copyright Dow Jones & Co. Inc

Yes, the WSJ and the Tribune print these articles that seem less

biased, but they wait till how long after the incidents in question

occurred, just like the delayed coverage of the presidential election

fraud.

If these bogus news establishments want any sort of credibility with

progressives they have to cover the action when it is happening, not

after the fact--which is the usual tactic of corporate news institutions

since it is more appropriate to their interests to address these things

so public opinion is spun as "oh well, it already happened days,

weeks ago, what do I care?'" Tu sabes...

Granted its ok to stay on top of the corporate spin control, but as

Harvey Keitel would say, "lets not starting suck each other's ------

just yet."

yes the article is far too long after the fact, but I think it is always interesting and informative to see how such a staunchly conservative and corporate media souce as the wsj treats subjects like this--if for no other reason than just to see what the other side is feeding the masses. I found the level of detail in their descriptions of police violence and human rights violations quite surprising, and can only hope it at least gives some wsj readers pause in throwing out typical reactionary dismissals of anti-corp globalization activities.

one major problem I had with the article: the claim by Genoa province governor Marta Vincenzi and other province officials that they repeatedly contacted police (to no avail) with requests to intervene as "200 to 300 militants...kicked nonviolent demonstrators out of a province-owned gym next to the Martin Luther King High School in the evening of July 19." Perhaps something like this did happen. However, while there are numerous accounts backing the claims of police brutality, including medical professionals' who treated victims, there is no questioning of or further evidence offered to back Vincenzi's claims. Not only are these claims inadequately supported, but the reader is left with the impression that there really was some big bad group of "Black Block militants" intent on wreaking havoc--the cops just hit the wrong spot and, as the article states, "missed their mark." The suggestion: If cops had gone to MLK High School instead of Diaz, then they would have been more than justified in their use of force, because that's where the REAL "bad guys" were holed up, waiting to attack police and even their own fellow (nonviolent) protestors.

not to give too much energy to "corp tripe" like wsj, but like I said--I think it's good to keep aware of the mass spin on things. know your enemy, etc.

-k