Texas Writers Joint Statement on Ongoing Genocide in Palestine:
We come together as Texas-based literary journals, magazines, creative projects, bookstores, presses and writers to uphold our ongoing commitment to the coexistence of diverse perspectives and identities, as well as the promotion of free and open discourse. We believe our duty is to use our voices and platforms to offer our unapologetic support and solidarity to the people of Gaza, and of Palestine as a whole in their struggle to liberate themselves from apartheid and occupation.
One could ask why we as a group of journals, presses, and magazines would choose to make a statement on Palestine and not the many other tragedies in our world. What is unique is our battle here at home against the massive spread of misinformation, bias, and one-sided media reporting at the expense of ethical journalism. Those speaking out against genocide are being fired from their jobs, doxxed and censored. Stifling free speech and banning books are grave concerns long familiar to us and we recognize the danger of silencing marginalized voices– everything we as writers stand against.
As of January 24th, 2024, this has resulted in over 25,700+ killed in Gaza, including 10,000+ children. We come as a literary community to call not only for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid for Gaza, but for the removal of settler-colonialism from Palestinian land. We condemn the discrediting of civilian reporting on the ground in Gaza and call on our media to uphold the integrity of honest and unbiased journalism. To stay silent during this time would be complicity, and we owe it to our communities to speak unapologetically for what is right.
We will be adding our names to the Writers Against the War on Gaza petition, which is a collective effort of writers, editors, and culture workers committed to the liberation of the Palestinian people. We ask our readership to add their names as well, flood the phone lines and emails of their representatives, participate in peaceful boycotts, engage in direct action and protest efforts, and moreover, correct the misinformation online that is being propagated by our news outlets.
As writers, we recognize the power words hold and are committed to ensuring that ours take their place in history on the side of justice, freedom, and truth. We invite other Texas-based presses, journals, literary organizations, and writers to sign on this statement here.
Don’t ever be surprised / to see a rose shoulder up / among the ruins of the house: / This is how we survived.
– Mosab Abu Toha, detained by Israeli forces on Nov. 20, 2023
“My political position springs from my being a novelist. In so far as I am concerned, politics and the novel are an indivisible case and I can categorically state that I became politically committed because I am a novelist, not the opposite.”
– Ghassan Kanafani
In solidarity,
Organizations:
Individuals: