What should writers make of guidelines that promise to monitor writer behavior?

"What skills do the editors possess that qualifies them to weigh such often very serious accusations?"

Welcome to our weekend conversation!

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A reader recently shared this from the mission statement of a magazine.

I’ve edited out the name of the journal, which I know dismays some of you. But it is not the particular magazine I wish to focus on. It is the statement itself. Many of you know I have written about this sort of thing before. This weekend, I want to really unpack this.

Here we have a journal stating they are committed to “diversity, inclusivity, cultural interchange, and respect.” Awesome.

Next comes the warning (emphases mine): If a writer “behaves or speaks publicly—or is revealed or accused to have behaved or spoken, even in private—…then we reserve the right to disqualify an author’s submission…and/or remove their work from our archives.”