stated: "It is the lamest of excuses
that I've ever heard on its face!'
First, of course, let's acknowledge
the magazine has a right to refuse
the ad — as it does any other ad.
But the reasoning in this case is
troubling.
An ad is an ad is an ad ...
Readers understand that paid
advertisements are the opinions
of those paying for it. Ms. also is
free to take advertisements from
other Israeli political parties (read
liberal) that might express a dif-
ferent point of view. Further, the
magazine could have published the
ad and then editorialized against
the respective point of view.
The case also highlights the irony
that liberal publications — and
it is usually liberal publications
— defend publishing Holocaust
denial advertisements exactly for
the opposite reasons, stating they
may not share the views of the
respective ad but they have an obli-
gation to publish it, citing "freedom
of the press."
That argument is as disingenu-
ous as Ms. Magazine's explanation
because as Ms.'s action indicates
clearly, editors have a right to refuse
publication of anything — ads, let-
ters to the editor, their own report-
ers' copy and freelance material.
So why did Ms. refuse the ad?
Only the editors know for sure.
Whatever the reason, its decision
blackens the history and legacy of
a publication that played such a
major role in fighting for the rights
of women.
Squelching political debate and
views is not in keeping with women
civil rights leaders who fought
strong and hard to have women
heard and, by implication, the dis-
parate voices that are the founda-
tion for the philosophy of Gloria
Steinem and her co-leaders.
As Richard Gordon, AJC presi-
dent, said: "For a publication that
holds itself out to be in the fore-
front of the women's movement,
this is nothing short of disgusting
and despicabl'
Yes, it is.

❑

A former political reporter, Berl
Falbaum, an author and Farmington

Hills public relations executive, teaches
journalism part time at Wayne State
University in Detroit.

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April 10 • 2005

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