via: The Christian Science Monitor
War protests: Why no coverage?
Newspapers have a duty to inform citizens about such democratic events.
Coordinated antiwar protests in at least 11 American cities this weekend raised anew an interesting question about the nature of news coverage: Are the media ignoring rallies against the Iraq war because of their low turnout or is the turnout dampened by the lack of news coverage?
I find it unsettling that I even have to consider the question.
This is really fascinating (and infuriating). These protests have been well-attended and coordinated. Many people have become involved that have never protested in their lives. The protest in Washington DC in January was enormous, with organizers saying that there were easily 400,000 people there. Yet, the media gave the protest little coverage, and made it sound like the number was maybe 100,000. Why the need to minimize..? Why no photo or video coverage that showed the mass of people from a perspective that gave a true perspective?
This last weekend there was little news at all covering the coordinated protests across the entire nation. Is it because the media don’t want those voices to be heard? Why? Their job is to report. Is it because the White House or their corporate friends who don’t want those voices heard, or the masses of people seen – standing together in protest?
Is this the same media who is trying to sell us who the future president will be, treating her like she has already won the election? Or the same media who is trying to sell us on the fact that Rudy Giuliani is suddenly the Conservative’s best and brightest (and the most Conservative choice the GOP has to offer..)? This is almost surreal. Giuliani is as to Conservative as onions are to apple cider.
Why is the media pushing so hard, and yet not pushing at all? Why are they trying to direct what we think or want (and by who’s design) instead of just reporting? Is the press still free in this country? Is it still made up of real journalists and reporters (investigative or otherwise..)?
If the press gives coverage (and a voice to Americans who are raising their voices), will they be accused by this administration of aiding the ‘terrorists’? Is that what they are afraid of? Or is it that the White House thinks that if they clamp down and control the news, that if there is no coverage, people will get discouraged and think “why bother”?
Either way, does that describe what happens in a democracy?
Whatever the reason, journalists have got to remember what we as Americans are all about. Americans deserve to be heard. Americans deserve better.
Make sure you check out these photos.
TheZoo 
In the little town of Bull Head City, Arizona, a group of taxpayers supporting an Arizona initiative petition limiting property taxes similar to California’s infamous Proposition 13 set up a table to solicit petition signers on the sidewalk across from the County Tax Collectors Office. They had one elderly gentleman (in BHC in the winter time the average age is ten years older than dirt. I am 74 and when I enter a room the average age drops at least ten years) at the front of the building opening the door for the tax payers coming in to do their duty. He greeted the people and pointed out the table across the street. As he said “The only signage I wore was the clothes I wear every day.” The Bull Head City police and County Sheriff deputies removed the Gentlemen on the grounds that he could only do County approved business on city and county public property. The local press covered the story with great gusto pointing out how, once again, the County and City leaders thwarted a devious Communist and Nazi (I told you we are old here) plot and once again we are safe to pay our outlandish property taxes. The news(?)paper published not a word about the State Police (Janet, the Governor, is a Democrat) reinstating the table with the petitions and the door opener within hours. The ultimate put-down was when the local Sheriff, supporting the ban of the door opener was asked if he planned to jail all the Salvation Army bell ringers standing at the same doorway next month. As usual his Republican upbringing forced him to mutter an obscenity and skulk back to his office with the local reporter and editor.
Well, I agree that the MSM is silent on this for the obvious reason: money. They want war boys and girls.
and once again it’s clear that no one goes to my site…
http://willyloman.wordpress.com/2007/10/28/when-tens-of-thousands-take-to-the-streets/
I got pictures of several demonstrations here, and links to hundreds more from this past week.
There is a shut down scheduled for Nov.6th..Don’t know how much it is going to work or how many are suposto join in…It’s been over a week since I heard anything on it….Easy for me, not so easy for the poor and working classes…Most people are a pay check away from living on the street’s….We are not suposto do anything or buy anything, just vote and stay home….
I think at this point in time we need to lean realy hard on all the representative’s, especiely Palosi and Reid…..We also need to hit the media, all of them including the press in the pocket’s…It seem’s to me unless we can hurt them all financiely and make them pay attention to the point they have to listen to us instead of the black house we are just pissing in the wind……Boycott’s and shut down’s in masses are all that may work now…..Just my thinking…Blessings
Hi Willy. I’m sorry I missed that posting of yours. Fantastic pictures. Only makes me madder at the press here. I’m sorry I don’t get over there more. I guess I spend too much time trying to get stuff up here when I am not doing running around with my son.. I will get over to read your postings more. Promise.
Not true, Willy. I always read your posts, even if I don’t leave a comment. 🙂
Great site Willy and Thank’s again, will make a point to check out your site more often…Blessings
I’m just kidding guys. I know how often people come over and visit from this site! You guys are my best customers! 🙂
Guys?
I’ve got to go do the family thing and take over answering the door. See you all tomorrow.
Night!
Goodnight, muse.
I haven’t had a trick or treater in four years.
Some Bilderberg 2007 attendees:
Hubert Burda, Publisher and CEO, Hubert Burda Media Holding
Juan Luis Cebrian, Grupo PRISA media group
Donald E. Graham, Chairman and CEO, The Washington Post Company (USA)
Timothy F. Geithner, President and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of New York (USA)
Anatole Kaletsky, Editor at Large, The Times (UK)
John Kerr of Kinlochard, Deputy Chairman, Royal Dutch Shell
Fehmi Koru, Senior Writer, Yeni Safek
Richard N. Perle, Resident Fellow, American Enterprise Institute
Heather Reisman, Chair and CEO, Indigo Books & Music Inc.
John Vinocur, Senior Correspondent, International Herald Tribune (USA)
Martin H. Wolf, Associate Editor and Economics Commentator, The Financial Times (UK)
Adrian D. Wooldridge, Foreign Correspondent, The Economist.
William J. Luti, Special Assistant to the President for Defense Policy and Strategy, National Security Council
Richard N. Haass, President, Council on Foreign Relations
once again, I forgot the link. pardon.
http://rinf.com/alt-news/breaking-news/bilderberg-2007-agenda-and-participant-list/
and these are just the ones attending. CFR is big in Bilderberg, and alot of the media owners and CEOs are members of CFR, taking their marching orders once they are brought back from the meeting.
Newspapers have a duty to inform citizens about such democratic events.
Says who?
Newspapers, being the product of Corporations, have a duty to turn a profit for their shareholders.
In the marketplace of ideas, war generates far greater profits than peace.
Quit thinking about what is right and what is wrong, if you want to begin to understand the opposition. Think instead on what drives the opposition: wealth, power, and lust. And understand that the opposition is addicted to all three, acting and reacting as any addict does.