3-29-2024: Vanderbilt University Insanity | The Role of Objectivity in News Media (Especially Regarding Coverage of the Plausible Gaza Genocide)

America is becoming ever more the utopia of sterilized, automated contentment. The “futures” and “careers” for which American students now prepare are for the most part intellectual and moral wastelands. This chrome-plated consumers’ paradise would have us grow up to be well-behaved children. But an important minority of men and women coming to the front today have shown that they will die rather than be standardized, replaceable, and irrelevant.

- Mario Savio, “An End to History,” December 2, 1964

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Hey friend,

The Unnatural State of Affairs persists. So, I’ll be barkin’ about…

• Vanderbilt University Insanity

  • Vanderbilt University administration caused a firestorm in the public eye last week after suspending 25 students and arresting 4 for doing a sit-in at the chancellor’s office on March 26, 2024.

  • The students were protesting the administration’s decision to ban its student government from voting on a referendum that would make the governing body participate in the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement.

  • The administration also arrested a Nashville Scene reporter for “trespassing” without giving him any prior warning.

• The Role of Objectivity in News Media (Especially Regarding Coverage of the Plausible Gaza Genocide)

  • News media coverage on the plausible genocide in Gaza has been mediocre at best.

  • I examine why that is—why the institutions that should be informing us about the activities of our government are overtly or discreetly promoting the perspective of the U.S. on the ongoing atrocities; how news media outlets are structured to provide such coverage; and why these outlets have historically championed their mantra of “objectivity.”

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The Unnatural State of Affairs broadcasts live on WMTS 88.3 FM, every Friday at 4-6 P.M.

Tune in to hear the censored talk show segments and DJ session!

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Woah, what’s up with the new setup?

I recorded this show live at WMTS 88.3 FM!

Due to setup time and tech complications, this probably won’t be the norm. But, it’s nice to change things up every now and then!

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Sources

Vanderbilt University Insanity

• “Palestinian Society Call for BDS” - BDS

• Email from Vanderbilt Administration to Students - The Tennessee Holler

• “Scene Reporter Arrested at Vanderbilt University” - Nashville Scene

• Nashville City Council Letter to Vanderbilt Administration - The Tennessee Holler

• Vanderbilt Divestment Coalition Instagram Page

• Nashville Scene

• The Tennessee Holler Instagram Page

The Role of Objectivity in News Media (Especially Regarding Coverage of the Plausible Gaza Genocide)

• “‘Between the Hammer and the Anvil’” - The Intercept

• “Sexual Violence” - Middle Tennessee State University

• “Coverage of Gaza War in The New York Times and Other Major Newspapers Heavily Favored Israel, Analysis Shows” - The Intercept

• The View from Somewhere: Undoing the Myth of Journalistic Objectivity - Lewis Raven Wallace

• “Associated Press v. National Labor Relations Board (1937)” - Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University

• “Mario Savio, ‘An End to History’ (2 December 1964)” - Voices of Democracy: The U.S. Oratory Project

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Intro Music Creds:

Title - “Under Your Spell” (Cover, Sped up)

Guitar - Ethan Schmidt (“National Sleep Debt”)

Literally Everything Else - “Big Dog” Jay Duda (JD Alphonze on Spotify)