Last Word

The enemy of yellow journalism

Robert Malafi, BU Republicans

Your article refers to the president as “the enemy of journalism.” Yet journalists and the media consistently attack the president, often over the most trivial matters, portraying him as the enemy. 

For example, in an interview the president gave to TIME in 2017, the media made an issue over himself getting 2 scoops of ice cream at a dinner with the press while everyone else got one. Examples like these are not newsworthy and are a waste of everybody’s time. 

You also refer to the president as consistently clashing with the media. Even though he is, do you know why? Every time the president does something, the media spins it against him to make him look bad.

The media refuses to give the president credit when he accomplishes successful feats, such as a strong economy and even the death of Abu Bakr al Baghdadi. Instead of recognizing the president’s successes, the press carefully combs over each event and reports it in a negative light to portray the president as a bad person. 

An example of this can be seen in The Wall Street Journal’s original Sunday morning headline referring to al Baghdadi as “an austere religious scholar at helm of Islamic State, dies at 48” when he was killed the night before.

While not directly attacking President Trump, referring to the leader of the world’s most dangerous terrorist organization and largest threat to the stability of the Middle East responsible for the deaths of many in this way is not an appropriate headline. It is also an attempt to portray this horrible human being in a more positive light. 

When President Obama announced that US forces had killed Osama bin Laden in a raid on his compound in Pakistan, even media outlets and journalists opposing Obama praised him and his administration for the death of bin Laden. 

President Trump seems to never win and has always been consistently under attack by the media that hates him. If you were the president, how would you feel being constantly attacked for everything you did? While you may see him as a “self-centered dim-witted person,” he should still be commended and respected where credit is due.

You also go on to refer to his supporters as people that cannot pass the second grade. While I can assure you that everyone enrolled in Bloomsburg University has passed the second grade, including myself, this is a highly immature remark.

As a journalist, your job is to inform people of pressing issues around the world in a nonpartisan manner and allow people to form their own views from your work. 

Why would I be willing to view your work or listen to you when you blatantly insult people like me by implying that I am stupid? The problem with this country is not Trump, but rather the media and other Americans attacking one another for what they believe in. 

It is alarming to note that people in this country can become subject to bullying and harassment for supporting President Trump. It is one thing to disagree with the president and you have the right to dislike him, but when you attack and insult people that do support him, you are only worsening the divisions in our country. 

Here in the United States of America we have provisions in our constitution that allow us to openly disagree with the government and each other. Many places across the world do not have this. 

In those places, people and their entire families can be thrown in prison or killed for voicing negative views of the government. Here in the United States, you can openly remark about your contempt for the president and his administration and it is protected by the First Amendment, freedom of speech, but you also have to understand that millions of Americans including myself also are protected under the First Amendment. 

If I can respect you for not liking the president, why can’t you respect me and the millions of Americans that do support President Trump? 

I recognize and agree with your statement that journalists are an extremely important resource, but they must remain nonpolitical as a free press is key to a free society. 

Journalists should be informing us of events that are newsworthy, not the reporter’s personal beliefs. A journalist should be able to enlighten people by informing them, not openly attack the reader and members of government on a personal level. 

We as a free society ought to have a free press, not a politically motivated one. Respect those in power and give them a chance to succeed and respect those that share different beliefs. 

After all, many preach of equality and respect, but it often is not reciprocated. That is the key to a free press and society.

Robert is a sophomore Political Science major and is a member of the BU Republicans.