemed to be the journalist against the activist. for the former to carry out their role, they must obstruct the latter. this is the conflict which continues to trouble me, especially in an inherently elitist institution like Medill. 4/

i am still figuring out how to reconcile what i am taught in Medill about how to be a journalist with what i believe and what i want my reporting to represent. 5/

all i know for sure is that the function of journalism is to hold those in power accountable, NOT to exacerbate the risk to and vulnerability of individuals. compassionate reporting which does not endanger but still informs IS possible. 6/

as Medill students, we can and should question the journalistic methods and values we are taught. they are not sacred, they are not untouchable, they are not always right. Medill is, at the end of the day, an elite - and thus intrinsically elitist - institution. 7