“What Did You Just Say?” : The MM Open Letter Series I Dear Ms. Julia Hartley-Brewer

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Dear Ms. Julia Hartley-Brewer,

By now I’m sure that you are very familiar with the constructive feedback you’ve received regarding your disastrous interview with Palestinian MP Dr. Mustafa Barghouti early last month.

Here’s more.

Your track record as a so-called journalist is well known to be a continual stream of racism, bigotry, manipulation, and Islamophobia. This time, however, while interviewing Dr. Mustafa Bargouti on BBC and Talkradio, you really blew a fuse.

Quite frankly, speaking as an old crone, Muslim Irish American hippie, and frenemy, I must say that you proved how much of a failed feminist you are. Your choice to profile Muslim men as misogynists by using Dr. Barghouti as your scapegoat was wrong in oh so many ways.

Let me count the ways;

Your ignorance regarding Muslim women and men was a sad testament to the worn-out, stereotypical negative propaganda that has floated through the media atmosphere for years. This outdated brand of misinformation has been overused, and misconstrued, and is typical of a desperate attempt to detour from the issues at hand: the ongoing genocide of Palestinians.

Your disrespect towards Dr. Barghouti was not only publicly embarrassing but a stain on your character.

Those mistakes led you to wrong yourself even more by backing into a corner of arrogance and trumped-up victimhood, topped off with a complete lack of professionalism. You ignored so many opportunities presented during your interview with Dr. Barghouti to fearlessly embrace the Palestinian narratives he spoke of. Instead, you lost out on a golden moment to prove your worth as a respectable journalist.

Which leads me to ask; why did you choose journalism as a profession in the first place? As the world has witnessed, your performance was not that of a professional, objective journalist with an eye for the truth, but that of a hateful, ignorant sensationalist.

It’s not too late to remedy your character and lack of education, though.

Do some research. Differentiate between religious teachings vs negative cultural practices. Don’t let the thought of learning Palestinian history make your heart freeze either. Seriously, there’s no harm in reading and reading and reading to educate. And then read some more.

Volunteer. Strike out to parts unknown to you, and do something valuable, such as teaching English to refugees.

If you don’t, Julia, you’ll only be known as the woman who shamed herself in front of the entire world. What you don’t want to have on your record is your failure to communicate effectively in a fair and balanced approach to journalism.

Honestly, as a grandmother of grandchildren of multi-religious heritages, I am sick and tired of protesting this nonsense, but I have to, for their sake.

Let your freak fly. Shake loose of the fear-mongering and hate speech you have so pitifully adhered to. Go gray. Wear flats.

And then, someday, take yourself into your private adobe, turn on YouTube and watch your interview with Dr. Barghouti, again and again. Step away from yourself and analyze the journalist Julia Hartley-Brewer. Reflect. Ask yourself, why was I so angry, hostile, a bully? Is she the person I want my family to remember her by?

Julia, let me repeat, it’s not too late to start anew. Imagine that you get canned for your incompetence. Such a life-altering occurrence could very well be the highlight of your year. A new beginning.

It may be the catalyst for change you never knew you needed. Bend with the times. Embrace your twist of fate.

Take volumes of encyclopedias from the countless stories of Palestinians who currently, and for the past 75 years, have endured, patiently persevering under occupation from the brutality of the Israeli regime as examples to steadily move forward.

The narratives from Palestinians and their supporters do not belong to Western media outlets and Zionists. With Gaza and all occupied areas of Palestine undergoing genocide being openly visible through social media and professional media outlets, it is no wonder you scream on screen.

But it does no good for your Zionist cause. You have gifted us with the truth of how Israel has treated Palestinians for years. The world sees, has removed their blinders, and are mad as hell and not going to take this anymore.

Finally, I’m reminded of one of my favorite songs from the 60’s, “Turn! Turn! Turn!” by the Byrd’s, who lifted spirits during those trying times via some verses from the Bible, the book of Ecclesiastes.

As the song lyrics professed:

“To everything, turn, turn, turn

There is a season turn, turn, turn

 And a time to every purpose under Heaven

A time to gain, a time to lose

A time to rain, a time of sow

A time for love, a time for hate

A time for peace, I swear it’s not too late.”

These song lyrics are a reminder of our commonalities of humanity. We are all made from the same clay [Surah Al-Hijr: 15;26] you know.

So, Julia; turn, turn, turn…

[Take Action: Demand The Resignation of Julia Hartley Brewer. Contact the BBC to fire Hartley-Brewer for her continued racist and Islamaphobic comments on air. Click this link to access our handy-dandy letter tool – it takes 10 seconds from start-to-finish to send a letter to the BBC.]

Related:

– “What Did You Just Say?”: Introducing The New MM Open Letter Series I Dear Mr. Fareed Zakaria

– The Importance Of Palestinian Stories [Interview]