Messages Lost

In all of the discussion by the media about the protesters in New York City during the Republican National Convention, very little information was dissemminated (over my airwaves, at least) about the many different protests that were organized.

Utne spanks the New York Times for its whimpy coverage as well as the Bush administration for its non-response...

Protesters are the Foundation of Hope
— By Joel Stonington, Utne.com

On Tuesday, the protest group, "A31" held a press conference in front of a statue of Gandhi in Union Square. They announced plans for a day of nonviolent civil disobedience and direct action. "We are resisting creatively and openly," said Elizabeth Broad, an A31 organizer, "It's about a celebration of life."

Another organizer, Raquel Lavina, said, "Young people know there's a problem when their only opportunity in life is to go to war. Saying 'no to Bush' is saying 'yes to the world.'"

People in America may not understand why people were so adamant about their protest in New York. Mainstream media has consistently portrayed them as anarchists, disruptions, peaceniks, disaffected youth, and, for the most part, inconsequential.

This could not be further from the truth. The young people who held this press conference were some of the most well spoken, educated, passionate youth in this country. The crowd who marched on Sunday was one of the most diverse I have ever seen. Allison Ramer, from the A31 youth cluster, was entirely correct when she said, "We are the future."

However, as the New York Times reported on their front page Thursday, "Tactics by Police Mute the Protesters, and Their Messages." While the New York Times, and other national media, should acknowledge complicity in that muted message, the real story here is that a huge story -- the message -- is being missed.

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