In a stunning turn of events, James Bennet, the former New York Times Opinion editor, has publicly taken responsibility for an error in an editorial that has sparked controversy and outrage across the nation. The editorial in question, titled “Send in the Troops,” was published on June 3, 2020, amidst the widespread protests following the killing of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis. The piece called for the deployment of military troops to quell the protests, a stance that many saw as inflammatory and dangerous.
Bennet, who resigned from his position at the Times shortly after the editorial was published, has now admitted that the decision to run the piece was a mistake. In a statement released to the press, Bennet acknowledged that he had not properly vetted the editorial and that it did not meet the standards of the New York Times.
“I take full responsibility for the decision to publish the ‘Send in the Troops’ editorial,” Bennet said. “It was a lapse in judgment on my part, and I deeply regret the harm that it has caused. I failed to ensure that the piece was thoroughly fact-checked and balanced, and for that, I am truly sorry.”
The fallout from the publication of the editorial has been swift and severe. Many Times staffers, as well as readers and outside observers, have criticized the paper for running an opinion piece that they believe was inflammatory and irresponsible. Some have accused the Times of perpetuating a dangerous narrative that could further escalate tensions between law enforcement and protesters.
According to sources within the Times newsroom, the decision to publish the editorial was made quickly and without proper oversight. Bennet reportedly approved the piece without consulting with other editors or fact-checkers, a move that has been widely criticized as a failure of leadership.
The controversy surrounding the “Send in the Troops” editorial has raised questions about the role of opinion journalism in today’s media landscape. While opinion pieces are meant to provoke thought and spark debate, they must also be held to the same standards of accuracy and fairness as news reporting. In this case, it appears that those standards were not met, leading to a serious breach of trust between the Times and its readers.
In the wake of the editorial debacle, the Times has announced a series of reforms aimed at improving oversight and accountability in the opinion section. These reforms include the creation of a new position, the Opinion Page Editor, who will be responsible for overseeing all opinion content and ensuring that it meets the paper’s standards for accuracy and fairness.
Despite these efforts to address the editorial error, the fallout from the “Send in the Troops” controversy is likely to linger for some time. The incident has raised serious questions about the Times’ commitment to journalistic integrity and its ability to navigate the complex and fraught political landscape of the current moment.
As the dust settles on this latest chapter in the ongoing debate over media ethics and responsibility, one thing is clear: the fallout from the “Send in the Troops” editorial will continue to reverberate throughout the media industry for some time to come. Only time will tell how the Times and other news organizations will respond to this wake-up call and work to rebuild the trust of their readers.