DEMOCRACY THEN

Yesterday morning's DEMOCRACY NOW radio and cable TV program featured accounts by host Amy Goodman and two of her producers of their arrest and rough treatment at the hands of the St. Paul's protectors of the peace. While trying to film a demonstration, the DN crew was swept up along with all the protesters, handcuffed, bloodied and locked up. They were all clearly indentified as press, tried to comply with police to vacate, but could not because of the sweeping tactic of the law. Once in custody it was obvious there would be no special treatment for press. Welcome to America 21st century style.
I don't know exactly when the police state started in this country but I think it blossomed in the Reagan years. All that JUST SAY NO party line had to be backed up with consequences- JUST IN CASE. Then came COPS- the TV show, crack, Gulliani Time, and you get the picture. Cultural militarization started in '91 with DESERT STORM. And now in the post 9/11 world with Patriot Act and Homeland Security added to the lexicon the boys and girls in blue are more powerful than ever. To disobey them is, well, unpatriotic.
So, last night I specifically watched the evening news in order to see some coverage of RNC protests and Amy and Co.'s arrests. CBS- That Oprah wannabe Katie Couric smiling and introducing one puff piece after another. What the hell is she doing under that desk? NBC- George Clooney clone Brian Williams chatting up scarecrow Andrea Mitchell inside the convention. Outside the hall? Protests? Nothing happening here. ABC- Another "wrinkly old white dude" introducing that sacarine bag-o-bones Garrison Keilor, weezing about "Apple cheeked Lutherans of the Twin Cities". WHATTHEFUCK IS GOING ON? Not only are protests not being covered, but the few reporters that are covering them are being silenced....and their silencing is not being covered. Free Speech Radio News did a small item on Amy's arrest on NPR yesterday, but that was it. The rest of NPR has become as flacid as the networks. Where's Larry Flynt when we need him?