The Media and the Message:

speaking the unspeakable in Philadelphia and Los Angeles

by Sam Simon and Joshua Oppenheimer

In the aftermath of the protests in Philadelphia, many protesters and sympathisers were angered by the way the mainstream press almost never mentioned the message of the protesters. We hear an awful lot about violence when one or two protestors break a limousine

Clear and to the point. One of the most intelligent things I've read on here. The protests have redefined the debate by existing. You are what you transmit. This is a different country than before Seattle.

On to NAB.

Do you two write articles elsewhere? I'd like to get a hold of some.

Matthew

1. No message will get through if it is too complicated and lacks sharp focus that everyone can understand instantly. For example in 1955, Martin Luther King's message in Montgomery Alabama was "we will not ride buses, until blacks can sit anywhere on the bus." Compare that simple, sound bite message to the lectures you arrogant young white kids gave at R2K and D2k "Mumia-corporate greed-welfare reform-environment-gayright-Ramports police corruction, save the trees, etc, etc, etc ...

2. In 1955, blacks had the will to boycott for months, indeed it took almost a year of boycotting the buses to bring down segregation of the buses. You spoiled white brats whine and moan if the police detains you for a few days, you bitch and moan if after 2 or 3 days of demonstrations media ignores you. Unless you can stage a sustained protest that can last continuously for months, if not years, your movement will fail.

I strongly suggest that no one bother to reply to misinformed people like "rc", immediately above. Once they make the "you're all white" accusation, it is clear that a) they have no knowledge of the events they are attempting to comment on, and b) they are just trying to pick a fight.

Let people likevalus stew by themselves. They don't deserve our time.