page 20

Stop Labelling Salient Staff

As a member of Salient staff and recently elected SRC representative on the publications board, I am increasingly disturbed by the tendency for people to label me as holding or espousing certain political or religious beliefs.

Since I began working on production of Salient at the end of the first term I have been regularly labelled as 'communist', 'Trotskyist', 'Maoist', 'Marxist', 'Marxist-Leninist' and so forth.

I write this letter as I am deeply disturbed at allegations made in a leaflet entitled: Holocaust — Two views published by New Zealand Jewish Students. In this leaflet I am by implication (as a member of Salient staff) accused of anti-Semitism, of espousing fascist 'National Front' propaganda, and of opposing Zionism and supporting the PLO.

These charges are made against Salient and its 'coterie' as a result of a review of the television series Holocaust, published in Salient of July 9th, written from a viewpoint which has been interpreted as anti-Semitic. The accusation is that because the writer of the article expressed certain views, the Salient newspaper, its editor and staff therefore, must uphold these views.

I totally fail to comprehend the line of reasoning that says that the Salient staff are in accordance with all views expressed in all articles published in the newspaper they work for. How can any person be held responsible for something which they did not write?

It seems patently obvious to me that as the editor of the paper has an obligation to present both sides of any controversy, he will often have to publish material with which he or any of his staff may disagree. The writer/s of the Jewish Students' leaflet have chosen to ignore the fact that on July 23 in the special 'Eduction Fightback' issue, Salient carried an article condemning the National Front, and on July 30 articles replying to the original Holocaust review, expressing an opposing viewpoint.

I reiterate that I do not wish to be held responsible for the views expressed by Salient contributors on any issue, be it Zionism, International politics. Gay Rights, Abortion or anything else. The only articles I am responsible for are those that carry my by-line. I am proud to work for Salient, and I am proud to sign my name to this letter.