Free speech questioned as National Press Club cancels Gaza address

Chris Hedges’ decision to cancel his Gaza speech raises new questions about the Press Club’s commitment to freedom of expression, writes Dr Rosemary Sorensen.

From an office in the heart of Canberra – where the only danger for journalists is that they have to watch their feet to avoid falling onto a politician passed out on the pavement – the company’s chief executive National Press Club canceled an event called ‘The Betrayal of Palestinian Journalists’Dr. As Lee Duffield wrote in IA. last week.

American journalist Chris HedgesIn response to the shock cancellation of NPC, who had been expecting to give the speech as part of a speaking tour this month, he wrote: Maurice Reilly there was ‘perhaps by mistake’ underlined his opinion. In your substack, ‘Chris Hedges Report‘He quoted Reilly’s statement: “We will withdraw our offer in order to balance our program”.

Hedges’ response to cancellation claim ‘in the interest of’ balance is destructive:

‘It is true that in the seven years I spent researching Gaza, I only knew one side of the picture. I was subjected to Israeli attacks, including being bombed by the air force and shot at by snipers; One of the snipers killed a young man a few meters away from me at Netzarim Junction. ‘We picked him up, everyone grabbed him by an arm or a leg, and he lumbered down the road, his body shaking like a heavy sack.’

Speaking on behalf of all Israelis, as well as the more than 278 journalists killed by Israel in Gaza ‘In Gaza, Israeli politicians report a reality that bears no resemblance to that portrayed by the Israeli military and the many media outlets that serve as Israel’s echo chambers’Hedges points out Reilly’s use of the term “balance” as follows: ‘To give up holding the government responsible, which is the main mission of journalists’.

His suggestion is ‘The Press Club’s corporate sponsors and wealthy donors’ would be pleased to avoid cancellation ‘Attacks that may come if I am allowed to speak’National Press Club CEO just refute the idea is the pressure ‘Directly or indirectly outside the board’ but also to paraphrase Chris Hedges’ argument: ‘WRONG’ This ‘recommended address’ Published on the NPC website.

Despite this denial, and even as Reilly claims, Hedges’ history ‘The Betrayal of Palestinian Journalists’ address only ‘Temporarily accepted’It is ugly that an organization that publishes media statements under the title “Freedom of the Press” would take such a step back at such a time.

Antoinette Lattouftalk with Jan Fran on them We Used to Be Diary Workers via podcast Meat MediaHe said external pressure to cancel comments perceived to be pro-Palestinian had been expressed many times in the past two years, but it was an internal decision. “somehow worse”:

“I advocate pre-empting criticism and attacks from these lobby groups [is] self-censorship.”

Meryem KostakidisSeeing the page on the NPC website announcing the Hedges event before it was removed, he asked Reilly if the event would be replaced by the address of the retired Lieutenant Colonel of the Israeli Ambassador, as Hedges wrote. Emir Maimon. The statement made in response said: ‘The inference… is also false and unfounded.’.

What appears to be a hasty decision by the National Press Club, like so many organizations before it, from libraries to orchestras, writers’ festivals to hospitals, is at the very least disrespectful to the proposed speaker.

Once again, the devil is in the details: Reilly stated club ‘we continually review the speaking program and have decided to pursue other speakers on the subject once more details of the address are released.’.

Is Reilly referring to the issue of betraying Palestinian journalists? While the UNICEF Global Spokesperson is mentioned in the statement on their website James the ElderWho will speak at the NPC? ‘Children are under siege’and Judge Navi Pillaywho will talk about ‘Women, Peace and Justice’What other speakers are they pursuing to talk about murdered journalists?

to say ‘The suggested address was never published on our website’It is commonplace to say that the claim that Hedges was removed is false. According to Kostakidis, this broadcast appeared briefly on the website without a booking link, indicating that the broadcast is being prepared and will be released soon.

Late last month the National Media Division Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance take one out expression about ‘Increase in threats, harassment and intimidation against journalists reporting and commenting on Gaza’Quoting Antoinette Lattouf, Peter Lalor and as an example of those who are the target of Mary Kostakidis ‘powerful lobby groups’.

The statement included the following statements:

‘We stand with our colleagues to raise our voices against the silence in their workplaces, courtrooms and deaths.’

To fend off Chris Hedges, who saw Israeli soldiers shooting Palestinian children in Gaza when attack jets bombed Gaza City ‘They stood among the ruins of schools, medical clinics and mosques and counted the bodies’Such a statement, published by Maurice Reilly on the Australian National Press Club website, is impossible to understand.

‘We wish Chris Hedges success on his Australian tour’ This is the last sentence of the statement.

The last sentence of Hedges’ article is as follows:

‘Please have the decency to remove the word press from your club.’

Today, at the Chatham House Restaurant at the Australian National Press Club, members can choose from barramundi, duck breast or lamb shank.

Dust is offered to hungry ghosts in Gaza.

For journalists and others who find it sadly disappointing that a speech by Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Chris Hedges has been omitted from the National Press Club program, you can listen to him speak in person or livestream as he delivers the Edward Said Memorial Address at the Allan Scott Auditorium, UniSA, Adelaide, on Saturday, October 18, from 5.30pm to 7pm. Tickets are available at: Australian Association of Friends of Palestine website.

He will join Chris Hedges at Pitt St Uniting Church in Sydney on Tuesday 21 October from 6.30pm to 8.30pm Randa Abdülfettah and for a public meeting titled Antoinette Lattouf ‘All eyes are on Gaza’tickets via humanitix.