RNC Protest Coverage
The Independent Media Center reports a number of mass arrests of peaceful NY protesters. So, what's the big deal, right? Chances are that some of them were trying to be arrested, right? A news update from the Portland IMC indicates that actor Rosario Dawson was arrested in the middle of the big, sanctioned protest for wearing a mask. She was probably not trying to be arrested.
Do I really care who's arrested? Not really, as long as the cops don't beat the shit out of them, though in those news updates there is the suggestion of police violence. This brings me to my real concern: none of this is being reported. On the two national newscasts that I have watched tonight, I have seen one broadcast claim that only "perhaps a dozen" peaceful arrests had been made, and another claim that the march ended "with three arrests." These informal, in-person accounts indicate that there have been at least three mass arrests, and that they were more violent than the networks let on.
So, right now we have a clear "he said, she said" between independent media and mainstream media. More troubling, we have a blatant demonstration of the lengths to which "legitimate" media will go to protect the reputations of those who finance their legitimacy.
And while I'm bitching, The Olympics. I'm really ticked that the IOC expects Paul Hamm to clean up the mess a bunch of addled judges made, but is unwilling to swallow its own pride and award a second medal. In any given sport, titles have been won and lost on the incompetence of officials; we do not ask the athletes to take it on the chin in order to smooth over their incompetance. And now the poor Brazillian marathoner who was pushed off the track by some Christian nutter has come in third by just over a minute. No mention has been made of the possibility that this is due to lax security on the course. Jesus people, watch the video; it's not like security couldn't have tackled the nutjob before he got to the guy -- he had to run across yards of open space. And yet, no one is calling for the gold medalist to abdicate or even share the honor. After all, the Brazillian is simply happy to have placed, leaving the IOC conveniently off the hook.
In short, the various "authorities" (ha!) annoy the fuck out of me, and I am in a crap mood. Go away.
Cranky edit: Now my spell check won't work. If something's misspelled, fuck off. I don't want to know about it.
Grouchy neighbor of edit: The IOC has given De Lima the "good sport/thanks for not holding us accountable" medal. The IOC will next be asking the athletes to organize the schedules for their own events. Fucking overgrown teenagers.
Do I really care who's arrested? Not really, as long as the cops don't beat the shit out of them, though in those news updates there is the suggestion of police violence. This brings me to my real concern: none of this is being reported. On the two national newscasts that I have watched tonight, I have seen one broadcast claim that only "perhaps a dozen" peaceful arrests had been made, and another claim that the march ended "with three arrests." These informal, in-person accounts indicate that there have been at least three mass arrests, and that they were more violent than the networks let on.
So, right now we have a clear "he said, she said" between independent media and mainstream media. More troubling, we have a blatant demonstration of the lengths to which "legitimate" media will go to protect the reputations of those who finance their legitimacy.
And while I'm bitching, The Olympics. I'm really ticked that the IOC expects Paul Hamm to clean up the mess a bunch of addled judges made, but is unwilling to swallow its own pride and award a second medal. In any given sport, titles have been won and lost on the incompetence of officials; we do not ask the athletes to take it on the chin in order to smooth over their incompetance. And now the poor Brazillian marathoner who was pushed off the track by some Christian nutter has come in third by just over a minute. No mention has been made of the possibility that this is due to lax security on the course. Jesus people, watch the video; it's not like security couldn't have tackled the nutjob before he got to the guy -- he had to run across yards of open space. And yet, no one is calling for the gold medalist to abdicate or even share the honor. After all, the Brazillian is simply happy to have placed, leaving the IOC conveniently off the hook.
In short, the various "authorities" (ha!) annoy the fuck out of me, and I am in a crap mood. Go away.
Cranky edit: Now my spell check won't work. If something's misspelled, fuck off. I don't want to know about it.
Grouchy neighbor of edit: The IOC has given De Lima the "good sport/thanks for not holding us accountable" medal. The IOC will next be asking the athletes to organize the schedules for their own events. Fucking overgrown teenagers.
posted by Turtle at 6:11 PM
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