It is impossible to remove those who peddle lies and are not interested in seeking the truth
14 November 2023 - 17:53
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People walk at a tent camp sheltering displaced Palestinians, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, following rain, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Picture: IBRAHEEM ABU MUSTAFA/REUTERS
In the editor-in-chief’s essay on the need for edited commentary and debate (“Horror in Israel and Gaza shows need for edited spaces”, November 13), his thesis is that the truth, something we all seek, is likely to come more from newspapers than from social media.
Parker says “edited spaces remove those who peddle lies, those who engage in bad faith, those who are not interested in seeking the truth”, but this is an impossible task.
In the same edition Farouk Araie wrote in his letter that “the demotion of Ghaleb Cachalia over his statement regarding the conflict in Gaza is graphic proof that the DA does not support freedom of expression and will not entertain dissent” (“DA and freedom of speech”, November 13).
What baloney. Araie goes on to to say that “every citizen is responsible for the fearless exercise of free speech”. Well then, if the Koran could be sanitised of its unfortunate elements there would be no Hamas, there would be no conflict and Cachalia would still have his job.
Chris Richards Craighall Park
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LETTER: Edited spaces fail too
It is impossible to remove those who peddle lies and are not interested in seeking the truth
In the editor-in-chief’s essay on the need for edited commentary and debate (“Horror in Israel and Gaza shows need for edited spaces”, November 13), his thesis is that the truth, something we all seek, is likely to come more from newspapers than from social media.
Parker says “edited spaces remove those who peddle lies, those who engage in bad faith, those who are not interested in seeking the truth”, but this is an impossible task.
In the same edition Farouk Araie wrote in his letter that “the demotion of Ghaleb Cachalia over his statement regarding the conflict in Gaza is graphic proof that the DA does not support freedom of expression and will not entertain dissent” (“DA and freedom of speech”, November 13).
What baloney. Araie goes on to to say that “every citizen is responsible for the fearless exercise of free speech”. Well then, if the Koran could be sanitised of its unfortunate elements there would be no Hamas, there would be no conflict and Cachalia would still have his job.
Chris Richards
Craighall Park
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
ALEXANDER PARKER: Horror in Israel and Gaza shows the need for edited spaces
POLITICAL WEEK AHEAD: Diplomats set to return from Tel Aviv
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