I did not give three-quarters of my body in Vietnam in 1968, forty years ago, to be put inside of a cage. I’m going to speak. I’m going to raise my voice against this war, and I refuse to be silenced. And we refuse to be silenced. We’re growing stronger every day. This is going to become one of the most powerful antiwar movements in the history of this country.
Ron was talking about freedom of speech during the convention being limited to pre-approved protest zones, and if you were watching Democracy Now! You would have seen it.
Like I said though, you probably would have had to have been desperate to find it. Most people watching the *cough* news from the DNC saw nothing but.....
well I just thought the speech was ammmmmaaaaaaazzzziinnnngggg.....
So here's what happens when someone dares to try and do real journalism in the United States in 2008:
That's Amy Goodman, host of Democracy Now!, being arrested hours ago at the Republican National Convention.
Goodman was arrested while attempting to free two Democracy Now! producers who were being unlawfully detained. They are Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar. Kouddous and Salazar were arrested while they carried out their journalistic duties in covering street demonstrations at the Republican National Convention. Goodman’s crime appears to have been defending her colleagues and the freedom of the press.
Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher told Democracy Now! that Kouddous and Salazar were being arrested on suspicion of rioting. They are currently being held at the Ramsey County jail in St. Paul.
Suspicion of rioting???? Are you fucking kidding me? I could take the whole Democracy Now! staff in a fight with only my left hand. They are not scary people. On the other hand, they have never been scared of telling the truth, and evidently, that is now a crime.
Democracy Now! is calling on all journalists and concerned citizens to call the office of Mayor Chris Coleman and the Ramsey County Jail and demand the immediate release of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar. These calls can be directed to: Chris Rider from Mayor Coleman’s office at 651-266-8535 and the Ramsey County Jail at 651-266-9350 (press extension 0).
That's all we have left now. The ability to make some phone calls. Otherwise we may be rioting.
I'm sorry Ron, but you may have indeed given three-quarters of your body to be put in a cage. I'm sorry.......
God Bless America.
4 comments:
i've been reading you for ages. never commented before. just wanted you to know, i'm glad you also see where america is headed and have a conscience about it...well, i guess, now a lot of us are starting to. a little late though, i believe.
i keep telling myself to do stuff. participate in a protest, write to my congressman of my interest for universal health care [i believe it was the bill hr400 or something like that?], etc. but i always end up on my bed staring at the ceiling. i think i'll give ramsey a call. well, if i can get myself to articulate my thoughts on the phone.
do keep writing. it's much appreciated.
**UPDATE**
Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar Released After Illegal Arrest at RNC
Goodman Charged with Obstruction; Felony Riot Charges Pending Against
Kouddous and Salazar
ST. PAUL--Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman and producers Sharif Abdel
Kouddous and Nicole Salazar have all been released from police custody in St. Paul following their illegal arrest by Minneapolis Police on Monday afternoon.
All three were violently manhandled by law enforcement officers. Abdel Kouddous was slammed against a wall and the ground, leaving his arms scraped and bloodied. He sustained other injuries to his chest and back.
Salazar's violent arrest by baton-wielding officers, during which she was slammed to the ground while yelling, "I'm Press! Press!," resulted in her nose bleeding, as well as causing facial pain. Goodman's arm was violently yanked by police as she was arrested.
On Tuesday, Democracy Now! will broadcast video of these arrests, as well as the broader police action. These will also be available on: www.democracynow.org
Goodman was arrested while questioning police about the unlawful detention of Kouddous and Salazar who were arrested while they carried out their journalistic duties in covering street demonstrations at the
Republican National Convention. Goodman's crime appears to have been defending her colleagues and the freedom of the press.
Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher told Democracy Now! that Kouddous and Salazar were arrested on suspicion of rioting, a felony. While the three have been released, they all still face charges stemming from their
unlawful arrest. Kouddous and Salazar face pending charges of suspicion of felony riot, while Goodman has been officially charged with obstruction of a legal process and interference with a "peace officer."
Democracy Now! forcefully rejects all of these charges as false and an attempt at intimidation of these journalists. We demand that the charges be immediately and completely dropped.
Democracy Now! stands by Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and condemns this action by Twin Cities' law enforcement as a clear violation of the freedom of the press and the First Amendment rights of these journalists.
During the demonstration in which the Democracy Now! team was arrested,law enforcement officers used pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion grenades and excessive force against protesters and journalists. Several dozen demonstrators were also arrested during this action, including a photographer for the Associated Press.
Amy Goodman is one of the most well-known and well-respected journalists in the United States. She has received journalism's top honors for her reporting and has a distinguished reputation of bravery and courage. The arrest of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and the subsequent criminal charges and threat of charges are a transparent attempt to intimidate
journalists.
Democracy Now! is a nationally-syndicated public TV and radio program that airs on over 700 radio and TV stations across the US and the globe.
MHM,
Lemmie throw an excerpt from Robert Kennedy's eulogy your way:
"Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation. It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."
Those words were spoken 40 years ago by Robert's brother, Ted. Please remember them the next time a right wing hack tries to portray Ted Kennedy as a drunken idiot.
You sound a lot like me after I heard Lloyd Duplantis try to destroy our profession a few years ago. I sent out a ripple and it seems to have found its way to you. Send out a ripple of your own MHM.
You might be thinking of HR676. Write your Congress critter. It's the season where they've gotta at least pretend to be paying attention to you.
And for what it's worth, this is the message I left for the good sheriff;
"You dumb hicks in Minnesota may not know who Amy Goodman is, but millions around the world do. Thanks for making our country look like a backward-ass banana republic in front of the entire globe"
that letter will be written to the congressman by the end of this month. i promise you that [allowing myself some procrastination time].
p.s. awesome message.
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