Posted on 03/23/2007 5:34:34 PM PDT by Lady J USA 1981
Student's photo of war protest stirs controversy Posted by The Oregonian March 22, 2007 18:24PM Categories: Breaking News Apparently, "Portland hates America."
At least that's what conservative commentator Michelle Malkin of Los Angeles told the world on her Web site this week. Why?
Well, Malkin -- along with a Google-worthy list of her friends on the blogging right -- were goaded by the photos uploaded to Linfield College student Rachael Palinkas' online Facebook album.
An aspiring journalist, Palinkas snapped them during Sunday's anti-Iraq war rally and march in downtown. In one image, black-masked protesters burn a uniformed effigy of a U.S. soldier as a young girl cuddles up to her father and watches.
It didn't take long for the picture to explode in the blogosphere, with conservatives using it as reason No. 1 to oppose those who oppose the war.
"U.S. soldier burned in effigy," declared the Drudge Report on Tuesday. "What passes for an anti-war protest in Portland," huffed WhackyNation. "Brainwashing the next generation of troop-haters," said Shock & Blog.
Palinkas just wants them to stop.
"What they're doing is wrong," she said. "They're twisting my pictures and misrepresenting what happened on that day."
In the past few days, the 19-year-old mass communication major said she has learned the power of a picture. And the power of people with an agenda on the Internet.
Palinkas said she posted 240 photos from the peace rally and march that reportedly drew 15,000 people to her Facebook site. Almost all of them showed "people laughing, talking, dancing, marching" at what she called a "family-friendly" event.
"No one is linking to those photos," Palinkas said.
Palinkas attended the march with a group of college friends. Shortly before the march, she noticed that a group of about 30 black-clad people had broken away from the crowd in the South Park Blocks. Shocked to see them burning a uniformed effigy of a U.S. soldier, she started snapping photos. She also took pictures of them lighting an upside down flag afire.
Although she is opposed to the war, "I thought what they were doing was wrong," Palinkas said. "I had never seen anything like it. That's why I took the photos."
She said she has recieverd more than 150 emails about the photos. After the Drudge Report posted a link, she got hate mail from people who thought she was part of the radical group. Among other things, they said, she "should be tried for treason" and should be deported. In response, she told visitors to her Facebook page, "I don't support this."
Late today, Palinkas removed her Facebook album from public viewing so that people without permission could not use the photos.
Conservative Portland radio host Lars Larson posted three of the images on his Web site. "If you think recent anti-war protests are harmless free speech .¤.¤. let me give you a few more images to consider," he posted.
Larson, who supports military action in Iraq, gave no apologies.
He said he used the images because he felt they were the most newsworthy part of the protest. "I'm showing that some members of this community advocate killing soldiers," Larson said.
After spending months planning what was for the most part a civil demonstration, organizers say they are aghast.
Kelly Campbell of American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker organization, was frustrated. "We had a massive, peaceful demonstration against the killing and destruction going on every day in Iraq, a positive experience for thousands of people from different walks of life."
-- Joseph Rose: 503-221-8029; josephrose@news.oregonian.com
Yes many of them do.
A moonbat I have known for years is upset we don't pay our soldiers enough and doesn't want to raise military spending to pay for increasing the salaries. I think he just wants to be unhappy.
Which included the symbolic burning to death of an American soldier!
IOW, Give us peace or we'll kill you!
Portland always seemed to be a low rent Seattle with a higher unemployment rate. I also found it interesting how even the "rednecks" in Oregon voted Democrat.
I've never been aware of any "peace" activists turning freaks like this away from their marches. Deep down, they love this stuff. SICK.
Yes, the dark side dwells here.....
I saw a bumper sticker the other day that said
"Keep Portland Weird"
Kinda says it all
Is that underarm hair? ew
lol, close but no cigar.....one day my friend. How about this, whom ever learns first has to teach the other!
Sorry about that Hank, can't seem to post pics correctly. But, when I finally figure it out, watch out!!
Leftists and their media shills are in full damage-control mode but their efforts to represent this as a small, fringe group or possibly a GOP/Rovian false flag operation are frankly ridiculous. It is obvious from the pictures and video that the seditionist mob cheered this display and many joined in their chant advocating the burning of patriots and soldiers, meaning that it had been rehearsed on a large scale.
Beyond that, ANSWER, MoveOn.org and other fifth column groups are well known for enforcing rigid ideological discipline among demonstrators. They have "parade marshals" (goon squads) for this specific purpose. ANSWER's goons wear green hats, watch for them in the next batch of video. Nothing will happen, or continue to happen, at one of these events that does not have at least the tacit approval of the organizers. Not representative? Just imagine what would have happened if someone had unfurled a Bush banner or desecrated a Koran during the demonstration.
OK, I had to ask. Does one PLAN this sort of thing, and, ahem, wait throughout the protest to add one's take to the burning flag? OR, is it a spur of the moment decision when one realizes there are no facilities close by and the next best way to both relieve onesself and "add" to the sentiment is to take care of business on the spot.
Just asking.
See Thomas Frank's The Conquest of Cool for a full exposition of the interdependent relationships among advertising, the entertainment and news media, and radical politics. It is a damning indictment of the media culture and Frank's status as a major leftist only makes it that much more convincing.
Looks like it was taken in the Gaza strip.
oh, thank you! I will take me and my humiliation to class!!
Thanks for the link. It is amazing to me that there are so many demented folks out there. It is like they are from another planet but they are not. So scary!
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