Those behind the University of Adelaide student newspaper On Dit continue to disgrace themselves.
Following the firing of one of their editors Habibah Jaghoori for her conduct following her vile ‘Death to Israel’ article- which constituted “continuing to use language in public forums that can be clearly construed to support actions that could threaten the welfare of students” – the others On Dit members have posted the following on Facebook:
In light of the recent news that our fellow Editor Habibah Jaghoori was fired from her role by the YouX board, we would like to make something clear. Habibah should still, and in our eyes always will be, an On Dit Editor. In the link below is a statement put together condemning Habibah’s firing, which has been signed by various clubs and individuals on campus. If you would like to sign this statement, then please contact us via socials or our email address.
Again, let us be clear. Habibah Jaghoori has been a dedicated, hard-working and passionate Editor of On Dit. She has an unwavering drive to stand against injustice, even at a personal cost. Habibah writes about university, national and international issues, and ensures On Dit is not a white space, but a space for the stories and realities of People of Colour. We know you’ve read her piece ‘For Palestine, There is No Ceasefire’, and potentially her piece on the Queen’s death, with reflections on British colonial history. These articles, alongside others such as ‘Kumanjayi Walker Deserves Justice’, ‘Why Everyone Should Engage with Black Creatives’ and ‘The Buffalo Massacre Should Surprise No One’ all speak to her passion about elevating otherwise disregarded voices. Habibah has held your student politicians accountable, reporting on SRC meetings, via not only Twitter but a Facebook livestream she introduced. She has worked alongside her three co-editors to produce almost 9 issues of On Dit. So one last time, let us be clear. On Dit stands by Habibah Jaghoori.
The post links to the following statement:
Once again, the YouX board has brought shame and disrepute to the Adelaide University Union and the University of Adelaide at large. After years of removing, stacking, packing and purging democratically elected members of the student union’s governing board, who dared to dissent from the majority’s whims, they have now decided to treat the student magazine On Dit, with equal levels of contempt and disregard by removing the democratically elected editor Habibah Jaghoori.
The YouX board cited a resolution by the ‘YouX Student Media Independent Committee’ comprising of a YouX board member and a YouX staff member as well as the affiliated service, YouX Student Care, that the editor had ‘…continued to use language in public forums that can be clearly construed to action that may threaten the welfare of students.’ This despite almost all of her sentiments being largely reflective if not identical of those written in her article For Palestine, there is No Ceasefire which was found not to be in breach of YouX rules. The only noted exception was accusation that the editor ‘… was disrespectful and dismissive of students with opposing views.’ Without any specific quotes or examples this is a charge so vague and dubious it could be used to dismiss almost any democratically elected student representative.
We view this as exceptionally malicious given that circumstance of the editor, a Muslim woman, having to justify herself in the face of defenses of a genocidal and apartheid state that regularly uses racism and islamophobia as a justification for its ethnic cleansing and violence. The YouX Board is setting a dangerous precedent by forcing student media editors to go out of their way in demonstrating reverence for opinions and voices that threaten and/or diminish them.
This is why we as current democratically elected student representatives, students on campus and alumni feel it is our role to speak out against this attack on student democracy. On Dit is a culturally and historically rich institution which has over the years has given student voices an important platform and spoken truth to power more times than anyone can possibly count.
Despite the continued strength in upholding the legacy of On Dit, we must recognise the decision to remove democratically elected editor Habibah Jaghoori for what it is, an unprincipled attack on student media, independent voices and campus culture by the YouX board whose legitimacy is highly questionable and with processes that were significantly dubious at best.
Signatories
2022 SRC President Ana Obradovic
2016 SRC President Tom Gilchrist
2022 SRC Education Officer James Wood
2022 SRC Environment Officer Nix Herriot
2022 SRC Social Justice Officer Michael Petrilli
2022 SRC Rural Officer Liam Johns
2022 SRC Postgraduate Research Officer Jack Crawford
2022 SRC Roseworthy Officer Clare Bensted
2022 SRC General Councillor Ramon O’Donnell
2022 SRC General Councillor Alicia Turner
2022 SRC General Councillor Chanel Trezise
Socialist Alternative Adelaide University
Socialist Alternative Flinders University
Greens Club Adelaide University
Uni Students for Climate Justice Adelaide University
Uni Students for Climate Justice Flinders University
Fossil Free Adelaide University
Students for Palestine
2021 On Dit Editor Stasi Kapetanos
Freya Davies-Ardill
Rebecca Etienna
Akshobhya Pandey
Maeve McNeilage
Doha Khanh
Ashely Towner
Mahya Panahkhahi
Ragya Kaul
Jazz Siegertsz
Louis Parry-Mills
Sarmad Akkach, UoA alumni, 2016
Kyan Jenkins
Remember the names of the On Dit members and signatories as those who spread libels against the world’s only Jewish state, and make light of the fact Jewish students on campus feel unsafe following Jaghoori’s vile screed (and no doubt include those who are antisemitic themselves)
Remember their names as those who support a terror supporter and shill for the Iranian regime, which just murdered a woman, and the president of which just cast questions about the Holocaust.
