Written by Lorin Brice Hall
The murder of Jamal Khashoggi is a moral and ethical litmus test for the leaders of our nation,and for leaders across the world who claim in any capacity to stand for the best interests of their citizens.
Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist who would often write critically of the Crown Prince Salman’s regime, was killed inside of the Saudi Arabian Consulate in Istanbul on October 2nd. Khashoggi entered the Consulate in order to sign divorce papers so that he could marry his fiancé. Once inside the building he died. Before traveling to Turkey to visit the Consulate to sign these divorce paper Khashoggi resided in the United States in self imposed exile after the rise of Crown Prince Salman. Since moving to the U.S.A. Khashoggi would write critically about the nations policies and criticize the Salman regime. Since the murder Crown Prince Salman has acknowledged that the journalist died within the consulate and that the murder was orchestrated by the Saudi State.This is in direct opposition to a previous statement given by the Saudi Government which states the killing of Khashoggi was an isolated event that is in no way tied to the state. This is a direct challenge to
democracy, to liberty and to the freedom of the press. The ability of the press to be free and un-coerced is critical to the development and continuation of both democracy and liberty. This act of violence against human ideals must be punished by the world. One nation cannot strike at the despotic regime. Instead we global citizens must come together as a unit and punish the regime. Leaders of the world must renounce Salman and his cohorts and safeguard liberty.
The Washington Post, Khashoggi’s workplace, states that democracy dies in the dark and all of us in the world who do not want to open the door to tyranny and oppression must be ever vigilant to not allow ourselves to be accustomed to darkness.
