BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout

Subject: Review: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: GUEST,Peter Woodruff
Date: 26 Sep 05 - 06:22 PM

This past Saturday I participated in the largest anti-war protest since Vietnam. I was in school in Boston during Vietnam and I remember the Student Strike after the Kent State Massacre. That protest was huge but it was dwarfed in the shadow of the protest last Saturday in Washington D.C. A magor event took place in America on September 24, 2005, but the mainstream media was either too concerned with a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico or that was used by the right wing propaganda machine to cover up the hurricane decending on Washington D.C. I watched taped continual news broadcasts on CNN and local stations...I don't have cable, there was nothing about the protest in Washington. National newspapers like U.S.A.Today and others buried the story in the third from the last page. I was right up front to take pictures of Cindy Sheehan and the sea of people spreading to the horizon all around her supporting the end of this immoral war. The message that this news blackout sends to me is that we are living in a truly fascist state.

Peter

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: Rapparee
Date: 26 Sep 05 - 06:48 PM

Huh? It was covered on the AP website, in my local paper, and other places including the Washington Post and the Boston Globe. Even here in darkest, most scarlet Idaho we were not only aware of it, but have even had our own.

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: John Hardly
Date: 26 Sep 05 - 07:09 PM

It was all over the news. Every talk show was talking about it.

The hurricane evacuating the 5th largest city in the US is a bigger story by any measure.

Sheehan is very old news -- very "dog bites man". If you don't think the coverage was enthusiastic enough, perhaps that's why. This isn't the first demonstration in Washington DC, and it won't be the last.

For that matter, protests aren't really big news anymore -- they are victim of their own organizational success. They are also victim of their own hyperbole -- hard to take seriously.

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: Mrrzy
Date: 26 Sep 05 - 07:13 PM

Yeah, what papers do you read? It was everywhere I looked... did you see Cindy Sheehan get arrested?

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 26 Sep 05 - 07:24 PM

I don't see any conspiracy to "blackout" the story. It was covered. It just had the misfortune of occurring at a time when much of the country was looking elsewhere. If any of the national networks had led its Saturday afternoon newscast with coverage of the march instead of the hurricane, 95% of the people watching that network would have immediately grabbed the remote control and switched to a competing network.

I'm no fan of the media. I think they only exist to sell soap, not to inform the public. If you see a bias in their decision to give the hurricane top billing over the peace march, it's not because a political agenda, it's because hurricanes sell more soap than peace marchers.

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: Ebbie
Date: 26 Sep 05 - 08:09 PM

Funny- yesterday they reported that "about 200" people showed up the next day for the Support the War rally. Today's paper says that "approximately 500" people had rallied for the Support the War thing. Which was it?

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: Bobert
Date: 26 Sep 05 - 08:44 PM

Well, peter, it did make the front page of the Washington Post and though I am a tad diasappointed by the amount of press some 100 pro-war Busheads got, at least it made the front page... I participated in 3 major demonstartions in D.C> prior ot the Bush invasion and only one got any significant press... The one in October prior to the invasion had well over 100,000 peopel and baring got mention on page A-17???

Yeah, you can always safely bet that a handfull of Busheads will get more than their share of coverage but that's the way the corporate media does stuff... It ain't about amin' their own look bad... And Bush is oje of their own... A corportist right to the core...

But you all done good, peter... I know what it's like to be surrounded with that many folks of like mind when it comes to this immoral and inhuman war....

Ltta fun, ain't it...

Don't get bogged down by the media... Just know that you were there... You know just how big it was.... When yer looking forward and cant see the head of the march and then ou look behind and can't see the end, and we're talking 10-15 blocks, that's one heck of a lot of folks...

Yeah, it would be nice if the media would just ghet in the iddle of the crowd and shoot in any direction to give the couch folks some perspective of just how large these things are but ....

Like I said, you done good, peter...

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: M.Ted
Date: 27 Sep 05 - 02:17 PM

I watched five or six hours of it on CSPAN, Pete, and it was broadcast live during the day, and rebroadcast overnight--as far as I know, CSPAN is part of most of the cable systems in the country, which meant that more people than ever before had the opportunity to watch more of an anti-war march than ever before--

For good or ill, there was no commentary of any sort, and no interuption of any sort--and, unfortunately, the Anti-War movement doesn't look that good on TV--

It is very self-absorbed--it doesn't speak to America, and it certainly doesn't speak to the world.
I was particularly struck by the fact that in one place, there were four speakers in a row who didn't mention the war at all, but who simply exploited the opportunity to grind their own political axes.

It isn't that I necesssarily even disagreed with some of the things that they had to say--maybe the march will help to pull the Anti-War Movement together, but it failed to speak to the majority of Americans who are beginning to have real doubts about the war--

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Sep 05 - 03:04 PM

Peters' reference to "no coverage" was in regard to his picture not appearing anywhere. And Bobert, PW wasn't in the "middle of it", he was at the front taking pictures of "Mouse" Sheehan who is still trying to get the "troops pulled out of Iraq AND New Orleans" and is doing more to trash the anti-war movement than Joan Bayez could ever do good. Of course, Joan is as big a hasbeen as Cindy. Show me 100,000 young people, twenties, not paid teens, and I might join up too.

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: Little Hawk
Date: 27 Sep 05 - 03:48 PM

Joan Baez is no hasbeen at my house, pal. And she never will be either. George W. Bush (like most ex-presidents of the USA) WILL be a hasbeen soon enough, unless he goes down in history beside various other really infamous despots as one of the greatest political malefactors of all time.

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 28 Sep 05 - 10:30 AM

To say that there was a news blackout is simply wrong.   The fact that it happened on a weekend when news coverage is minimal and most people aren't watching TV did not help get the message out.

It really did not bother me that the 100 pro-Bush (I hate to call anyone Pro-war)protesters received the coverage that they did. Even if I do not believe in their message, I do feel that the minority opinion has a right to be heard. When the anti-war movement started in the '60s, or the civil rights started earlier than that, the fact that the press did give coverage to the handful of voices that began those movements led to changes.

We can't have freedom of speech both ways. You can't shut out opinion. You have to believe in your convictions and fight the fight.

My take on the coverage was that the Pro-Bush supporters were exposed for their lack of substance and the abscence of logical reasoning. The press reports that I saw made the numbers clear.

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: beardedbruce
Date: 28 Sep 05 - 10:35 AM

Hear, hear, Ron!

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: M.Ted
Date: 28 Sep 05 - 10:58 AM

Well, the Bush supporters weren't the only ones who exposed themselves for their lack of substance and lack of logical reasoning--

My thoughts on anti-war rallies is, unfortunately, approximately this--one guy with a workable plan to end a war is worth more that half a million people waving signs. But I still hope everyone had a good time.

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 28 Sep 05 - 12:03 PM

M.Ted, I completely agree with your opinion that the anti-war movement has lacked cohesion, but I disagree strongly if you think the protests serves no purpose other than having a good time. People tend to follow, and when they see that their voice is shared by others, they join in.   The problem, like Vietnam, is that there is a lack of vision on how to get out of this thing.    With polticians realizing that the majority of Americans want to get out of this thing, they will do what they always do - try and cater to the voters.

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 29 Sep 05 - 03:51 AM

Let us try a bit of historical perspective. Television (they get singled out because they set the agenda for "newsworthyness") is currently covering the anti-war movement in one of two ways. Either A) as the raving from the nut farm, or B) as in the condescening tone of "AWWWW. They're against the war, Isn't that cute?" The movement, because of it's fragmentation, has no ability to counteract these attitudes.

    In the 1960's the EXACT SAME ATTITUDE existed until the Democratic Convention in Chicago in 1968. While cops were beating up the hippies and yippies they also beat up a few TV reporters. It was not until that point that television started to take the anti-war movement seriously. It forced them to take sides. With the increased and more serious coverage came the ability of the movement to brcome more focused and cohesive. With more serious coverage came a more serious attitude from the general public and the NEED to get its act together.

    Until some sort of galvanizing event like that in 1968 it is unrealistic to expect any serious consideration in media coverage.

Stephen Lee Rich

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: M.Ted
Date: 29 Sep 05 - 12:13 PM

No, Ron--I didn't say that the protest served no purpose but to have a good time--I more cynically noted that a lot of people seemed to be there with their own axes to grind, and used the war as an opportunity to do it--A lot of others seemed enamoured with the opportunity to talk to themselves--

But my big idea of the day is that one person with a workable plan to get us out is more important than 500,000 people with signs(even though I might personally like and agree with most of the people with signs)--

We have got to get over this idea that the most important thing is "taking it to the streets", and the related idea that when the people rise up, together as one, great things will happen.

500.000 people gather on the Capitol Mall for fireworks every year on the 4th of July. And then, just like everyone else that shows up on the mall, they go home. The numbers alone mean nothing--

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: akenaton
Date: 29 Sep 05 - 01:13 PM

M Ted...The only people who can get us out, are those who got us in....the politicians.

They are primarily interested in saving their political skins, so mass protest will cause them to take action, especially when that protest is over an indefensible war of agression.

POLiticians realise that protest is the biggest danger to their power and hense we see our governments' continuous attacks on our civil liberties...Ake

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: M.Ted
Date: 29 Sep 05 - 05:59 PM

Akenaton--I would humbly submit that, if your assessment is correct, we would have been out of there a long time ago--

The war's popularity was never very solid, and is even less so now--the Bush Administration is aware of nothing if not popular perception, and they know that their drop in approval ratings, from the 80s post 9-11, to the toilet, where they are now, is directly related to the Iraq debacle--so where is the percentage in stayng there??

Pure and simple, they don't know how to get us out of there. If they could have, they would have.

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: akenaton
Date: 29 Sep 05 - 06:59 PM

Ted there is also loss of face...very important to politicians, along with all the other sweeties that make politicians resist the people who elect them.(corporate greed ect)

Also although you're right about the unpopularity of the war, the fire in the belly that makes people protest injustice has been all but extinguished both here and in the US.
The protests against the continuation of the war have been derisory, 100,000 in Washington 50,000 in London!! I've seen more at a football match.

The fight against this war and the people who engineered it, is as much a fight for ourselves as for the Iraqis and the sooner we realise it the better....Ake(

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: M.Ted
Date: 29 Sep 05 - 07:43 PM

People like football because there is usually a winner--

I watched Senate hearings today on cable, and heard General George Casey backslide on his assurances that there would be substantial troop withdrawls next spring or summer(SURPRISE, SURPRISE!!)--for some reason, there are even fewer Iraqi troops who are able to fight than ever before--the ugly details are here--US General Pulls Back on Iraqi Withdrawl and the Republicans were the most agressive in questioning him.
It was totally depressing.

I know that you across the pond tend to have a funny idea that we in the US abound in wealth and good fortune, but it isn't so. The country is falling apart, the economy is falling apart, and our government is riddled with corruption, incompetence, and ineptitude(Oh, wait, it's always been that way).

To borrow a line from an old song, there are bad times just around the corner.

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: akenaton
Date: 29 Sep 05 - 08:04 PM

I Have an old school friend who has lived in boston for many years, and she has told me that all is not as its portrayed in the USA.

But she has great belief in the people of America to carve their own destiny.
Their naivity will be their strength...a sleeping giant.

Over here we're all too cynical and fucked up. We've no spirit left, the bastards have beaten us and we know it.

So although I rant about America, really I see you all as our last hope.   Isn't that depressing...Ake

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: M.Ted
Date: 29 Sep 05 - 08:37 PM

We actually thrive when things are going to Hell--we love disasters, and tend to savor hard times. We all tie our identify to the pioneers conquest of the West which was the perfect embodiment of suffering and hardship--and the great depression is a mythic time in out minds--

If you feel as if you are deperate straits, and you see us as the last hope, don't worry-- we won't disappoint you--just pretend not to notice that we played a major part in creating the situation--

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: tarheel
Date: 29 Sep 05 - 08:59 PM

aaawwwwwwww...they're protesting the war!!!...isn't that cute!
awwwwwwwww...they're protesting Global Warming!!...isn't that cute!!!!
awwwwwwwww...they're protesting prayer in school!!...isn't that cute!!!awwwwwwww...they are protesting the pledge of allgeince!!...isn't that cute!!!!
awwwwwwwww...they are protesting the 10 commandments in the courthouse!!...isn't that cute!!!
awwwwww....they are protesting tax cuts for the rich!!...isn't that cute!!!
awwwwwwwww...they are protesting singing christmas carols in school...isn't thsat cute!!!!
awwww...they are protesting religious symbols at christmas time!!!...isn't that cute!!!
awwwwwww,they are protesting because everyone doesn't like gay rights!!!!!!...isn't that cute!!!
awwwww...they are protesting because soon,they'll have nothing left to protest about!!!now THAT is CUTE!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: M.Ted
Date: 29 Sep 05 - 09:16 PM

Did someone move your rock again, Tarheel?

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: Peace
Date: 29 Sep 05 - 10:29 PM

I have participated in demonstrations that had fewer than 100 people and others that had a half million. It ain't the size of the dog in the fight; it's the size of the fight in the dog, IMO.

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: M.Ted
Date: 30 Sep 05 - 09:30 AM

I don't understand what that means, Peace, considering that the whole point is that we shouldn't be fighting in the first place--it sounds good, though;-)

Subject: RE: BS: The Anti-War Protest News Blackout
From: Ebbie
Date: 30 Sep 05 - 11:26 AM

Chuck, I can just hear those words coming from Jesus' mouth. Congratulations.