It has become woefully clear how out of touch our Western elites are with the suffering of humanity. The annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner has always been an annual glitzy affair of black-tied elites honouring journalists and engaging in some witty banter. However, this past year has been anything but good for journalism or playful humour.

While Washington’s elites revelled in their insulated bubble, a crowd of protestors chanted against the ongoing genocide unfolding in Gaza, chanting “shame on you” at VIPs attending the event for their complicity. It takes a troubling level of disconnect between elites – whether these be actors, politicians or artists – and common people to not see the incongruity between such an opulent event and a harsh reality of suffering.

In an event meant to honour journalists, the death of nearly 100 journalists in a period of 6 months would seem to be a massive elephant in the room. However, the event made no mention of the reporters killed in Gaza, or the suppression of those who are desperately trying to cover the event. More than two dozen Palestinian journalists pleaded for solidarity from their American colleagues, and these voices were drowned out by political jests and endorsements of the president.

This was a disturbing amount of detachment on full display; the refusal to acknowledge the brutal repression of free speech on college campuses all over America shows that these men are women were ready to bury their heads in the sand instead of addressing an uncomfortable truth. Understandably, most of the world has been largely disappointed with such a grand event for Western media, knowing the extent of Western media’s failure to cover such a massive tragedy with integrity.

Journalists and media have a responsibility to speak truth to power, and they still have a chance to speak out against Western silence while Palestinians fight for their lives. Some praise should be given to the local police for allowing peaceful protests during such a high-profile event, whilst avoiding disruptions to the event itself, something we ought to strive for as well.

For now, student protests have massive potential to make a big difference in this conflict; Western voices are clearly the only voices that Western elites will give credence to. We must fan this flame while it is still alive, and empower all students around the world to raise their voices for this cause.