It is very unusual to see such direct criticism of the New York Times in the Times itself (9/27/11)–this is something to celebrate.
To the Editor:
Anyone who has spent a few days–or nights–in occupied Zuccotti Park near Wall Street this past week would have trouble recognizing what they’ve seen in “Gunning for Wall Street, With Faulty Aim,” by Ginia Bellafante (Big City column, September 25).
The protesters’ numbers have been growing, not “dwindling,” both in New York and in related occupations around the country. Though their views are diverse, what exactly unites them is anything but “impossible to decipher”: the rampant corruption of the country’s politics by a wealthy few.
At the symbolic heart of that corruption, protesters are making decisions and organizing themselves through a purposely leaderless, consensus-based process based on people, not money. For many Americans, nonviolent direct action like this is the best hope for having a political voice, and it deserves to be taken seriously by those of us in the press.
NATHAN SCHNEIDER
New York, September 25, 2011
The writer is editor of WagingNonviolence.org.
Thank you.
Although I may agree with the protestors, this statement in that letter to the NY Times editor has the same “feel” as the creation myth promulgated by Tea Partiers:
“Though their views are diverse, what exactly unites them is anything but “impossible to decipher”: the rampant corruption of the country’s politics by a wealthy few.”
We could reword this for the Tea Party:
“Though their views are diverse, what exactly unites them is anything but “impossible to decipher”: the rampant corruption of the country’s politics by a liberal minority.”
Or how about this:
Though their views are diverse, what exactly unites them is anything but “impossible to decipher”: the rampant corruption of the country’s economic system by unfair entitlements.”
In any case, these are creation myths ferverently believed in by the believers. Whether Tea Partiers or Wall Street protesters, the myth is the same: these are spontaneous, grass-roots uprisings by ordinary folk.
It’s nonsense in both cases. It really comes down to which side of the fence you stand on.
I would agree that letters to the editor criticizing the Times itself are unusual. However, since the rather lamely explained disappearances of Times columnists Frank Rich and Bob Herbert, the publication’s columns go nowhere, making its letters from readers second only to its lede editorials in relevance and sanity. (The two dailies with greater domestic circulation, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today, print no objections whatever to their relentless flood of editorial peons to the super-rich.)
Ginia Bellafante’s September 25 â┚¬Ã…“newsâ┚¬Ã‚ article was about as close to clueless as a professional journalist can get. Wall Street protestors are not â┚¬Ã…“dwindling,â┚¬Ã‚ and stressing their lack of a spokesperson to explain things to her (poor baby) is utterly absurd. But in the September 27 Times, Joseph Goldstein reiterates Bellafante’s nonsense and attempts to justify the pepper spraying of four unarmed females who were pinned down by orange netting. Obviously, if your sources are the police and you want to be the first to know, you’d better print what they tell you.
Lets say you have a stomach virus and you need to throw up. First, read the Goldstein piece in the September 27 issue of the New York Times. Then go to the editorial pages of the same issue for David Brooks, who outdid himself that day for pure unadulterated nonsense.
@JB: You could rewrite that paragraph with as many fanciful scenarios as you like, it will not cause the fantasies to become the reality nor will it cause the truth to disappear. You ackowledged the truth of the sentiment yourself when you concluded with “it depends which side of the fence you’re on”.
Quite so.
To NM: Let me be clear. The creation myth on the part of the tea partiers is that they are just simple folk with no political axe to grind and are just mad about politics inside the beltway. They want to suggest that their origins were apolitical and simply a spontaneous uprising of The People. That is not true. That creation myth is only a weal attempt to attract other people to their cause. People who became tea partiers were already well committed to the right and for the most part were already politically active in right wing causes, are overlwhelmingly white, Christian, and believe that the Ten Commandments are the foundation of Western Civilization. They passionately believe that unregulated capitalism will fix all social evils, particularly those nasty entitlements. OK, so much for the Tea Party and its self-serving creation myth. I would argue that the writer of the letter to the NY Times editor does a similar thing when he writes “Though their (i.e. the Wall St. proterstors) views are diverse . . .” Is he trying to suggest that the Wall St protest is a spontaneous uprising of a diverse group of people in the same way that the Tea Party promulgates itself through its creation myth? Perhaps I read too much into so short a phrase, but if you oppose private property, just say it; if you oppose an economic system that requires profit before production begins, then say so. Don’t be namy-pamby about it. Draw the line. Let people know who you are and what you stand for. Don’t hide behind false creation myths. People in the Left have done that for a long time, probably for fear of social, political, and personal ostracization. (If I were to declare that I were an atheist at work, there would be hell to pay.)There is no reconciliation with the Tea Party–and that’s OK. Let’s not seek bipartisan agreement. Polarization is a good thing. And when all is said and done, it really comes down to which side of the fence you stand on. (Actually, I am a declared atheist; but I’m a scientist surrounded by other scientists. That makes it eazier and doesn’t undermine my above point.)
The activists on the street gathering strength at Liberty Square have set a beautiful example of many voices joined together, many hands actively caring for their own community, and a sincere dedication to non-violent resistance This behavior will ultimately weigh in on the side of progress and evolution much more heavily than either the corrupt agencies of wealth which have caused the economic and ecologic turmoil, or the snide self-serving journalists who can do no better than deride them.
Banks got bailed out, we got sold out.
@JB: “Perhaps I read too much into so short a phrase” — definitely.
I agree with Roger Bloyce above, regarding NYTimes columnists in the post Rich/Herbert era. They’re like actors in a long-running sitcom that nobody watches anymore. Unless Jill Abramson shakes things up, the Times will continue its slide into irrelevancy.
David Brooks seems to be writing from outer space – his 9/27 list of crises facing the U.S. failed to include unemployment.
Ethan Bronner tries to cover both sides of Israel/Palestine, and does a very good job half of the time.
Don’t get me started on the litany of acceptable reasons NYTimes sources are granted anonymity. When I see the word “anonymous”, I cut to the next story, unless there’s an obvious danger to the source.
It’s easy to access online better versions of stories The Times works with predictable, stale formulas, and the contrast can be depressing. I still subscribe, because the Times is still the best. But being the best doesn’t mean it’s good.
This could be something but it is doubtful it will be.The tea party had a directive that could be said in two sentences.Maybe one word…CONSTITUTION.In the article above there is no sense of direction.I feel it in the mass gathering in wall st.If you listen to them,thier words sounds identical to what Hitler and his national socialists said prior to taking power.Minus the violence, and jew baiting.”Wealthy industrialists and corporatists are running the government.Robbing the people.Stealing the wealth of the country.Bla bla bla.
What is the message?What are their demands?
Michael E
If you have no message for Wall St you don’t know what happened to the 17 trillion dollars in wealth that disappeared when the derivative roulette wheels stopped spinning under the greedy hands of the bonus gatherers.
You are probably also unaware that 14 million americans are looking for jobs and getting foodstamps instead of working and paying taxes.
The message is: stop ruining our country. The demand is that you pay back some of your ill-gotten gains (and pay your fair share of taxes) to help Americans climb out of your recession and not fall into the next recession that you are now creating.
Jim Greene Orlando
“jew baiting”
Nice choice of words from FAIR’s resident racist.
OOOmmmm…..
Alright Jim so the point is in all this that the rich on wall st are not paying enough in taxes.Well ok what would you have them pay?And who should pay it?I like that you used the term roulette wheel.It is a crap shoot after all and risk is inherent.When you loose the house does not cover your losses.I got out and went into gold(thank you Glen Beck)I notice you blame wall st ,lock stock and barrel.Well i spoke for years against the liberal house of cards called Fanny and freddy.I called it on the nose.Lots of us were yelling.But the liberal geniuses called us names and deflected the message.I also explained that wall st would make money coming or going and it would be the job of liberals to turn blame toward them and not themselves.Right again.Im going to send you a few tax facts(something I hate to do)Later……Im off to breakfast
Sitting shiva.You call me a racist without knowing what my race or religion is.That makes YOU a racist for supposing you can guess it from my “station” in life, or views.Classic
Ok facts of life time.I almost always do not do this.Facts can prove any point of view.Bill Clinton always told us that he wanted our thoughts.This is what i always do on these blogs much to the consternation of bloggers here who “troll” for any fact to support their beliefs.But never even say WHAT they are as far as a political party or belief system.Tim at least admitted to being a socialist.But these facts are compelling.Here goes…..
Those who make 1 mil pay 24% of income in taxes
Those making 200-300K pay 17.5
100k to 125 pay 9.9%
50k to 60 pay6.3
20k to 30 pay 2.5
And what of millionaires who pay no taxes?There are 1,470 of them.Six tenths of one percent of ALL those with million dollar incomes.
If we assume they make 2 million dollars taxing them at 24% would yield 367 million.That would increase the treasury by 30 one hundredths of one percent or one third of one tenth of one percent.Overall the IRS reports taxes today are sharply skewed toward taxes on the rich.
Top 1% pays 39%
Top 5% pays 60%
Top 10% pays 72%
Bottom 50% pays 3%.
I am sorry if I bore you with these facts.But really I listen to such distortions on these blogs and always they yell” let your ivy show…gives us the facts”.So i hope they are compelling.Your president is lying to you my good liberals.Let the bone go.Or if you feel even more should be taken and redistributed fine and dandy.That is your feeling and welcome to it.Just please stop the rationalization.It insults everyones intelligence.
Tim notebook this……I wont waste time pumping facts at you all that often.
Massive resistance through massive demonstrations and direct action is the only option left to the bottom 99%.
They just interviewed(actually running interviews)with that wall street lot.I watched for an hour streamed.Did you see when they asked how many hate America?How many are communists?Socialists?How many want to change America?How many agree with Roseanne that bankers should be sent to re-education camps or have their heads cut off?Unbelievable.Really embarrassing. So this is our college students, and our education system?Our liberal protestors?WHAT A JOKE.Go home for Christ sake.My favorite quote was a college grad who said if offered a job with a big corporation she would turn it down.She demanded those with money support her.This is what you have created in America these past 3 years. A nanny state.I wish there was some sort of sane message in all this.It just makes us look stupid to the world.On the good side they have been peaceful
You know I think there are serious issues with how the banking industry has acted in this crisis.I just wish it did not appear to be such a carnival, with carnival barkers hawking the message ,and their beefs with the country worn so openly on their sleeves.If this is a Dem tent party -count me out
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