Major Media Sanitizes Extreme Views From Antiwar Protest Coverage (Linked to FR)

NewsBusters.org ^ | 9/17/2007 | Matthew Balan

[Pyro7480]

The mainstream media’s coverage of the antiwar march in Washington, DC did its best to ignore the extreme Left views that were on display at the protest. A split-second image at the very beginning of Saturday evening’s NBC Nightly News showed some of the extreme views that were on display on signs, which included a call for the impeachment of President Bush for "war crimes," and a sign that cried "9/11 Truth Now!" The full NBC Nightly News report on the march devoted almost a minute to footage of the antiwar marchers, and only 15 seconds to comments from one of the pro-Iraq war counter-protesters who lined the march route. Anyone who tuned in would have to look carefully for any sign of radical views.

Video: Real (1.6 MB) or Windows (1.3 MB), plus MP3 (618 KB)

Both the New York Times and the Washington Post covered the march in their Sunday editions. However, they ignored some of the radical statements that were made from the stage at the antiwar rally before the march. The photos that accompanied both the print edition and online versions of the articles also glossed over the extreme views that were expressed on signs and banners at the march.

In a report made by Michael Lipin of the Voice of America (which also includes mp3 audio of the quotes from the rally), former attorney general Ramsey Clark, who was pro-Saddam enough to serve as his defense lawyer in Baghdad, was quoted as saying, "Nothing is going to stop this machine except the impeachment of George Bush and his gang... when you remove him for high crimes, then you know the next president will pay attention." Neither the Times nor the Post mentioned Clark’s work for Saddam in their articles.

Cindy Sheehan, who had "retired" from the antiwar movement only a few months ago, also addressed the crowd. "If we don't want to become like Nazi Germany, and you know, these people want us to become like Nazi Germany, it's time for us to stand up and lay down, and it's time for us to do civil disobedience on a massive scale."

The national edition of the Sunday New York Times only included one photograph of a antiwar protester being arrested by the U.S. Capitol Police with its article. The Sunday Washington Post had several photographs of both pro and anti-Iraq war protesters. But both papers chose to ignore extreme viewpoints, such as "9/11 Was An Inside Job," that were expressed at the anti-war march. (For a photo essay which compares the pro and anti-Iraq war protests, go to Michelle Malkin’s blog).

Marc Fisher of the Washington Post began a commentary on the competing protests by making an odd statement. "I hope you enjoy today's biased coverage of this weekend's Iraq war demonstrations." If you thought that was an admission of bias on the part of the Washington Post, think again. Fisher was actually lamenting the fact that all the media attention is on the outdoor demonstrations, and not on the raging war-of-words over the Iraq war that is being waged online.

—Matthew Balan is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.

[Pyro7480]

MSM sticks to its M.O.

[Pyro7480]

BTTT

[weegee]

Media Schadenfreude and Media Shenanigans PING

[Eastbound]

" . . . it's time for us to stand up and lay down, . . "

Yo, Cindy. Leave the jokes to the comedians. Oh, wait . . .

[toddlintown]

“it’s time for us to stand up and lay down”

That very deep, especially coming from Sheehan.

[Chickenhawk Warmonger]

I surfed over at You Tube last PM and found some videos from Code Pinkos and IVAW. You can actually see ANSWER’s Brian Becker trying to jump over the barricade and Ann Wright dancing a jig on the concrete barriers. Best part is the video that shows the morons getting pepper sprayed.

More Fun Videos from the “Flashback to the 70’s” Protest This Weekend.
http://chickenhawkexpress.blogspot.com/2007/09/more-fun-videos-from-flashback-to-70s.html

[oneolcop]

Actually, I think it was an improvement over the (non)coverage of the March 15th event. I was there for both. I'm pleasantly surprised at the amount of coverage, both of GOE and FR by name.

Now, I'm not saying that it was fair and balanced, but at least they recognized us as being there.

[sauropod]

review

[tgslTakoma]

I had the opportunity to say a few words to Kelly O'Donnell (NBC) this morning about her comrades' non-coverage of the thousands of patriotic Americans who held a rally over the weekend in support of our country and the war on terrorists. By the time I finished speaking to her, she looked like someone had whacked her in the head.

I didn't yell or use profanity, either. Sometimes a few quiet but unequivocal comments works as well. That said, I do not think they will ever change, or understand.

[BillF]

The article said: one of the pro-Iraq war counter-protesters who lined the march route.

I was a counter-protester who lined the leftists' march route, but I'm not "pro-Iraq war." I'm pro-U.S. victory in Iraq. I would even say that I'm pro-peace as in peace through victory & strength, the only reliable way for peace.

Even conservative alternate media seem to fall into the language trap ("pro-war") designed by leftists.

[wastedyears]

***”If we don’t want to become like Nazi Germany, and you know, these people want us to become like Nazi Germany, it’s time for us to stand up and lay down, and it’s time for us to do civil disobedience on a massive scale.”***

Will we have Marshall Law, or Riot Act?

[Little Bill]

I was walking up Penn Ave with RaceBannon during the counter protest when some fat sow hit one of us, a nice older lady, in the head with an ANSWER sign. She and her piglet were taken aside by the cops, "I just brushed by her'" the Sow said "and the sign touched her head."

Horse poop, says I, the poor woman was crying in obvious pain.

Nice FReepin' with you again, sweetheart.

[upchuck]

And Beckerbutt and his ANSWER thugs are deeply saddened.

[Jet Jaguar]

Martial law

Martial law is the system of rules that takes effect when the military takes control of the normal administration of justice.

Usually martial law reduces some of the personal rights ordinarily granted to the citizen, limits the length of the trial processes, and prescribes more severe penalties than ordinary law. In many states martial law prescribes the death penalty for certain crimes, even if ordinary law does not contain that crime or punishment in its system.

Originally martial law was imposed during wars or occupations to let the government control population more effectively in spite of heightened unrest. Nowadays it is most commonly used by authoritarian governments to enforce their rule, for example after a coup d’état (Thailand 2006), when threatened by popular protests (PRC 1989), or to crack down on the opposition (Poland 1981). Martial law can also be declared in cases of major natural disasters, however most countries use a different legal construct like “state of emergency”.

In many countries martial law imposes particular rules, one of which is curfew. Often, under this system, the administration of justice is left to a military tribunal, called a court-martial. The suspension of the writ of habeas corpus is likely to occur.

Marshall law

Marshall Law was an Australian television series, which aired for one season in 2002.

The show was conceived as a legal drama mixed with Ally McBeal-style comedy, and was one of four new primetime series in 2002, as the beginning of an attempt to revive the Australian television industry. The different concept, combined with the cast of industry heavyweights, initially seemed like a concept that could not fail.Ratings, however, never picked up and the series, which first aired in August, finished airing in November for good, with just 17 episodes.

[GOPJ]

Thanks for the ping.

[maica]

The use of “pro-war” and “anti-war” are very powerful tools. I agree with you that we need to constatntly try to amend those words. (That is why the “opposite” of pro-life is pro-choice, not pro-abortion, or anti-life.)

We are pro-peace, but anti-sureender.

We are pro-victory.

ANSWER and friends are pro America’s enemies, and anti American values.

[wastedyears]

I meant that if they do go to extreme civil disobedience, would the government institute Marshall Law or would Bush enact the Riot Act?

[HonestConservative]

Great!

Nobody talks to them that way, that is the problem. Folks around them are busy kissing their butts.

[LtKerst]

Liberal Democrats dont Support the Troops....

They support the Use of the troops deaths to forward their Pinko Agenda.

and Moderate Democrats are “Enablers” of the Criminal element of their Party.

Moderate Democrats are like the wives of “Wife beaters”.
who stay with their Husbands.......”for the Kids sake”