Sunday, February 05, 2006

Silence

Joint entry by Kat and Rebecca. Blogger acted up and we figured we'd do a brief, joint post together. We think the joint posts demonstrate that the community works together. We also think it's easier to collaborate than to do a post solo.

There was a news item that we wanted to be sure everyone was aware. From Democracy Now!'s headlines on Friday:

Teen Attacks Massachusetts Gay Bar in Apparent Hate Crime
In Massachusetts, a teenager attacked three men at a gay bar in the town of New Bedford. One victim is in critical condition after sustaining a gunshot wound. The assailant attacked the men after verifying with the bartender that the place was a gay bar. Police have identified the suspect as 18-year old Jason Robida. Police are calling the attack a hate crime.

Bully Boy? Where is he on this? We can remember Bill Clinton decrying the violent murder of Matthew Sheppard. But this is Bully Boy's base. The people who play super-patriots. They love the country . . . just as long as you're not in it.

Where does an 18 year old get the idea that it's okay to murder people who happen to be gay? We can tell you he didn't get it from The Book of Daniel which NBC cancelled under pressure from the right wing group AFA.

As they spew their hate and aren't called on, it becomes easier for people to take the words of violence into the physical plane. A climate was created where it was once again okay to attack gays and lesbians in the media. As the myth of the "values voters" spread, our media backed off from calling this hate what it was. They spoke of reaching out to "Bush country" and of the need to be "tolerant" of . . . hate.

The New York Times was once up for nonstop coverage of a golf club that was closed to women but this story has yet to grace the front page. On Sunday they bored you with a boring story about a perfect attendance plan for schools. It read like a weekly newsletter you get in the mail, not like a major newspaper. It's shameful and so is the continued refusal by the paper to provide an editorial or column devoted to Coretta Scott King. For more on that, see The Third Estate Sunday Review's "Editorial: Does The New York Times editorial board not know that Coretta Scott King died or do they just not care?" Other recommended readings? To know your history of government abuse check out C.I.'s "On the Dangers of an Unchecked Bully Boy." And don't miss Ruth's "Ruth's Morning Edition Report" which is epic in scope and size. Remember that Pacifica Radio will broadcast Monday's NSA hearings live. Coverage begins at 9:00 a.m. eastern time and ends at 6:00 p.m. eastern time. You can listen over the airwaves or online. To listen online or to find out if there's a station in your area visit the Pacifica Radio website.















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