In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here.There’s a section in almost every media contract called a morality clause. It’s basically a provision that says an employee, as a representative of the outlet, must follow specific ethical standards. Regardless of whether this clause is written in a contract or not, the rule is universal in any organization that cares about its integrity and appearance.
Karen Attiah was fired last year for breaking the Washington Post’s company-wide social media policy around proper public conduct. Attiah, 40, wrote the following on the very day Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University: “Refusing to tear my clothes and smear ashes on my face in performative mourning for a White man that espoused violence is… not the same as violence,” she wrote on Bluesky. “Part of what keeps America so violent is the insistence that people perform care, empty goodness and absolution for white men who espouse hatred and violence,” she added. “If anything, the rush to coddle violent white men is self-protective – that we know they are not used to feeling vulnerable and mortal – and will react violently out of fear. And we will all suffer.”The white man she was referring to was Kirk, who was shot dead on Sept. 10, 2025, while debating students on campus at an outdoor event. Kirk left behind two very young children and his wife, Erika. He was never one to espouse violence. In fact, he advocated through actions and words the exact opposite: openly debating those you disagree with most. Kirk jousted in a professional and civil manner with just about everyone, from antisemitic maniac Hasan Piker to Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA). Yet Attiah, offering no examples or evidence, said Kirk espoused hatred and violence, and did so before his body was even cold. She later defended her social media posts by arguing that they were part of her job of “commenting on our discourse on political violence.”Former Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah is pictured in Washington, June 3, 2026. (Ashara Wilson/AP)
