Newsweek has a new piece wondering why it is that the United States doesn’t seem to muster protest movements like we’re seeing in Europe and in a number of Arab countries.
The headline and image on their website:
If you read that caption you see that protest happened on March 12* May 12– one of several mass mobilizations that have attracted almost no corporate media attention–a subject we discussed on CounterSpin last week with journalist Allison Kilkenny, who’s been covering them for a variety of independent outlets.
Yes, there could certainly be a sensible discussion about why the political system in the United States discourages citizen activism. But there’s something strange about using an image from a rather sizable demonstration in New York City to accompany a story about why there are so few sizable demonstrations in this country.
*Date corrected– the Newsweek caption had it wrong, and I repeated their error.
You shouldn’t reproduce the mistakes of the corporate press. There certainly was a substantial rally on Wall Street in March, called Tax the Rich, but the picture was from an even larger rally, called ‘On May 12’ so everyone would know the date. I was at both, and those stencilled signs were only visible at the May 12 rally.
Incidentally, the most notable thing about the Newsweek bit you reproduced, more notable than the factual error about the date, is the use of the phrase ‘club wielding protesters’, although the most dramatic recent protest was the peaceful occupation of squares around Spain.
Unless the Pol’s and the rich are truly afraid things will continue in this downward spiral for the workers- remember during the great depression a wagon exploded on wall st.- then there were reforms!
It’s all well and good to comment about an issue that needs the attention of citizens. It’s even more important to ACTUALLY DO something significant that will allow necessary changes to be made to improve our country.
*Real Change* will not happen without effective grassroots effort.
Here is a link that will interest many of you.
http://signon.org/sign/public-funding-of-elected