Face the Nation and Dick Cheney: US anti-war demonstrators don't exist

[David Farber <farber () tmail com>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Ronda Hauben <ronda () panix com>
To: dave () farber net
CC: Ronda Hauben <ronda () panix com>
Subject: Face the Nation and Dick Cheney: US anti-war demonstrators 
don't exist
Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2003 12:19:53 -0500 (EST)


Dave,

I wondered if you listened to Dick Cheney on Face the Nation today?

If so I wondered if you noticed how when asked a question about why 
there
are protests around the world against the US making war against Iraq,
Cheney's response was that they didn't experience 9-11.

I guess US protests against war are invisible to Vice President 
Cheney.

What a vision of democracy he is projecting to the world. Your own
citizens do not exist.

Following is something I wrote in response to the interview.

I hope you will share it with others on IP.

I say this as a New Yorker who understands what 9-11 was and
as someone who understands how tragic a death is of a loved one. Ronda

-----------

Dick Cheney was featured on the "Face the Nation" Sunday morning tv 
show
this morning.

Cheney was asked why there are protests around the world against the
US govt war on Iraq.

Cheney's answer was that people around the world didn't experience 
9-11.

The questioner didn't ask Cheney, why people in the U.S. are
demonstrating in great numbers all around the country against war.

He didn't point out how there was all manner and means used to prevent 
a
march in NYC against the war on February 15 2003. Yet at least several
hundred thousand and perhaps almost a million people tried to protest.
Police blocked many people from getting to the demonstration that had 
been
given a permit.

Just yesterday there was a large march in Washington DC against the 
war.

So how could Cheney say that people around the world are protesting the 
US
government plan for war against Iraq because people in other countries
hadn't experienced 9-11? How could the moderator just let that stand
and not ask about Americans and New Yorkers who are protesting.

In the US, all possible means are used to create a milieu of lies to
justify an illegal and immoral activity by a small group of US
government officials and whoever they represent.

The advertisement on CBS News, which sponsored the program says
that this was brought to us by Cisco Systems and Merrill Lynch.

And the Cisco advertisement was about how people around the world
are being tied together by the Internet, but it didn't use the word
Internet. Instead, it said they are brought together by "Cisco 
Systems".

So this is the world of show, this is the world that is manufactured
to make excuses for government decisions in the US that have no
relationship to the people. This is the world that claims the Internet
exists because of Cisco system.

Many cities around the country have passed resolutions condemning war.

There is no means of people affecting the federal government, except
by going out into the streets. And the government officials don't have
any knowledge or regard for the demonstrations in their own country
or their own city.

This is what the U.S. government and the US media like Face the Nation
are presenting to people around the world as "democracy".

To not allow people who opposed what the government of the US is doing
to march on February 15, 2003 is *not* democracy.

This is in no way democracy. That is some of what the demonstrations 
in
the US and around the world are about. They are about how these
anti-democratic government people can be functioning as if they are
not part of any responsible entity. They are part of rougue 
governments.

Then to have the nerve to say on tv that the reason there are protests
around the world is because those people haven't experienced 9-11
is an incredible insult to the people of the world and to the people
of the US and NYC and to those who died in 9-11.

People who had loved ones who died in 9-11 have spoken out about
how they want justice, not wars against other civilians.
Many others around NYC and the US and the world who felt the sadness
about this cruel loss of life, also want justice, not wars against 
other
civilians around the world. We want a lawful world, a world where
governments respect international and national law.

A junior high school student who went on strike on March 5 was 
interviewed.
He said that some of what upset him was to hear the US government 
officials
blaming Iraq for 9-11. That no connection had been made between the
Iraq people and government and 9-11.

And now in the name of those who died in 9-11, US government officials
are invited to come onto a program like "Meet the Press" and use 9-11
to justify their plan to kill people first in Afganistan, now in Iraq,
and then in other countries around the world which oppose their 
dictates.

How could Chaney or U.S. government officials use the deaths of people
in 9-11 to justify killing others around the world?

There is something very wrong that such activity can be promoted
by the US media and US government.

They feel they can be blind to their own citizens, and citizens around
the world.

But the world is helping those of NYC who don't want a war, not for
any excuse, especially not for the excuse of how to prevent another
9-11. A world of law is needed, not a world of government officials
who use tragedies as excuses for their agressive attacks on other
countries and peoples.

People in NYC who went to the demonstration on February 15, 2003,
had signs thanking people and countries around the world for standing
up to the U.S. government.

The US press needs to help the US government to cease threatening or
going to an illegal war. The US press should be helping to urge
the US government to abide by international law and US constitutional
law. Instead too much of the US press is a party to the illegal
activity and excuses of the U.S. government. Too much of the press in
the US functions as public relations department for the US government.

Many many people in the US and around the world are trying to do what
we can to stop such arrogant and dangerous behavior on the part of
government officials who despise democracy at home and abroad.

Also, however, we need to find some way to deal with the need for a
press in the US that will be worthy of being protected by the U.S.
constitution to speak out against the US government.


Ronda Hauben
ronda () panix com
-- Dave

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