Bari Weiss’ resignation letter to The New York Times | Harper’s open letter take aim at “illiberalism”

This appeared in The Millennial Source

On July 7, Harper’s Magazine published an “Open Letter” signed by around 150 luminaries from the fields of academia, writing, music and more. Its abstract title, “A Letter on Justice and Open Debate,” and relatively short length did not suggest it would become such a controversial piece of writing. Yet, within 24 hours, it had ignited a heated debate in liberal circles.

A week later, one of the letter’s signees, Bari Weiss, publicly resigned from her position as an editor and opinion writer at The New York Times. While the two events were ostensibly unrelated, Weiss’ resignation letter expressed a clear link: resistance to illiberal attacks on open debate in liberal spheres.

Harper’s letter on justice and open debate

An open letter in Harper’s Magazine would not be an obvious cultural flashpoint, especially among younger generations. Launched in 1850, Harper’s is the longest-running “general-interest” monthly magazine in the United States. While its history includes countless notable contributors, its current circulation numbers don’t even put in the top 500 magazines in the country.