I was first attracted to the Guardian in my teens and have been a constant reader for close to 15 years. It was the idealism of youth that first brought me to it. I remember becoming determined to be more politically active in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks. I felt a deep sense of injustice at the British government’s decision to join the invasion of Iraq and my confusion turned to anger when it became clear that the anti-war protests were ignored. In the Guardian I found a source that was willing to discuss the horrific devastation enacted by coalition weaponry – that presented both sides of the conflict in an unbiased manner, and was unafraid to question the moral legitimacy of government policy.
I am currently completing a PhD at the University of Dundee titled “Proto-Protestantism in Medieval Poetry”, and the experiences of reading the Guardian in my youth are incredibly helpful in this process. I have often thanked the social and cultural sensitivities learned from the pages of this newspaper as being central to much of my writing on the treatment of women, the financially oppressed, and other marginalised groups in this period. The Guardian has always been unafraid to present the deeper injustices that occur globally, allowing me to see that oppression and suppression are enduring problems.
The Guardian is unafraid to present opposing sides of the argument, and has given a discussion platform to some of the most incendiary and relevant topics of recent years.In my role as a tutor, I am most grateful that active issues in academia are discussed in a fair and measured fashion. There has been a degree of media hysteria relating to issues affecting universities, with many other publications presenting topics such as “trigger warnings” and “rape culture” as being little more than the ramblings of a small and privileged section of society.
I have, in recent years, disagreed with the Guardian on a variety of issues, and even felt anger at the views expressed in its pages. I have, however, always found that it is welcoming of divergent opinion. We ultimately live in an age of global connectivity where the horrors of the earth can be broadcast to us instantaneously and uncensored. In order to challenge views that fuel these actions we must have a platform for discussion that values free speech and the exchange of ideas, but has an unwavering commitment to morality and social justice. I believe, as I did in my teens, that the Guardian achieves these objectives.
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