Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Sully- who wrote (21041)	6/26/2003 9:44:19 AM
From: Rascal	Respond to of 89467

The Invisible Protesters How the Media Campaigns for Bush Photo’s of June 23rd 2003 NYC protest Thousands of us came to protest George Bush’s presence in New York City yesterday. We stood ten-deep in “pens” set up by the city’s finest, and filled four long city blocks near the Sheraton Hotel. Organized groups had come from Planned Parenthood and Brooklyn Parents for Peace. Others had been mobilized by International A.N.S.W.E.R. and United for Peace. And thousands of others had come on their own carrying home-made signs reading, “Jail to the Chief,” and “Where are the WMD’S?” or waving yellow flyers that simply said, “LIAR!” It’s difficult to believe, but all of us were about to become invisible. The media also came: huge mobile units spewed out dozens of reporters with their press tags with cameramen in tow. They came to photograph and to interview. They came to report to the public. They came to share the event with their readers and viewers. And they knew exactly why they had been sent to midtown Manhattan as they rushed to snap the Bush supporters in their evening finery, waiting on line with their precious $2000 admission tickets. And all the while, they refused to see any of us. They did not hear our chants or see our signs. We were invisible. Circulating among the crowds were some reporters from independent media sources. They took our photos and asked us questions. There also were representatives from the foreign media – and one reporter from a German TV station wondered aloud why the American media refused to acknowledge such a large opposition group. Then he smiled, rather sadly, - having obviously answered his own question. I was relieved that there would be some testimony from these sources to validate our existence and our sentiments. Somewhere, there would be a tangible record of our protests. But not in the corporate media. To them, we remained invisible. Allow me to correct myself. For one small instance, one person among us actually gained substance and relevance. That extraordinary moment came when a small group of youngsters knocked down one of the barricades that kept us in our assigned areas. They did their dastardly deed and fled into the cover of the crowd, - and within minutes, one of the culprits was dragged by three police officers into the open space of Seventh Avenue. All of the media vultures converged in a nanosecond to photograph the arrest. Front page stuff, for sure, while the rest of us, though shouting “Shame, shame, shame!” were still invisible. This morning, I scoured the newspapers, and the broadcast media for reports of the Bush fund raiser. I learned that the pResident had raised 4 million dollars yesterday. I also learned that New York would undoubtedly go for Bush in 2004, because its residents were so thrilled with his handling of the terror threats against us. Oh yes, one local news station mentioned that there were a few ‘hundred” protesters outside the hotel. Heaven be praised for the little things. But, by and large, we thousands had been relegated to permanent invisibility. For the record: I am NOT invisible. I will continue to make my signs and join millions of other Americans in protest against the fascism that is creeping into our lives. But, for that same record, I am frightened by the betrayal of the American media, whose job it is to accurately report the news. I am horrified by the vast corporate media that has seen fit to campaign for George Bush in his bid to be elected president for the first time. But, despite it all, we did what was right, and American, and patriotic. We had our say, invisible or not. More power to us all. Peace. Andrea West, NYC tvnewslies.org Rascal@ challengethemassmedia.com

To: Sully- who wrote (21041)	6/26/2003 11:45:45 AM
From: lurqer	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 89467

By Dick Morris Would that be the Dick Morris? The say anything, end justifies the means Dick Morris that we all love so much. Well let's see what ole tricky Dick is up to now. Point-by-point • Iranian students pour by the hundreds of thousands into the streets of Tehran to demand reform and freedom, casting off the illusion that the Khatami government can deliver them from Islamic control. The students and the whole country seem to realize that the façade of democratic choice in Iran is about the same as in student government where the kids vote but the principal runs the school. Weren't the Iranian students exhibiting anti-government behavior long before Bush rolled into Iraq? Have many Iranians have been exhibiting their displeasure with Mullahs since the 90s? In fact, couldn't a good argument be made that all of the Bush administration's posturing is undercutting the native Iranian opposition? • Palestinian operatives negotiate seriously with Israel to keep the peace plan moving down the Bush road map, despite obstacles placed in their path by Arafat, Hamas and, sometimes, Sharon’s need to defend his people. Oh you mean the Peace Plan that was DOA. The neo-con fantasy that didn't work because somehow the Arabs just can't seem to get their role straight in this Pentagon scripted play. Let's set up a puppet, and then have a sham negotiation. When everything falls apart, we'll blame it on the Palestinians, and go on behaving just as before. Maybe, we'll get the Nobel Peace Prize. • The Saudis fall all over themselves to convince us that they are now taking terrorism seriously, hunting down terrorists in public and, one hopes, curtailing their financing in private. When terrorists struck Saudi targets, the Saudi's arrested those specific terrorists. They have not suddenly become overly cooperative. They are still opposed to us having troops in the Middle East. The Wahabi clerics still preach their anti-American hatred at home, and export their fiery brand of anti-American bile throughout the world using Saudi petrodollars. Little, if any, change can be observed. • Sharon, emboldened by a robust American military presence in Iraq, actually begins dismantling settlements in the West Bank, a step once as unlikely as the Irish Republican Army’s throwing away its machine guns. This would be the handful of largely abandoned settlements where Sharon "staged" a well publicized “withdrawal”. A “withdrawal” that ceased immediately, as the sham peace unraveled. • The International Atomic Energy Agency actually stands up to Iran and, this time with Russian assistance and American troops over the border, demands the opening of nuclear plants to international scrutiny. So far only the tension has increased. Any “demands” have been completely rebuffed. Contrary to the expectations of the neo-cons, the Mullahs are “thumbing their noses” at the “American troops over the border”. • China cuts the flow of oil to North Korea for three days, giving it a taste of freezing and starving in the dark. The catalyst moves Pyongyang to the negotiating table and opens North Korea to the prospect of multilateral pressure from Russia, China, Japan, South Korea and the United States. I suspect China’s behavior had little to do with Iraq, and everything to do with the fact that they don’t want a mad man starting a nuclear war on their doorstep. China’s behavior in this matter is completely consistent with their long-term behavior, and shows no sudden change caused by Iraq. But you wouldn’t be above throwing in something that’s unrelated, if it suited your purpose, would you Dick? That covers your pathetic set of bulleted points, Dick, but you go on to say that Democrats lament that our intelligence was faulty in Iraq (it wasn’t) or that we will never find weapons of mass destruction there (we will) are but reminders of their irrelevance as the tide of peace surges forward. While the Democrats argue about history, Bush is making it. I agree that our intelligence wasn’t faulty. It was the forgeries and lies that were used instead of our intelligence, that is upsetting. As for Bush “making” history, I also agree, but it’s not a history to be proud of. Dick, a little piece of advice. Keep your appearances to live interviews on Fox. Don’t put anything down in print. The problem with print, is it gives people time to think about what you’re saying. When all you’re mouthing is untruths, half-truths and obfuscations, you don’t want much scrutiny. And no scrutiny, that’s Fox. You gotta home. JMO lurqer