This piece was originally published in Momentum, an anti-racism blog officially powered by Medium.
Many journalists, local and otherwise, immediately condemned the piece—especially for its lack of compassion for the young victim and the community still mourning his loss. “What about Adam’s humanity?” we asked.
My Northwestern colleague Steven Thrasher canceled his subscription to the paper and in a letter to Tribune leaders wrote: “I will not, under any circumstances, support journalism which calls for the debasement of marginalized people; which tries to justify the summary state execution of children; and which argues against my humanity.” (Thrasher told me he has not received a response.)
Zorn later released another column to explain himself, one that feels much more like a platform for the racist letters of support he received than an apology, one that tried to give credibility to a column that should not have been written in the first place.
And for journalists of color, the column strikes a familiar chord. As we work to build trust in media with the most vulnerable communities, an opinion piece like this can derail it. When we go back into neighborhoods to report and interview residents after a column like this, why would anyone want to confide in us?
