[Boston-editorial] To all editors: Fact-Checking the Herald for center column

[Pete Stidman]

let the opinions roll in- i am not against that.  But
I would like to add to my argument against centering
it and make a proposal that might address sofia's
concerns.

I support the ABC strongly but not unequivocably, that
would be a serious breach of my commitment to always
providing the truth to the readers of my stories.    

But this is about the article, not our support or
non-support of ABC. We can't let our biases get in the
way of producing strong coverage on our site.  Our
site should be as relevant and as timely as possible
for our readers, who expect us to keep them informed
and up to date. 

Like I said, this story got play on all the list servs
and infoshop and other sites and even ours on the
newswire.  It's not like it wasn't covered.  It's not
like we didn't have something on it at the time.

 To the anarchist community, to the members of ABC
even, I'm sure this is an old story, I feel so sure
because I am part of that community and nobody is
talking about it anymore and they did at the time.  

THe herald has been f'ed up on anarchists since way
before the DNC and we have always given the ABC and
anarchists access to our site, just like everyone
else.

Currently, I have very good relations with the folks I
know in the ABC and none of them have contacted me
about this story being centered.  I know that one of
the folks even monitors this list.  Believe me, if he
was feeling strongly about this article he'd be saying
shit.  

Regardless of whether we like the news cycle or not,
it still exists.  It is a force of nature that has
existed for all newspapers since gutenberg invented
the press.  We don't have the power to change peoples
perceptions about what is and isn't news.  

If we want to address this issue, and show real
solidarity, I suggest someone do some investigative
work on these reporters that write this shit.  Let's
expose their bias, their connections, their history.  

I know for a fact that one herald reporter/editor is
now the director of media relations for the BPD. 
There is the basis for the beginning of a story that
could prove that the Herald is in the hand of the
police.  Another angle on that, is consistently false
reporting on gang violence that is solely based on
police reports, many times leading to further violence
and reprisals from gangs who were not originally
involved (i.e. they read that they guy killed was cape
verdean, so they assume their neighborhood is going to
turn into a bloodbath.)

If we want to show real effective solidarity for a
movement or group we believe in (but still question,
because we shouldn't be dogmatic), it may involve more
work than publishing an article that was written in
february two months later in april.  

almost totally unrelated Sidenote: Castro recently
made a speech addressed to the leaders of South
America.  He advised them not to be dogmatic, not to
follow the example of cuban communism.  Each country
has it's unique problems and unique solutions. 
Castro's pretty cool eh?


-Pete


--- Sofia JarrinT <sofiajt at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Pete,
> I totally hear your concern and the Editorial list
> is
> public so everyone can read them. I'm not trying to
> exclude you.  I'm just curious to know what other
> people in the Editorial group might think (instead
> of
> just Matt).
> 
> Let's focus on the issue.  I think the article it's
> still timely because the issues at stake are
> important. It's not just about the Herald, it's
> about
> giving a voice to ABC on our site.  I actually don't
> like how newspapers work on deadlines and drop
> important issued because they're "old news". El
> Salvador is "old news" and yet Cheney uses any
> chance
> he gets to make it an "exemplary country" in tune
> with
> US national interests. 
> 
> I think our site gives us the freedom to focus on
> the
> issues.
> 
> If other members of the group don't think is a good
> idea centering it, I'll respect the communal
> decision
> on this.
> 
> best
> sofia
> 
> 
> --- Pete Stidman <pstidman at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > Note to everyone, please do not center this unless
> > you
> > can convince me that we should.  The article is
> over
> > a
> > n=month old.  I think it is from february.  
> > 
> > I wouldn't be such a stickler on this but Sophia
> has
> > not mentioned in her email that I opposed it and I
> > feel like she is trying to make this into a
> majority
> > rule decision while not addressing my concerns.  
> > 
> > please do not center this until discussion
> resolves
> > this issue.  It is not fair to try and exclude me
> > from
> > this decision.
> > 
> > -Pete
> > 
> > 
> > --- Sofia JarrinT <sofiajt at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > hi there,
> > > 
> > > I'm not yet an editor, but here are the reasons
> > why
> > > I
> > > think the following article should be centered:
> > > 
> > >
> >
>
http://boston.indymedia.org/newswire/display/35006/index.php
> > > 
> > > - the article published by the Herald and
> > mentioned
> > > in
> > > the article above was a clear defamation not
> only
> > of
> > > anarchist student groups but also of DNC
> > protesters.
> > > It bundled both of them together, therefore
> trying
> > > to
> > > misinform the public of real concerns that
> > > protesters
> > > had at that event.
> > > 
> > > - the worst thing about the Herald article was
> its
> > > attempt to tie links between ABC and AlQaeda,
> > which
> > > is
> > > something that the Bush administration has tried
> > to
> > > do
> > > with many groups expressing dissent. Therefore,
> > the
> > > trend becomes anarchists=protesters=AlQaeda.
> Same
> > > policy followed in the Middle East right now
> that
> > > all
> > > groups of dissent are terrorists.
> > > 
> > > - anarchist groups as a whole have been
> demonized
> > by
> > > corporate media, including the New York Times
> and
> > > Washington Post. Demonized them and again,
> bundled
> > > together with protesters.  I think they deserve
> > > space
> > > on our center column.
> > > 
> > > - ABC really stepped up to the plate during the
> > > anti-war protest last month.  They paid bail for
> > > those
> > > 
> > > arrested.
> > > 
> > > cheers,
> > > Sofia
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 		
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