As a gamer who grew up reading newspapers and following political news closely, I’ve always admired the courage and integrity of journalists like Mariel Garza. The Los Angeles Times‘ decision not to endorse a presidential candidate is a disheartening step back from its long-standing tradition of taking a stand on crucial issues.
As a gaming enthusiast, I’d put it this way: “In the gaming world, sometimes you have to step back from the console when things aren’t aligning with your values. That’s exactly what the editor of the Los Angeles Times has done – he’s decided to quit the paper following their decision not to endorse a candidate in the 2024 presidential race.
Mariel Garza chose to step down, emphasizing that she couldn’t remain silent about the current situation,” she stated during an interview with the Columbia Journalism Review. “In challenging times, it is crucial for truthful individuals to speak out. This action represents my stand.” Besides serving as the paper’s editorials editor, Garza was also a part of its editorial board. (Paraphrased)
Based on an article by Semafor published on Tuesday, it was reported that Patrick Soon-Shiong, the proprietor of The Times, forbade the newspaper’s editorial board from endorsing a candidate in the election, despite their preparations to do so. On Wednesday, Garza seemed to verify this information, informing CJR that Terry Tang, executive editor of The Times, passed on Soon-Shiong’s desires to Garza.
As stated by Garza, the board was prepared to back Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, and she had commenced drafting an editorial to publicize this decision. In her conversation with CJR, Garza expressed doubt that this endorsement would significantly influence voters’ choices, considering The Times’ liberal leaning. However, she emphasized that the endorsement was crucial because “At this juncture, you express your principles regardless. And an endorsement seemed like a natural progression after a string of editorials we’ve published detailing Trump’s threats to democracy, his unsuitability for the presidency, and his potential to jail adversaries.
She mentioned that endorsing her was a “natural progression” and found it puzzling for readers, and perhaps suspect, that they didn’t endorse her this time around.
In her resignation letter, as reported by CJR, Garza expressed that not endorsing a candidate calls into question the credibility of the editorial board and every single endorsement they issue, even those for school board races. She stated that people would rightfully wonder if each endorsement was the result of careful journalistic research and deliberation, or simply an order from the owner.
THR has reached out to the Times for comment.
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2024-10-24 01:24