Deborah Orr
Encyclopedia
Deborah Jane Orr is a British journalist and broadcaster who works for The Guardian newspaper. She was born and raised in Motherwell
, Scotland
.
until 1990. She is currently a columnist
for The Guardian
, a publication she first joined in 1990. She was previously a columnist for The Independent
and editor of the Guardian Weekend
magazine (1993-98).
in exchange for over 1000 Palestinian
prisoners "acknowledges what so many Zionists believe - that the lives of the chosen are of hugely greater consequence than those of their unfortunate neighbours." This statement, viewed by many as anti-Semitic, was the subject of much criticism. Mark Gardner of the Community Security Trust
stated “Deborah Orr used an old anti-Semitic slur in order to attack Zionists. It shows how easily these ways of thinking can be adapted for modern use. But the entire article was extremely stupid and should never have been published in the first place.”
In a subsequent article published in The Guardian on October 26th 2011, Orr apologised for words which she describes as "badly chosen and poorly used". However, she followed this by defending her words, stating "accusations of anti-Semitism have also been intemperate". In addition, she suggested that although she "was wrong to use poorly chosen words to describe Israel [...] that doesn't mean the country is above criticism". In addition to her article, her apology, too, was the subject of much criticism. Her failure to address her statement alleging that so many Zionists believe "that the lives of the chosen are of hugely greater consequence than those of their unfortunate neighbours" led many to believe that she entirely misunderstood the criticism of her article. A follow up Guardian article by readers' editor Chris Elliott
acknowledged Orr's lapse and wider concerns that the newspaper was "carrying material that either lapses into language resonant of antisemitism or is, by its nature, antisemitic", concluding that the organisation "must be more vigilant to ensure our voice in the debate is not diminished because our reputation has been tarnished".
in 1997 and they have two sons. They live in Stockwell
, South London
.
Motherwell
Motherwell is a town and former burgh in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, south east of Glasgow. The name "Moderwelt" appears on a map of Lanarkshire made by Timothy Pont some time between 1583 and 1611 and printed in the Netherlands in around 1652, although the settlement was probably little more...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Career
Orr worked as deputy editor for City Limits magazine and as a contributor to New StatesmanNew Statesman
New Statesman is a British centre-left political and cultural magazine published weekly in London. Founded in 1913, and connected with leading members of the Fabian Society, the magazine reached a circulation peak in the late 1960s....
until 1990. She is currently a columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, a publication she first joined in 1990. She was previously a columnist for The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
and editor of the Guardian Weekend
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
magazine (1993-98).
Gilad Shalit article controversy
On October 19th 2011, an article written by Orr entitled "Is an Israeli life really more important than a Palestinian's?" was published in The Guardian. In her article, Orr states that the trade for Israeli soldier Gilad ShalitGilad Shalit
Gilad Shalit is an Israeli – French citizen and Israel Defense Forces soldier. On 25 June 2006, he was captured inside Israel by Hamas militants in a cross-border raid via underground tunnels near the border with Gaza. The Hamas militants held him for over five years, until he was released on...
in exchange for over 1000 Palestinian
Palestinian
Palestinian may refer to:* Something of, from, or related to Palestine, the Palestinian territories or the State of Palestine*A member of the Palestinian people, also rendered as Palestinian Arabs**Demographics of Palestine...
prisoners "acknowledges what so many Zionists believe - that the lives of the chosen are of hugely greater consequence than those of their unfortunate neighbours." This statement, viewed by many as anti-Semitic, was the subject of much criticism. Mark Gardner of the Community Security Trust
Community Security Trust
The Community Security Trust is a British charity established in 1994 to ensure the safety and security of the Jewish community in the UK. It follows a history of Jewish defence organisations in the United Kingdom dating back to the 1930s...
stated “Deborah Orr used an old anti-Semitic slur in order to attack Zionists. It shows how easily these ways of thinking can be adapted for modern use. But the entire article was extremely stupid and should never have been published in the first place.”
In a subsequent article published in The Guardian on October 26th 2011, Orr apologised for words which she describes as "badly chosen and poorly used". However, she followed this by defending her words, stating "accusations of anti-Semitism have also been intemperate". In addition, she suggested that although she "was wrong to use poorly chosen words to describe Israel [...] that doesn't mean the country is above criticism". In addition to her article, her apology, too, was the subject of much criticism. Her failure to address her statement alleging that so many Zionists believe "that the lives of the chosen are of hugely greater consequence than those of their unfortunate neighbours" led many to believe that she entirely misunderstood the criticism of her article. A follow up Guardian article by readers' editor Chris Elliott
Chris Elliott
Christopher Nash "Chris" Elliott is an American actor, comedian and writer. He is best known for his comedic sketches on Late Night with David Letterman, starring in the cult comedy series Get a Life and for his recurring role as Peter MacDougall on Everybody Loves Raymond...
acknowledged Orr's lapse and wider concerns that the newspaper was "carrying material that either lapses into language resonant of antisemitism or is, by its nature, antisemitic", concluding that the organisation "must be more vigilant to ensure our voice in the debate is not diminished because our reputation has been tarnished".
Personal life
Orr married Will SelfWill Self
William Woodard "Will" Self is an English novelist and short story writer. His fictional style is known for being satirical, grotesque, and fantastical. He is a prolific commentator on contemporary British life, with regular appearances on Newsnight and Question Time...
in 1997 and they have two sons. They live in Stockwell
Stockwell
Stockwell is a district in inner south west London, England, located in the London Borough of Lambeth.It is situated south south-east of Charing Cross. Brixton, Clapham, Vauxhall and Kennington all border Stockwell...
, South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
.
External links
- The Independent - Articles by Deborah Orr Articles published in the past year
- The Guardian - Archive of articles by Deborah Orr in the Guardian
- BBC News - Views on respect: Deborah Orr 09/01/06
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/19/israeli-lives-more-important-palestinian The Guardian - "Is an Israeli life really more important than a Palestinian's?" - Deborah Orr
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/26/call-israel-to-account The Guardian - "Why it's right to weigh your words carefully" - Deborah Orr