Letter to the Editor: Why Eric Zorn should be heard at DePaul
A newsstand near Tribune Tower on Michigan Avenue.
Among the things we admire and respect about journalism is the ability (and responsibility) to talk to and listen to a wide variety of voices with a diversity of opinions. As reporters and columnists, that is what we do. Or what we are supposed to do.
An opinion piece posted in the DePaulia on-line this week calls into question our invitation to former Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn. Zorn was invited to appear with other former colleagues at a Wednesday forum on the DePaul campus to discuss tough times for journalism, including recent ownership changes and buyouts at the Tribune, that pose challenges facing our soon-to-graduate students.
The authors take Zorn to task for several columns, most recently one concerning the fatal police shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo. The piece asserts Zorn’s writings contribute to “racist views” and “racist ideologies.”
Eric Zorn is neither a racist nor a contributor to ideologies of hate. The DePaulia op-ed authors fail to mention that Zorn almost immediately, following publication of his column, wrote a follow-up saying he regretted the “analytical tone” of the first column, writing: “I regret that tone. In focusing on details and marshaling evidence and arguments, I can neglect the emotional resonance in situations, as though I’ve forgotten or don’t care that a child who was loved has died, and that the death of someone with so much life ahead of him is always, always a tragedy. I should have done better.”
In our Advanced Reporting class, our students greet guest lecturers by presenting them with a list of facts about their lives. The reason we assign that exercise is to help students appreciate the complexity of the journalists they are about to meet. And to show our guest lecturer that students have done their homework.
So here are a few facts about Eric Zorn:
*He believes man-made climate change is real.
*He believes it is “vile to discriminate against people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.”
*He argues access to quality public health care is a right.
*He has written widely that the death penalty should be abolished and Zorn’s columns, in no small way, contributed to Illinois outlawing it.
Zorn started writing columns at the Chicago Tribune in 1986. We have not agreed with everything he’s written over more than three decades. But we do believe he is entitled to express his views, controversial or otherwise, and that blocking his presence at DePaul runs counter to basic tenets of journalism. And Vincentian values as well.
Ultimately, Zorn declined our invitation writing this:
I was honored to be invited to discuss “Tough Times for Local Journalism” with so many thoughtful and experienced members of the local media. There are many intriguing challenges and opportunities for legacy institutions on the digital landscape. But in recent days I learned that some of those in attendance would like to turn this into a forum to protest some of my columns pertaining to the justice system, and I concluded that my presence here would distract from the agenda and be unfair to my friends on the panel.
I’m open to anyone who wants to engage in thoughtful dialogue about my work, which continues on Substack. My email address is there and in my Twitter bio if you’d like to follow up.
The DePaulia op-ed includes a call for greater diversity among the DePaul journalism faculty. We agree. Every journalism professor we know agrees. Why? Because that is the right thing to do. Diversity means more voices can be heard. And the more voices heard, the better the journalism.
Our invitation to Eric Zorn to come to campus to talk to our students—anytime—remains open.
Mark Glennon • Oct 1, 2021 at 8:59 am
Who is the “we” on whose behalf this letter is written? Are Morin and Mosely speaking on behalf of DePaul? On behalf of one of the sponsoring organizations? Which one? Or is it just their personal opinion and, if so, why are they talking about “our” invitation?
Chico II • Sep 30, 2021 at 1:12 pm
So a speech — that students do not have to attend — could “cause harm”?
That is flat out, laugh-out-loud ridiculous.
Indeed, the whole campus “I feel unsafe” schtick is a bad joke. It’s grievance-babble for “I want to shut up people who don’t agree with everything I think.”
Different people have different views. That’s a simple fact. Deal with it. Fortunately most people don’t spend their time scouring the Earth for reasons to be offended, or crying at the drop of a word that bothers them.
Jake H • Sep 30, 2021 at 6:44 am
“SPJ code of ethics call us to reduce harm — and bringing Zorn to campus would have caused harm to the Latinx students here in the journalism program. There’s no way for you to know that, because you lack that lived experience.”
The logic of this position is untenable. It would mean that so long as any member of a marginalized group is upset by a controversial opinion on the basis of their inaccessible lived experience, the author of that opinion shall never be heard from again on any topic. Such heckler’s vetos are anathema to any institution or society committed to truth and justice.
River Sanchez-Dudik • Sep 29, 2021 at 5:06 pm
Are you serious? So just because he believes in climate change and doesn’t discriminate based on sexual orientation means what? This is the worst article I’ve seen on here thus far. He said something racist, he defended Kyle Rittenhouse (a MURDERER). Both writers here should be ashamed that they would want to make their peers uncomfortable and give a platform to someone who, by including, is excluding others. Super disappointing.
Another Former AR 1 and 2 student • Sep 28, 2021 at 6:04 pm
Journalists make mistakes and so did Eric Zorn. He realized his mistake and apologized for them.
This doesn’t mean he has to be shut out forever — basic tenets of Journalism.
I’m pretty sure the same DePaulia journalists who wrote the previous op-ed have made countless mistakes in the past. You move past it, apologize for your mistakes and do better.
This is absolute nonsense and discouraging to see my fellow peers practicing such vile journalism.
Carol and Don know what they are doing and talking about. They are Carol and Don for crying out loud. Not your average Twitter-Journalism-Joe.
bpr • Sep 28, 2021 at 5:33 pm
I read Mr. Zorn’s column. I disagree with most of what he wrote (in that one column) and particularly dislike much of the wording. But if a group of aspiring journalists feel they would rather call for a disinvitation, instead of welcoming an opportunity to confront and question someone who they believe has caused them harm, I am not sure they would succeed and thrive in real-life journalism.
Former AR 1 and 2 student • Sep 28, 2021 at 4:26 pm
This completely misses the point. SPJ code of ethics call us to reduce harm — and bringing Zorn to campus would have caused harm to the Latinx students here in the journalism program. There’s no way for you to know that, because you lack that lived experience. When we say diversity, when we say inclusion, we don’t mean just diversity in voice anymore. We need faculty of color to represent students and be able to understand what causes harm before it becomes a problem.