Staff Reports
In another example of the left-wing media going off the rails, a New York Times columnist suggested a shocking solution to avoid student loan repayment. The columnist, Ron Lieber, thought it would be clever to include “death” as one of the options for borrowers looking to cancel their debt. Disgusting, right? It’s appalling to see that this is the kind of advice being offered to young Americans who took on student loans willingly.
NYT Columnist Suggests 'Death' as an Option to Avoid Student Loan Repayment, NYT Fumbles Stealth-Edit Attempt https://t.co/ccYw7ZhfeH
— RedState (@RedState) July 1, 2023
Thankfully, Lieber’s absurd suggestion didn’t go unnoticed, and outrage quickly spread across social media. Even MSNBC columnist Katelyn Burns couldn’t contain her disbelief and asked, “NYT what the f*** are you doing bro?” It’s a valid question. What was Lieber thinking when he decided to publish such an insensitive and irresponsible piece?
NYT what the fuck are you doing bro pic.twitter.com/mK6WbLLsPZ
— Katelyn Burns (@transscribe) June 30, 2023
Nice stealth edit they did too. This is really, really gross. pic.twitter.com/vaDAOXapXS
— Brooke Binkowski (@brooklynmarie) June 30, 2023
Lieber claimed to sympathize with the disappointment felt by borrowers who won’t benefit from Biden’s unconstitutional loan forgiveness plan, but his sympathy was misplaced. These borrowers made a choice to take on debt and should be held accountable for repaying it, not relying on taxpayers to foot the bill.
The original column listed several options for borrowers to potentially escape their contractual obligations, such as “Income-Driven Repayment” and “Bankruptcy Discharge.” But the final option, “Death,” was the most appalling. Lieber conveniently left it open-ended, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions. Did he really suggest suicide as a way out of student loan debt? We can’t say for sure, but the vague wording certainly left room for interpretation.
After the public outcry, the NYT attempted to do some damage control by stealthily editing the column. They removed the term “Death” from the options but clumsily tried to redirect the focus to the debt dying with the borrower’s relatives. It was a feeble attempt to cover up the original provocative suggestion.
This incident showcases yet another example of the mainstream media’s biased and irresponsible journalism. It’s clear that Lieber failed in his duty to provide responsible reporting and instead chose to push a narrative that undermined personal responsibility and financial accountability. Americans should be wary of these types of columns that advocate for irresponsible behavior and expect the media to be held to a higher standard.
