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We Surround Rochester
Aug 28, 2010, Washington DC
During the past week, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (D&C) newspaper unleashed a series of editorials on their “OPINION” page that can only be described as a campaign of lies to malign the Tea Party Movement.
On March 27, 2010, the D&C published a badly written guest essayist piece by Shawn Flavin, titled “Behavior over government issues fanatical, extreme”, where the author compared those of us who are speaking out against the government (AKA, Tea Partiers) to Islamic extremists. Flavin made charges, but provided no examples or references, but the D&C published it anyways.
On March 31, 2010, the D&C published a opinion piece by Eugene Robinson, titled “Right-wing rhetoric calibrated to incite”, where Robinson made the false claim:
The vitriolic, anti-government hate speech that is spewed on talk radio every day — and, quite regularly, at Tea Party rallies — is calibrated not to inform but to incite.
That’s a flat out, baseless lie, but it’s being published as the truth on the D&C OPINION page! I have personally helped organize every Rochester Tea Party last year and am planning for the 2010 Rochester Tax Day Tea Party and there has not been vitriolic hate speech nor racism displayed at any of our Tea Parties.
The “topping on the cake” occurred on April 1, 2010, with Bob Ray Sanders hit piece, “Ugly American returns, behaving badly”. Sanders falsely claims:
On the eve of the vote in the House of Representatives to pass health care reform, those voices yelled racial and anti-gay epithets at members of Congress, with one demonstrator spitting on a black congressman.
None of that happened, Mr. Sanders. Several videos have surfaced of that moment and the “N” word was NOT uttered nor was anybody spit on. We had people from Rochester who participated in the Tea Party Rally on March 20, 2010 and one participant, Chad Hummel, described the gathering as:
I was on the lawn and walking all around from 10am until about 2:30pm. I literally saw and heard nothing but pure patriotism. There were hundreds of young kids with their families and I liken the whole thing to a super-sized 4th of July day parade. 40,000 strong even prayed aloud for the Representatives and the President.
I am deeply disgusted at the media’s reporting. Even if the allegations are true, that means there were 2 out of 40,000 over a 2 day span that acted inappropriately.
5 people were actually arrested at the war protest that was going on at the same time and the Rochester D&C reported that rally as “peaceful” and the rally I went to as “flat out ugly at times”
Fine…the misinformation fuels and inspires me more!!!
Andrew Breitbart has a $100,000 challenge to anybody to provide video evidence of the supposed racial incident and it’s been over a week since he’s issued his challenge and there’s been no takers so far.
Former D&C Community Member of the Editorial Board, Petrena Hayes, made this comment on the Bob Ray Sanders commentary:
I just hope some will see the hypocritical nature of some of these columnists we’ve read lately. There is a concerted effort to make the Tea Party movement out as a group of white racists. They’d like for those involved in it to go away but it’s going to have just the opposite effect.
It’s obvious that there is a campaign on the D&C and in the national media to paint the Tea Party Movement as unhinged racists, claims that are contrary to reality. James Lawrence is the Editor of the Editorial (OPINION) page and he is ultimately responsible for its contents. Mr. Lawrence is using his position and the D&C OPINION page as a bully pulpit to pass on lies that malign the citizens of the Tea Party Movement!
All POW-MIA
24 responses so far ↓
1 howardroarke // Apr 2, 2010 at 8:28 am
The other one that got me was the convenient “copy and paste” job done by a failed writer, and 4 days later it’s still up there. Incite? Read the drivel she copied and pasted and ask yourself who’s inciting whom.
The MSM is on the ropes. The smear tactics are beneath contempt, although I have a feeling many within the MSM are getting their marching orders directly from the White House. These Chicago flunkies running the executive branch know exactly what they’re doing; they’re skilled operators when it comes to smearing and maligning their opposition, and in this case it’s the people in our side demanding accountability and the truth.
My theory is this is a backlash against the new media, not just the tea parties. The smear merchants keep repeating the same thing, over and over, again, because they don’t have a leg to stand on, so they’ll us the same old tired tactics to try and get at people and smear the opposition.
The numbers are not on their side, as any casual observer can see, so they’ll just shut down forums and comments sections so only their propaganda is seen.
2 Bruce Dehm // Apr 2, 2010 at 8:41 am
It is amazing how great life is when one cancels their subscription to the D&C. The mainstream media is history and the best way to help them “die quickly” is to stop paying attention to them yourself.
3 freedom fighter // Apr 2, 2010 at 9:27 am
I would just ask all of you involved in the Tea Party movement? Are you fired up? Ready to go?
I heard a certain someone say “Go for it”. We’ll take you up on that one.
4 LR // Apr 2, 2010 at 9:40 am
we were telling my MIL the other day that we are going to the tea party she said ” I don’t know, I don’t like those tea people” she is the type that only reads the paper and watches the news… some people are so ill informed..
5 freedom fighter // Apr 2, 2010 at 9:44 am
Convince her to go LR.
A close friend of mine, who is a big Dem, felt the same way until she watched that Tea Party activist Stout on Letterman. Changed her mind.
6 LR // Apr 2, 2010 at 10:11 am
I invited her but it being a work day…. it is tough! but my hubby (her son of course) is working on her.. For her it was the Sarah Palin tie too that bothers her.. hubby explained Sarah is not a representative of all of us and what the movement is really about…
I will keep on it. Will you be there?
7 freedom fighter // Apr 2, 2010 at 10:18 am
Wouldn’t miss it for anything! Can’t wait to see you!
8 LR // Apr 2, 2010 at 10:33 am
Can’t wait either…. hubby is going too. (that is a big deal)
9 Miriam // Apr 2, 2010 at 11:05 am
I agree with Bruce-we just keep doing what we do-ignore the mainstream media-and vindicate ourselves by never giving them anything true to report on-they’ll keep telling lies, but eventually they’ll get caught; just like all liars do.
10 Tired // Apr 2, 2010 at 11:20 am
A serious boycott of advertisers on the D&C is the best way to truly hurt them. Without advertisers they are done. At least until they get their bailout.
11 Wendy Ann // Apr 2, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Obviously orchestrated, and as you said, obviously from the “top.” What kind of leader would shove legislation through against the wishes of the majority, then do everything he could to demonize that majority of citizens when they rise up in opposition? Certainly not a leader who belongs in charge of a FREE REPUBLIC. Since the health care bill passed, our flag’s been flying at half-mast. Can’t quite bring myself to flying it upside down, but I probably should, since it’s a sign of distress, and if this isn’t distress, I don’t know what is. Just this morning, I was thinking that we are definitely under attack from within. As a freedom-loving citizen, and especially as a mom, this whole situation makes me totally SICK, and I will never abandon the fight.
12 IR // Apr 2, 2010 at 1:15 pm
Better than boycotting advertisers, educate people on ad and popup blockers, and get them to cancel their D&C subscriptions and make the D&C suffer financially for its refusal to adhere to basic journalistic standards of fairness and honesty.
13 IR // Apr 2, 2010 at 1:28 pm
More to that point, a not insignificant portion of the D&C news staff has lost their jobs, and they will mutiny if they realize that the Editor and Publisher are working full-steam to purposely lose market share, which will inevitably cost more people their jobs if they don’t stop their propaganda. Even the lefties should realize that the media has been misinforming the public into unnecessary wars, and pressure for a return to quality journalism, and the only way to do so is to exert financial pain on the media that is working against the Constitution.
14 phantomlord // Apr 2, 2010 at 1:33 pm
Even if you buy the D&C, you are not their customer, you are the PRODUCT. Your purchase is only a small percentage of their income. Their customers are the ADVERTISERS.
Want to hurt the D&C without hurting local businesses? Stop buying the paper. If you have to read it, read it online using adblock. Advertisers pay on a “per eyeballs” rate. That is, they pay according to how many people will see the ad. The lower the circulation, the fewer the eyeballs, the lower they can charge for advertising.
City Newspaper, of all places, has been more honest about the Tea Party movement than the D&C. Check out their interview with our fellow local Tea Party organizer, Mike Deming. The D&C has always been biased to the left, they won’t admit it, but they are, and not only on the editorial pages. For the last 2+ years, James Lawrence has been on a personal crusade to smear anyone that opposes Obama, much like how the previous eight years, he couldn’t go more than 2-3 days without an anti-Bush piece.
Remember, the D&C is also the “news” agency that shilled for the Fast Ferry, even going so far as to cover up the shenanigans of the Johnson administration. They aren’t a check against those who are in power, they’re enablers of those with left leanings. The D&C isn’t a “news” paper, it’s a propaganda outlet.
15 HoosierArmyMom // Apr 2, 2010 at 2:11 pm
It seems the Progressive idiots and the trolls are at a high level of activity today. I have been responding on facebook and blogs all over the place! The attacks on Tea Parties have to be taken as a sign that we are indeed making an impact that is being felt all the way down to the brain dead masses! I for one am learning as much as I can about Saul Alinsky tactics, even if I have to keep a barf bag close by… Know your enemy!
In this fight for freedom, we must keep our cool, set the proper example for our young people, and expose the lies everywhere we can!
16 phantomlord // Apr 2, 2010 at 2:20 pm
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” Mahatma Gandhi
You could say he knew a thing or two about peacefully fighting for freedom…
They ignored us, hoping we’d go away.
They laughed at us, mocking us with sexual innuendo.
Now they are fighting us.
In November, we win.
17 Debra J.M. Smith // Apr 2, 2010 at 3:13 pm
I just posted the following on those two D&C articles:
I am constantly amazed at the lack of ability that so many people have, to understand the multicultural world that we live in. There are many personalities in the world and many political view points, as a result. –…not just two!
We say, “people on the right” and “people on the left,” and in those two groups there are many varieties of people. And then there are people who do not fully fit into either group.
For some reason many people do not quite get the concept of the latter part of what I just said.
Take Obama, for instance. He has one foot in the liberal side of things and the other in Marxism. So, should we judge all liberals, by Obama? I think not! Hence, don’t judge all conservatives, by every nut that has one foot in the conservative side of things.
–Seriously, we should not judge the whole of any group, by a few that claim association with it.
Think about it.
Debra J.M. Smith
of
http://www.InformingChristians.com
18 howardroarke // Apr 2, 2010 at 5:36 pm
Wendy Ann // Apr 2, 2010 at 12:02 pm
“Obviously orchestrated, and as you said, obviously from the “top.” What kind of leader would shove legislation through against the wishes of the majority, then do everything he could to demonize that majority of citizens when they rise up in opposition? Certainly not a leader who belongs in charge of a FREE REPUBLIC. Since the health care bill passed, our flag’s been flying at half-mast. Can’t quite bring myself to flying it upside down, but I probably should, since it’s a sign of distress, and if this isn’t distress, I don’t know what is. Just this morning, I was thinking that we are definitely under attack from within. As a freedom-loving citizen, and especially as a mom, this whole situation makes me totally SICK, and I will never abandon the fight.”
My right arm starts twitching every time I put the flag up in front of the house. I’m tempted to fly it upside-down.
There still are people who get all of their “news” from newspapers and the MSM. These are the most ill-informed people in this country, although it appears even some of those folks are starting to wake up.
The New Media, which includes grass roots blogs and forums such as Rochester Conservative, fill a niche where a short time ago there was a true void. The New Media is getting the word out about just who really is running (ruining?) the country. The mask has been ripped off, now it’s the peoples’ job to do some work and get more involved in keeping these folks’ feet to the fire, and throwing out the bums, Democrat and Republican, who are part of the problem.
19 rochester_veteran // Apr 2, 2010 at 5:57 pm
Hey All,
Thanks for your comments!
Just to fill you in, I posted this article to my D&C blog and it lasted on the left sidebar of the OPINION page for 3 hours before it was yanked and replaced by Howard Eagle’s blog.
James Lawrence sent us a telling message…
20 coloradoconservative // Apr 2, 2010 at 8:55 pm
It’s too bad, but not a surprise, to see these folks try to shut down the voice of the American people. Our Tea Party here in Colorado Springs last year was civil and populated by a very well mannered group of folks and I’m sure it will be the same again this year. I suspect this type of bias is why newspapers are losing subscribers – it’s not just the Internet that’s having an influence. People are just fed up with the skewed perspectives. Wonderful input from folks on this post!
21 Beverly // Apr 2, 2010 at 11:57 pm
Hi RV, I left the post below for the racist Sanders. GOD BLESS ALL YOU BEAUTIFUL TEA PARTY PATRIOTS IN ROCHESTER:
To Bobby Ray Sanders,
What the heck is the matter with you?! Wonderful Patriotic Americans went to Washington, DC to be be heard and because their message to their elected officials differs from the man in the White House, you liken them to Ugly Americans! Somehow in your demented mind you liken them to racists?! WHAT A LEAP!! We all know who the racists is, it is you and you need to get a grip on yourself and stop the nonsense. The Tea Party people are good, hardworking Americans and for you to suggest anything else is pure slander. You know as well as the rest of us that the way this healthcare was passed was wrong and so now you want to change the subject. What you have written here is the good start of a fictional novel and the only problem you’ll have is getting someone to buy it! Pure fiction as a newspaper article, your editor should be ashamed as well as yourself!
You all take care:
Beverly Perlson
The Band of Mothers
22 Debi Bohannan // Apr 3, 2010 at 8:20 am
I was a teen in the 60′s when the mantra was ‘question authority’. My college experience was at the height of the ERA movement. I recall black sororities marching often in front of my dorm, chanting ‘Black Power’ and ‘Kill Whitey!’ The feminists wouldn’t let me join because I couldn’t reconcile killing babies w/ ‘equal pay for equal work’. Those black babes are running govt agencies and still hate white people. Many of those former students who were daily encouraged to ‘question authority’ now are professors who allow no questions or dissent and teach that students are not ‘cool’ unless they buy into leftist propaganda …especially in journalism.
23 coloradoconservative // Apr 3, 2010 at 11:36 am
Beverly, it would be interesting if someone wrote that novel and compiled all the negative “anti average American” letters, posts, editorials and print newspaper columns. Years from now we would look back on this time and mark the point at which the American People spoke up and reclaimed the Constitution!
24 Cachito // Apr 3, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Excellent article, RV, and I agree 100%. The D&C has pulled out all stops in bashing conservative, patriotic Americans.
On occasion, I do order 200 copies of a D&C editorial to guard against the impending shortage of toilet paper, but unless one is an indoor cat owner or an angler, I really can’t see any reason to subscribe.
Keep fighting the good fight, bro. As they say on Poker After Dark … I’m all in!
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