The main person in charge of the gathering should of offered them a free lunch.....able.

Aww... is someone mad that no one is filming their tea-bagging?

Got plenty of mention for both around here. Then again the right has been getting more free airtime for other things around here. So I guess the news is just imperfect.

Oh wait, Bill O'Reilly NEVER makes a mistake anymore than Limbaugh, Hannity, Coulter, et al ever do.

Of course they don't like it when they're words are played back making them look like a$$es.

Let's face it- party aside, Americans suck at protesting things.

Democrats and lefties can't keep the Maoist Communists and LaRouche people from hijacking every goddamn march, and the Republicans and conservatives can't keep out the KKK weirdos and the ultra-evangelical cult leaders from theirs.

Every protest I've been to in the past decade, from those against Clinton to those against Bush, were all weak and uninspired. The tear-gas only comes after they practically beg the cops to do it, and people can't seem to get the chants right.

We, as a nation, need to work on this.

I've seen the tea party thing a couple of times on the news, and that's just on my local channels.

They all look like cushion-sniffing little buttholes, but I've seen them.

media coverage? the boston tea party happened 250 years ago. its called "news" because the stuff in it is "new".

I love the whole Glenn Beck/teaparty thing. It's the last offensive by the wingnuts before they fade into oblivion. Sort of the Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein of the GOP base.

inglixthemad: Got plenty of mention for both around here.

The point is that there were more people from the media covering the AIG protests than there were people protesting. Whereas it is > on the thousands protesting the tea parties.

Doublek111: The point is that there were more people from the media covering the AIG protests than there were people protesting. Whereas it is > on the thousands protesting the tea parties.

I don't understand why that is important.

Maybe because the tea party stuff is nothing more than impotent rage and the AIG protesting is media created?

CtrlAltDelete: Let's face it- party aside, Americans suck at protesting things.

Democrats and lefties can't keep the Maoist Communists and LaRouche people from hijacking every goddamn march, and the Republicans and conservatives can't keep out the KKK weirdos and the ultra-evangelical cult leaders from theirs.

Every protest I've been to in the past decade, from those against Clinton to those against Bush, were all weak and uninspired. The tear-gas only comes after they practically beg the cops to do it, and people can't seem to get the chants right.

We, as a nation, need to work on this.

We have NOT been going to the same protests. Did you not attend the anti-war protests in DC or New York? There were all kinds of people, not just radicals, and no one had to beg the cops to be pricks.

coco ebert: Did you not attend the anti-war protests in DC or New York?

Yes. Both. DC three times, New York twice.

coco ebert: There were all kinds of people, not just radicals, and no one had to beg the cops to be pricks.

No doubt, but in both DC and New York for example, it seemed like the protests were too disjointed. Instead of 'end the war', everyone who was pissed off at anything and everything was there and had a sign for their own bullsh*t.

CtrlAltDelete: No doubt, but in both DC and New York for example, it seemed like the protests were too disjointed. Instead of 'end the war', everyone who was pissed off at anything and everything was there and had a sign for their own bullsh*t.

Yeah, it's an ongoing issue. People forget that impact is best when people stay focused on ONE issue, whatever the ONE issue is that unites them.

So often running mailing lists for various causes (to help in setting up meetings, etc) I've had to reject postings that were just plain off topic and bound to sow discord, because so many people just ASSUME that if people are in favor of issue X, then of COURSE they'll be in favor of issue Y too, so they should spam the list with announcements about issue Y.

Fact is, if the issue is anti-war (to pick one) you'll have a variety of churches on board, so sending messages about next week's Planned Parenthood rally are just going to cause infighting. Save that shiat for its own list. Etc.

Aside from that though, some of the "but the chants are weak" is due to constant trivializing of protest in the media, and the general atmosphere of apathy that's everywhere nowdays.

It's cool to be hip and jaded and not care about anything. Older people complain about college kids as if universities are still some hotbed of radicalism, but honestly even events ON college campuses have hordes of students just laughing at the people protesting or demonstrating, not for the message but just for caring in the first place, what are you, naive? Just graduate and go make a bunch of money because ideals are meaningless.

That goes for messages on both sides of the political spectrum AND religious displays and clubs. Kinda sad, really.

itazurakko: Yeah, it's an ongoing issue. People forget that impact is best when people stay focused on ONE issue, whatever the ONE issue is that unites them.

So often running mailing lists for various causes (to help in setting up meetings, etc) I've had to reject postings that were just plain off topic and bound to sow discord, because so many people just ASSUME that if people are in favor of issue X, then of COURSE they'll be in favor of issue Y too, so they should spam the list with announcements about issue Y.

Fact is, if the issue is anti-war (to pick one) you'll have a variety of churches on board, so sending messages about next week's Planned Parenthood rally are just going to cause infighting. Save that shiat for its own list. Etc.

Aside from that though, some of the "but the chants are weak" is due to constant trivializing of protest in the media, and the general atmosphere of apathy that's everywhere nowdays.

It's cool to be hip and jaded and not care about anything. Older people complain about college kids as if universities are still some hotbed of radicalism, but honestly even events ON college campuses have hordes of students just laughing at the people protesting or demonstrating, not for the message but just for caring in the first place, what are you, naive? Just graduate and go make a bunch of money because ideals are meaningless.

That goes for messages on both sides of the political spectrum AND religious displays and clubs. Kinda sad, really.

Also: I have yet to witness a true leader in protest. There are no Martin Luther Kings or George Wallaces anymore.

I remember covering the May 4th Commemoration/Anti-War protest at Kent State one year, headlined by Cindy Sheehan. She said some remarkably incorrect things that made even the protesters cringe a bit. She was introduced by a congressman, Tim Ryan (D-OH) who described her like she was the modern day Rosa Parks.

But I had other assignments right after that one. Because Tim Ryan was in town, he went to other things as well for efficiency's sake. This time he was at an American Legion right down the road, describing how the burning of the American flag makes him 'sick.'

There is so much rational cynicism against these people it makes it difficult to cheer.

Wasn't it pretty much established that the whole "OMG TEA PARTY" movement was essentially concocted by the right-wing fundies over at CNBC?

The Tea Party in NYC about a week ago (3/13):


Thousands!

CtrlAltDelete: Every protest I've been to in the past decade, from those against Clinton to those against Bush, were all weak and uninspired. The tear-gas only comes after they practically beg the cops to do it, and people can't seem to get the chants right.

On my third date with my boyfriend, two years ago, we wandered through the Boston Common, and encountered an anti-war parade. We're both against the war- but this was a free for all. Whatever your ultra liberal agenda was, someone represented that cause.

We first knew this was happening when we saw a man in a full pig costume, a man in a chicken costume, and a man in a cow costume. They were "vegans against the war" and they were railing about the cruelty of eating animals.

We headed toward the crowd, and were handed a "loose change" pamphlet. Amusingly, it was the first time by boyfriend had heard of these people. We then encountered socialists, LaRouchers, anarchists, RONPAUL!!1 fans, libertarians and greens. And those were just the active political parties.

There was a guy on stilts. There was the persistent smell of pot. The speaker, when we got there, was talking about universal health care. Someone was biatching about the new level 4 BioLab being built in the city. Someone else was advocating voting rights for illegal immigrants.

Mixed in with all this, was an embarrassed group of "Gold Star Mothers" and "Veterans for Peace". It wasn't a protest. It was HippyCon.

what_now: It wasn't a protest. It was HippyCon.

That's exactly what I'm talking about.

We have forgotten the function of protesting itself.

CtrlAltDelete: what_now: It wasn't a protest. It was HippyCon.

That's exactly what I'm talking about.

We have forgotten the function of protesting itself.

well we wouldn't want to offend anyone, now would we?

BOOOOOOOOOOO-WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

CtrlAltDelete: That's exactly what I'm talking about.

We have forgotten the function of protesting itself.

I give the Right credit for being able to at least organize a focused protest, shout God, Guns and Gays and they bring out a crowd. (Sure, they are using hate and fear but at least they keep people on topic.) The Left just mills around and protests what ever happens to be on their minds. While the Right puts on a tight organized rally (think Nuremberg)the Left has the campus scene from PCU (new window)

/The Godwin was for illustration not dickery

CtrlAltDelete: what_now: It wasn't a protest. It was HippyCon.

That's exactly what I'm talking about.

We have forgotten the function of protesting itself.

These were college kids and rich people from Newton. The people with a stake in the war- the mothers and veterans, were simply being ignored by the people who were calling for a ban on High Fructose Corn Syrup in public school lunches, and the white girls with dreadlocks and $150 sandals.

what_now: These were college kids and rich people from Newton. The people with a stake in the war- the mothers and veterans, were simply being ignored by the people who were calling for a ban on High Fructose Corn Syrup in public school lunches, and the white girls with dreadlocks and $150 sandals.

yeah, there's a weird sort of disconnect from the news organizations. it's like they don't WANT to talk with people who've got legitimate gripes. in some ways it's almost like there's an effort to trivialize every serious issue we're facing right now - everything from an out of control war on drugs to any number of questions about just how we're waging our war on terror. And the coverage of protests and commentary about wall street bailouts and AIG and Obama's reponses is just downright bizarre. Reporters go out of their way to put social commentary and historical perspective in the worst possible light.

I think we can all agree that this country is facing serious problems. we might disagree on how to fix those problems, but we ALL agree that we DO have some fairly serious problems. Why are those concerns being so easily dismissed by the so called 4th Estate?

Weaver95: And the coverage of protests and commentary about wall street bailouts and AIG and Obama's reponses is just downright bizarre.

Seriously....the media takes NO responsibility for the fact that they spent the past 5 years reporting on sheer trivia while we went deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole. Instead of hourly updates on missing white girls, why didn't an "investigative" journalist do some investigating into what was going on at AIG or Maddoff's firm?

robmilmel: Thousands!

I'm waiting for all those thousands of people to go full-on Galt and stop working. And not just because I want their plush, paper-pushing jobs.

Ok, partly that...

CtrlAltDelete: No doubt, but in both DC and New York for example, it seemed like the protests were too disjointed. Instead of 'end the war', everyone who was pissed off at anything and everything was there and had a sign for their own bullsh*t.

THIS. What an afternoon full of idiots with Sharpies and drugstore poster board may look like:

Also, since when are there only "a handful" of people outraged at AIG?

Just because it's in the headline doesn't make it true.

what_now: Weaver95: And the coverage of protests and commentary about wall street bailouts and AIG and Obama's reponses is just downright bizarre.

Seriously....the media takes NO responsibility for the fact that they spent the past 5 years reporting on sheer trivia while we went deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole. Instead of hourly updates on missing white girls, why didn't an "investigative" journalist do some investigating into what was going on at AIG or Maddoff's firm?

I remember watching CSPAN the night that Congress passed Bush's wall street bailout bill. For some reason I was expecting the morning news to be all about the bailout bill and to read details of the legislation, along with a couple of stories about the impact it might have and how it all came about. Boy, was I ever wrong.

The posters raising the point about the sad state of protests really are dead on. Nobody really wants to be bothered with things like "fact checking" and "research" because it requires far less effort to sit back and watch Zeitgeist on YouTube. I mean, come on -- Zeitgeist looked really edgy and seemed pretty sure of itself, so there's NO WAY that could be propaganda wrapped in trolling, right? Picking up a book and culling through newspapers isn't necessarily the most thrilling way to spend an afternoon, but it WILL keep you from looking like a moron.

floor9: The posters raising the point about the sad state of protests really are dead on. Nobody really wants to be bothered with things like "fact checking" and "research" because it requires far less effort to sit back and watch Zeitgeist on YouTube. I mean, come on -- Zeitgeist looked really edgy and seemed pretty sure of itself, so there's NO WAY that could be propaganda wrapped in trolling, right? Picking up a book and culling through newspapers isn't necessarily the most thrilling way to spend an afternoon, but it WILL keep you from looking like a moron.

If I had to guess, I'd say that it's because we, as a society, don't really know what we want anymore. we want someone to tell us that it'll be ok, and that everything will turn out for the best. We want to believe that 'our guys' in office always have our best interests in mind and that 'the other guys' are always the bad guys. we want to see beautiful people in the news and on the TV telling us stories about their pets and how to lose weight and look pretty.

we don't want to look around and see rising unemployment and jobs bleeding out of the country. we don't want to see our wreck of a public education system, or if we do we want to blame someone OTHER than ourselves for it's collapse. I dunno. The only thing our society seems to want is to not be bothered with the details. we want to think it's all going well, and that the good times never end.

Oh, and another observation - people who point out that we've got problems that need fixing tend to get attacked. sometimes viciously. Either that or laughed at and then ignored.

This is why we can't have nice things. A few NSFW naked hippie images in link.

More noise from the right-wing whine machine.

floor9: The posters raising the point about the sad state of protests really are dead on. Nobody really wants to be bothered with things like "fact checking" and "research" because it requires far less effort to sit back and watch Zeitgeist on YouTube. I mean, come on -- Zeitgeist looked really edgy and seemed pretty sure of itself, so there's NO WAY that could be propaganda wrapped in trolling, right? Picking up a book and culling through newspapers isn't necessarily the most thrilling way to spend an afternoon, but it WILL keep you from looking like a moron.


It's too easy to convince people of what they already believe in.

Nothing at all in the media about the teabagging teaparties.

Nothing from Orlando

Nothing from Raleigh

Nothing from Ridgefield

Nothing at all, not one GD thing, except butthurt, lots o'butthurt.

Weaver95: Oh, and another observation - people who point out that we've got problems that need fixing tend to get attacked. sometimes viciously. Either that or laughed at and then ignored.

Look what happened when Obama said the economy was bad.

cameroncrazy1984: Weaver95: Oh, and another observation - people who point out that we've got problems that need fixing tend to get attacked. sometimes viciously. Either that or laughed at and then ignored.

Look what happened when Obama said the economy was bad.

i'm still amazed nobody told Bush that the economy was falling apart around his ears.

I am SO glad that Orlando Sentinel story got picked up by CBS. Otherwise, I'd have never seen it.

Pajamas Media: Blurring The Lines Between Fiction And News. or We Make Fox Respectable.

I think the real problem is whenever anyone starts to believe anything that Pajamas Media reports.

Anyone who'd give Joe The Plumber a serious shot at being a reporter, and having it one of the better decisions in comparison, is someone not to take seriously.

Their ability to produce factual information is akin to freerepublic.com's ability to have an unbias accounting of, well, anything.

What makes things even worse is that anyone would actual read them.

CtrlAltDelete: Let's face it- party aside, Americans currently suck at protesting things.

We, as a nation, need to work on this.


FTFY.

/MLK, Civil Rights era, frowning on shenanigans

OtherLittleGuy: CtrlAltDelete: Let's face it- party aside, Americans currently suck at protesting things.

We, as a nation, need to work on this.


FTFY.

/MLK, Civil Rights era, frowning on shenanigans

we're so terrified of protesters that we lock them up into 'free speech zones'. republicans, democrats and even colleges stuff protesters into out of the way areas where nobody can see or hear them as they sing their songs and wave their banners.

I'm amazed that we put up with shiat like that. Of course, if we DON'T put up with it, then cops taser and tear gas you into submission....

I_Am_Weasel: Pajamas Media: Blurring The Lines Between Fiction And News. or We Make Fox Respectable.

They have a weekly show on Sirius/XM POTUS 130. It's the worst piece of bullshiat "reporting" I've ever heard - basically it's just rich white people complaining about the "evil libs who hate freedom". XM should be ashamed of polluting an otherwise fantastic lineup with that crap.

The Tea Party protesters didn't object when Bushiat & Co. wasted $3 trillion and thousands of American lives on an unjust and unnecessary war, nor did they utter a word when said administration allowed the country to go down the shiatter over the past 8 years. Their blind support of Republicans is what put this country in the current state it's in. That's why the media ignore them, and why the rest of us think they're a bunch of farking hypocritical idiots.

Lorelle: The Tea Party protesters didn't object when Bushiat & Co. wasted $3 trillion and thousands of American lives on an unjust and unnecessary war, nor did they utter a word when said administration allowed the country to go down the shiatter over the past 8 years. Their blind support of Republicans is what put this country in the current state it's in. That's why the media ignore them, and why the rest of us think they're a bunch of farking hypocritical idiots.

I find this attitude unhelpful.

Lorelle: The Tea Party protesters didn't object when Bushiat & Co. wasted $3 trillion and thousands of American lives on an unjust and unnecessary war, nor did they utter a word when said administration allowed the country to go down the shiatter over the past 8 years.

Maybe they did. You sure as fark don't know.

Doublek111: inglixthemad: Got plenty of mention for both around here.

The point is that there were more people from the media covering the AIG protests than there were people protesting. Whereas it is > on the thousands protesting the tea parties.

Wow, if the tea party clowns weren't some sort of extremely contrived "movement" I wonder if they'd get more coverage?

You know what they should have done? Destroyed trillions in wealth, extorted hundreds in billions in bailout money, and then given themselves hundreds of millions in bonuses to celebrate their LITERALLY unmatched failure. It seems to me that would be news worthy, at least more so than some sort of lame attempt at a sophistry parade. But I don't drool and can dress myself.

Tickle Mittens: Wow, if the tea party clowns weren't some sort of extremely contrived "movement" I wonder if they'd get more coverage?

What, and the AIG protesters aren't "contrived"?

Marginalized, butthurt conservatives are marginalized and butthurt.

Go be irrelevant somewhere else.

Cake Hunter: I've seen the tea party thing a couple of times on the news, and that's just on my local channels.

They all look like cushion-sniffing little buttholes, but I've seen them.

Yup. Thousands of them. US citizens, every one. And this is what gets US citizens protesting: Obama's birth certificate. Kind of makes the nation look sadistic and racist. Hell, the French look like racially enlightened freedom fighters in comparison.

The only way it will change is if the US media reports on the tea party protests as much as possible, everywhere on earth, all the time, until Americans with some sense and some balls finally come out of the woodwork and take back their nation's place as a leader of freedom.

The media tend to cover what their target audience cares about. The vast majority of people don't care about the tea parties. The right wing does, ergo right wing blogs and news aggregates have covered it quite a bit. So what's the problem? Furthermore, don't the "protesters" have even the slightest clue at how silly and hypocritical they look? I think that the mainstream MSM media is doing them a huuuuuuuge favor.