Student journalists warn of CrossFire when Trump attacks universities

Some student journalists in the USA think twice before writing about Controversial issues and caught the advisor of US President Donald Trump, the editor -in -chief of Columbia University student magazine says.

This self -assessment appears among the wave of campus arrests, detention, threats related to deportations and dismissal of student visas.

Said American officials Student visa holders are deported On support for Palestinians and criticism of Israel's behavior in the war in Gaza, calling their actions a threat to US foreign policy. Several student activists They were stopped without fees by immigration officials.

Columbia University was at the forefront of this wave of pro-Palestinian protests that took place in the campus in New York.

At the beginning of this year, Ivy League University The Department of Studies agreed to the new Middle East supervision And a review of their principles regarding the protests and discipline of students, agreeing to the unusual ultimatum by the Trump administration in order to introduce these and other changes or the risk of losing billions of dollars in federal financing.

Columbia Political Review is a student student at Columbia University, who publishes operas, interviews and political analyzes of everything from Campus News to International Matters. But recently some colleagues considered writing on some topics that could put them under An undesirable headlight, says editor -in -chief Adam Kinder. Some even asked to remove their articles.

Kinder talked to Nil Kӧksal, the host of CBC Radio This is happening. Here it is Hi their conversation.

When people reach you and ask to remove their articles, what reasons do they give?

In some cases, writers present vague justifications, saying: “Hey, I just don't want my name now.” But in other cases, writers specially cited what was happening and said: “Hey, I would really prefer to ensure safety and ensure the safety of my family.”

To say, in a general sense, I think that people, like people were afraid or relaxing their own speeches as a result of the political atmosphere on the campus and in the country, there was a significant contingent of people who were also galvanized by what was happening and still says.

So people still send you their work and hope that they will be published and receive a message. But those people who reach these different reasons – sometimes unclear, how do you suggest – what are you telling them?

We always offer them the opportunity to re -publish at any time. If someone devotes time to contact us to say: “Hey, I would prefer my article not on the website now,” we commit ourselves.

And if they would like to comment on the situation in general or if they still have an element of the argument that they want there, we encourage them to publish anonymously, which is a policy that we didn't really entertain in the past, but now, which we now expand, advertise and we really get the student's body there.

How is it that you have to remove these articles, taking into account the work you do?

Fortunately, these requests are almost not similar to the Flood, which, I think, come to many different publications. But it's sad. I do not want to have our work or work, which we do with our writers, in particular physical danger. But also, as a publication, which is based on the principle and practice of freedom of speech, is disappointing that our country has reached this point.

It is encouraging that we continue our performance at levels, which are unheard of – even for our history – and that people are interested, people read. We are leaving our printed magazine next week. People are still involved, despite how the situation may seem personally.

One of the very lively and recent examples of life of someone's life and changes because of the opinion is Believe OzturkStudent of the University of Tufts. She was arrested by (immigration and enforcement of the customs service) and has been in custody since last month. She wrote an opinion calling for her own school to get rid of companies that have connections with Israel. Did you expect such requests to start coming?

Then yes, absolutely.

Fortunately, we did not see almost the flood that I heard in various publications again. Despite this, I talked to many writers – especially foreign students – worried. To the extent in which they asked for it, we were ready to give people the opportunity to refrain from a minimum of our articles and the similar things, until we have a slightly greater clarity about the situation, which seems to be safe to write and what is not.

To say, we always encourage everyone to be honest and to write from our own perspective, and not to be negligence, to agree to the way it must be the school administration and which the government demands from students.

So you received about a dozen such demands. What topics are we talking about here?

We probably had about half a dozen of people who asked for removal and about half a dozen more breaks on demand-in total a dozen or so.

In general, people are more afraid to talk about Palestine than anything else.

But now, due to increased tensions between the USA and everywhere else – especially foreign students who, for example, live in China – writing or critical of the US or Chinese government is another kind of sticking that we learn how to navigate, because tensions are in a sense inflammation.

Fears that this will go beyond gauze for other problems. For now, we have heard mainly rumors about it. My personal opinion is that soon – especially as a competition between the Trump administration and universities – that it will continue to escalate in a way that we may not expect.

How to prepare for it – for unexpected ones?

The approach that suits what our function as a student publication is simply continuing. To continue writing, continue transgressive where it is necessary, and ultimately represent what the student body feels.

And the student body very, very strongly in the direction in which the university accepts in response to the government, the direction in which the country and the direction of freedom of speech at university campus are now guided.

Ultimately, we are a place that allows all votes in the Bachelor Campus – and now we will do it ten times.