Media and the U.S. political conventions « Media Reclamation Project

Media and the U.S. political conventions September 2, 2008

Posted by mediamattersottawa in Challenging Mainstream Media, Independent Media, Media News.
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So we are finding out what “democracy” looks like in the States.

First off, you basically have one of two options.

Then, if you disagree with either of those options, you are treated like a criminal.

Especially if you disagree with the Republicans. There was a lot of police helping ‘contain’ the demonstrators at the Democratic Convention last week, but this week’s Republican Convention has seen the police take it to a new level.

They did ‘pre-emptive’ raids on the weekend, arresting people in their houses and in the welcoming convergence centre.

The reason why Media Matters is bringing this up is two fold:

1) the corporate media doesn’t cover the type of affronts to democracy that is happening here (premptive raids and arrest, political persecution, etc)

2) the police have actively targetted independent media(!)

On the weekend, they took aim at different groups, including people involved with I-Witness, a group of video journalists who cover police treatment of protesters and have a history of documenting questionable police tactics. One of these people was also involved with Democracy Now, one of the most reknowned independent media initiatives in the States.

Then on Monday, a day that saw a reported 10,000 to 30,000 people marching against the Republican’s war(s), police arrested three Democracy Now people including journalist Amy Goodman (the other two were bloodied while being arrested, one on their arms, the other their nose). Additionally, an Associated Press photographer was also arrested.

Note: an ABC reporter was arrested last week in Denver in conjuction with the Democratic Convention.

Basically, America is a police state that attempts to intimidate and silence dissent. That is being made more than clear here.

To read and see more:

Four journalists arrested
http://carlosmiller.com/2008/09/02/four-journalists-including-ap-photog-arrested-on-riot-charges-at-rnc/

Video of Goodman’s arrest, plus updates
http://zmag.org/zvideo/2816

Video of police raid on I-Witness collective
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi1eluuDGss

‘Raiding democracy’
http://counterpunch.org/cohn09022008.html

Raids targetting video activists
http://www.alternet.org/rights/97110/rnc_raids_have_been_targeting_video_activists_/

Summary of ‘pre-emptive’ police raids
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2008/08/31-1

Summary of police raids (includes video)
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/08/31

Feds involved in police raids
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/08/31/raids/

Democracy Now homepage
http://www.democracynow.org/