First they came for the "free press" -- and the books
Cops just violently shoved me away as I tried to shoot this man in a stretcher being loaded into ambulance http://twitpic.com/7efa2v
First they came for the "free press" -- and the books
-- Josh Harkinson, Mother Jones.
Journalists who write poorly thought-out editorials like this one need to realize how messy the world can get outside a glass office in a newsroom. If you say you're behind the 99 Percent, it takes guts and staying power to stick with that position -- when there are fixable flaws and holes in the Occupy movement, especially when some of the folks in Zuccotti Park or Dilworth Plaza aren't the 1-Percent types you typically meet for lunch and chat up on the phone. Saying you support them means coming up with better ways to fight income inquality and unchecked corporate greed, not throwing in the towel and giving cover for the cops to do their thing.
Because, when the first priority as journalists isn't hardcore, pedal to the metal support of the First Amandment and the right of free assembly, when you essentially egg on a police response, do you know how the cops are likely to thank you for your reasoned, well-thought editorial support? They're likely to whomp you upseide the head. Just ask this reporter from the New York Post, whose paper has been cheerleading for the police crackdown on Occupy Wall Street in Zuccotti Park that finally came in the dead of night.
We reported earlier today on the complaints that journalists have been obstructed in reporting the eviction and aftermath. A number have been arrested. This the tally so far:
• Julie Walker, a freelance reporter for National Public Radio was arrested in the early hours of the morning, despite wearing an NYPD-issued press badge.
• New York Daily News reporter Matthew Lysiak was arrested at around 12.15pm today while covering the aftermath of the eviction. He is on a police bus, and filing updates for the NYDN live blog.
• AP print journalist Karen Matthews and AP still photographer Seth Wenig were arrested at the same time as Lysiak, aand a photographer from DNAInfo. All had been with protesters who had gained access to ground owned by Trinity Wall Street church at Duarte Square. Police cleared the area, and arrested everyone.
But actually the biggest First Amendment outrage is this one -- the wanton destruction of 5,000 books. I thought this was the kind of thing that only happened in...oh, nevermind:
The NYPD has reportedly thrown out 5,554 books from the Occupy Wall Street Library during the raid to evict protesters from Zuccotti Park early Tuesday morning. GalleyCat compiled the @OWSLibrary tweets: The Occupy Wall Street librarians tweeted the eviction all night:
"NYPD destroying american cultural history, they're destroying the documents, the books, the artwork of an event in our nation’s history... Right now, the NYPD are throwing over 5,000 books from our library into a dumpster. Will they burn them?...Call 311 or 212-639-9675 now and ask why Mayor Bloomberg is throwing the 5,554 books from our library into a dumpster."
Hopefully this will be an eye-opener -- at least for some journalists, and especially some editorial writers -- of what is really going on in this country.
These people received more consideration for there freedom of speech and assembly than most people do. They had plenty of time to have their say and their message, no matter how incoherent, was spread throughout the nation by a sympathetic press. Now it's time to pack up, disperse, and stop living like animals in the street.— jmc- The Constitution doesn't indicate that there's a time limit to peaceably assemble. — taxmanndumbeth
- Considering some of the reports of criminal activity coming out of there, the Constitutional requirement of "peaceably" assembling has not been met.
— jmc - There you jmc -- listen all -- your tolerated level of freedom of speech and assembly is relative to some arbitrary person or group decided by those in charge tolerating you. Ah, isn't it great -- Relative Liberty or Death. I can almost see the Gadsden Flag flying now.— Murrayman
- "...they're destroying the documents, the books, the artwork of an event in our nation’s history." I've wondered what's more important to these people, income inequality, or their own psychological need to feel that they have an important role in the history of the country. Given the OWS protesters penchant for self-absorbed narcissism, I would guess the latter.— jmc
- Hmm, I don't recall you being this outraged when Occupy protestors attacked a cameraman who was covering the murder at Occupy Oakland. But I guess selective outrage will only increase your chances of getting on a show whose host makes $10 million a year despite only pulling in 46,000 viewers.— freethinker88
- Just wondering...was anyone from Fox News, et. al. ever arrested at any of the Tea Party events??...just wondering??? LOL!!!!!— sarah89
- Fox Noise doesn't cover real news batty.... — taxmanndumbeth
- Please don't feign surprise that your newspaper wants these people off of City Hall property. The, ahem, "People Paper" purports to support ALL of the people in Philadelphia, not just the most vocal and intransigent. And while you wrap yourself in the glory of the First "Amandmant" (sigh), do thoughts of bill.atkins come to mind? Hard-core journalistic navel-gazing - it doesn't get any better than this.— m13sully
- Will has a point on this one, but I didnt hear him complaining when New York City became a nanny state in regards to food, transfat,smoking and fireams. he is so ready to defend the 1st amendment(rightfully so) but doesnt care about the 2nd amend-can you say selective outrage?— Tom813
- Please thank your editor for fixing your typos, but next time ask him or her to edit your work before submitting it. Thanks.— m13sully
- Some may call the location of the books a "dumpster", others might call it a "luxury office suite", in OWS parlance.— Mr. Smith
- With all that is wrong in the world, we are concerned about the fate of these books?— Another_1
- Wow, what a lazy analysis regarding the books, Will. The books were thrown out because they were neatly organized litter. The books weren't burned because of content or authors' heritage. Were 3 other DN employees leaning on shovels while they watched you type this?— 2ndNlong
- Funny 6 weeks ago, there was 2,000 OWS campers, now 200 with 20 being reporters. What happened to the 1,820 other OWS campers?— Fisher
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