Emily Wilder, a 2020 graduate of Stanford University, was fired from her Associated Press job over past social media posts related to her criticism of Israel and support for Palestine
New York, May 22 (RHC)-- The Associated Press has fired a news associate, Emily Wilder, over her criticism of Israel and support for the people of Palestine, drawing backlash from journalists.
The U.S. news agency, headquartered in New York City, reportedly fired her after Wilder had been targeted by extremist, Zionist media outlets for her pro-Palestinian activism in college days. Wilder told the British newspaper Guardian that she was “terminated for violating the company’s social media policies in their News Values and Principles sometime between my start date on May 3rd and yesterday.” Wilder said the AP did not provide details which of her tweets broke its policies.
A spokesperson for the news agency said that the organization “can confirm Emily Wilder’s comments on Thursday that she was dismissed for violations of AP’s social media policy during her time at AP.”
"There's no question I was just canceled," Wilder told SFGATE by phone Thursday afternoon.
"This is exactly the issue with the rhetoric around 'cancel culture.' To Republicans, cancel culture is usually seen as teens or young people online advocating that people be held accountable over accusations of racism or whatever it may be, but when it comes down to who actually has to deal with the lifelong ramifications of the selective enforcement of cancel culture — specifically over the issue of Israel and Palestine — it's always the same side," she added. The journalist said her editor had told her she would not “get in any trouble because everyone had opinions in college,” but “then came the rest of the week.”
This week, Zionist media outlets published stories about Wilder, highlighting her past criticism on social media of the Israeli regime and of Zionists, including Sheldon Adelson – the dead billionaire and mega financer of the Republican Party. She had previously worked with the newspaper Arizona Republic after graduating from Stanford University, when the Stanford College Republicans tweeted a thread highlighting her support for Palestine.
The Zionist online publication Washington Free Beacon claimed that that Wilder’s hiring in Phoenix, Arizona, “could fuel concerns about the AP’s objectivity amid revelations that the news outlet shared an office building with Hamas military intelligence in Gaza.”
Journalists expressed outrage over Wilder’s firing and sent messages of solidarity. “I stand with Emily,” wrote Rebekah Sanders, an Arizona Republic reporter. “Her reporting at our newspaper was excellent. Reverse your decision NOW.”
“I’d bet a lot of money this person is about to get a much better job,” tweeted NBC’s Ben Collins.