About 135 people were arrested yesterday in an anti-war protest outside the White House. This came as President Obama was revealing a new report that touted progress in the war in Afghanistan. Thanks to our diligent, informative, corporate media, this act of civil disobediance and arrests apparently are not news.
Those arrested included Pulitzer prize-winning war correspondent, Chris Hedges, Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the Pentagon papers, retired 27-year CIA analyst Ray McGovern, FBI whistleblower Colleen Rowley, as well as several members of Veterans for Peace.
The anti-war protest, organized by Veterans for Peace, began at 10 am yesterday in Lafayette Park with a series of speeches on the importance of civil resistance delivered to several hundred participants in frigid weather. After the rally, activists formed a solemn single-file process to the White House, silent except for a drum beat. When they encountered police barricades there, some veterans began climbing over them, until the police opened up the barricades, allowing people to approach the fence in front of the White House.
At about 12:30 pm, police began arresting protesters who remained along the fence, several of whom had chained themselves to it, while supporters who did not want to risk arrest were moved across the broad street. Some of the demonstrators stood in the snow and freezing temperatures for nearly four hours before being taken to Anacostia processing center and released. All have been released. Some have elected to pay a fine, while others, including Ellsberg and McGovern, will go to trial on the charge of disobeying a lawful order. Police spent several hours making the arrests and taking photos of each one of the demonstrators before placing them in a van.
While small in numbers, this protest is significant because it was organized and led by veterans who have served their country. It is also significant that it was completely ignored by the mainstream media on a news day largely filled with sports news and holiday shopping reports.
One would think that 135 or so arrests on the White House grounds are newsworthy, but apparently not with today’s media. If there is any doubt that the information that major corporate media outlets feed their consumers or omit to tell them is controlled, then this should dispel that doubt. It is apparently not in the corporate media’s interest to report that veterans, ex-CIA and FBI personnel and most Americans are opposed to the ongoing wars.
Update: 12/17/2010, 1830 EST. Veterans for Peace is now reporting that the precise number of arrests is 131.
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Of course the corporate media does not want opposition to the wars made public. The media has cheerleaded the wars from day one because they help their profit margin.
Actually the leftist media screamed about the wars when Bush was in office. Now that 0bozo is POTUS, releasing this story wouldn't make the clown look good. It has nothing to do with "profits". The leftist media also complained about gas prices until 0bozo took office. The leftist "news" organizations just cant call 0bozo out for being the FRAUD that he is!!!
Outrageous! We know the corporate media, but still for the media not to cover this protest and arrests is ourrageous. I intend to make an appointment with our local editor (Evansville Courier & Press) and challenge his omission. I urge others to do the same; for, silence is consent.
All that the military-industrial-security-congressional-war complex understands is violence.
Violence gets headlines.
Violence is what brings about change.
That's how the U.S. became an independent country. Along the way that country was stolen by traitors, who have made being an American a mockery to democracy. There have been thousands of political assassinations within the U.S., carried out quietly since Nov. 22, 2963.
All that the military-industrial-security-congressional-war complex understands is violence.
Violence gets headlines.
Violence is what brings about change.
That's how the U.S. became an independent country. Along the way that country was stolen by traitors, who have made being an American a mockery to democracy. There have been thousands of political assassinations within the U.S., carried out quietly since Nov. 22, 2963.
It wasn't "ignored" by the corporate media. Repeating a lie doesn't make it true. Thursday, in The Common Ills' "Iraq Snapshot,"
http://thecommonills.blogspot.com/2010/12/iraq-snapshot_16.html
the woman who does The Common Ills included this:
Cameron Joseph (National Journal) reports that Daniel Ellsberg was at the White House today "chained to its snowy gates as part of a protest organized by Veterans for Peace [. . .] Ellsberg was one of dozens arrested, the Associated Press reported." David Jackson (USA Today) explains, "It's cold and snowy in Washington, D.C., but that didn't stop protestors from showing up at the White House today to demonstrate against the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Police appeared to arrest an unknown number of protestors as they sought to chain themselves to the White House fence." UPI offers a photo essay of the protest by Kevin Dietsch. David Swanson's War Is A Crime offers video of the protest. Paul Courson (CNN) states 131 is the number of activists arrested and cites US Park Police spokesperson David Schlosser as the source for that number. At Stop These Wars (umbrella group for the various groups and individuals organizing the action) it's noted, "131 veterans and others were arrested December 16 in front of the White House. Preliminary gallery of photos here. More to come."
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So CNN covered it day of, USA Today, AP and others. Repeating a lie doesn't make it true.
KeShawn, Keep in mind this article was published before there was any mention of this protest or the arrest in the mainstream media. If you check the dates and times of all the articles you mentioned you would see that. Get your facts straight before you accuse someone of lying.
All this Administration has managed to get done is create a massive 'health care' bureaucracy for its own sake, turn over $12 Trillion to Wall Street, and allow homoss in the military to admit their affliction without fear of being dishonorably discharged.
that's it.
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