And apparently, I'm an Extremist™.
I went to a Tea Party several weeks ago here in my home city. People were well behaved. A little angry, definitely frustrated, but in control of themselves. There were no calls for killing, hanging, nobody calling anybody Hitler.... all over the rampant and out-of-control growth of government that has been going on for years.
The media has decided to marginalize this movement. No shock there, really. But Tea Parties in 2000 cities across the country are dismissed as "Fox News" and "Talk Radio" or even "Republican" Propaganda. Those who believe especially that last one have no clue what these are about. They obviously payed no attention to what was being said about Republicans and Democrats alike. They say it's about "Obama Bashing". They are stuck in a partisan mindset and went to the rallies knowing what they were going to say before they got there.
I flipped on CNN last night to see how these were being covered. The two guests I saw were dismissive, but cautiously so. One found them "disturbing" because they were "anti-government". (When the government is doing something you don't like, and you go protest that, wouldn't that by definition be "anti-government", in a way? And what, exactly is he saying is wrong with that? Weren't the anti-war protests also "anti-government"?) Well really he's implying that it's a bunch of Right-Wing™, anarchist nutjobs. And that we should all be very scared. Only I'm one of those "nutjobs", and I know a lot of those "nutjobs"... and they're perfectly decent normal folks.
I saw this video on YouTube (titled "CNN Reporter Harassed at Chicago 'Tea-Party'"). Watch the video and tell me who you think is being harrassed. The reporter has decided that this is about taxes, asks a question, cuts the man off in a hostile tone, and goes on to say something about "Right-Wing" (Shut Up!) "Fox News" (Shut Up!) and says something about it not being "family viewing".
What about it isn't "Family Viewing"? Was there any swearing? Was anybody threatening her? She went in and provoked a response and started an argument ... and then the anchor calls it a "Prime Example" of what's going on across the country and what "she's dealing with".
I'm pretty steamed. These people have no clue, and they're doing what they do. Not reporting the news, but telling people what to think.
Update: I should've known this'd be broadcast far and wide. You have to love Shep Smith's response, though. No wonder Fox kicks their butt in the ratings.
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