Extra

I tend to arrive early at political rallies, and then keep my fingers crossed hoping 

that many others will be arriving soon. When I arrived early this time at the Sunday rally on the UC Berkeley campus to protest the extreme right wing hate campaign hundreds had already beat me to it. Soon after several thousands more arrived. It was a beautiful sight and a beautiful rally. The mood was very relaxed and even cheerful. And an exceptionally good musical band cheered us on. Many at the rally were conversing not only with friends but also with others who they met for the first time. Clearly, there was a wonderful sense of community among us. 

Because I have been politically active and have a history of organizing in the East Bay, I knew many people at the rally. None of those who I am acquainted with had any interest in a violent confrontation with our white supremacist opponents. The overwhelming numbers who came to the rally were protesting hate and not advocating hateful actions. 

Yet there was little in the mass media to suggest what a wholesome and non-violent rally, which represented by far, the large majority of rally participants, had occurred. The headline in the SF Chronicle read "Masked Anarchists Rout Right-Wingers." In addition it noted, some protesters were violent. In a Los Angeles Times article we read "A one sided presentation -- "Violence by far-left protesters sparks Alarm". And likewise in the Wall Street Journal -- "Protests Turn Violent in Berkeley; 13 Arrested". 

The problem with the mass media on this issue is not that the reporting is inaccurate. Rather, it is a sin of omission. Indeed, a major sin of the media is what they do not tell us. Those who were involved in questionable conduct were a very small minority. But by failing to tell the entire story, the effect is to blemish the entire rally. It leaves the impression that the rallies was made up mainly of irresponsible people doing irresponsible things. 

The argument that dramatic events are what readers prefer is no excuse for the media's omission. Just browse through the pages of the major newspapers. They are filled with articles of little or no interest to most readers. On the second page of Monday's San Francisco Chronicle the caption of an article on Myanmar (formerly Burma) reads "Casualties Rise As Civilians Try To Flee Fighting". Although important, it would certainly not be as appealing as the huge and peaceful rally in Berkeley.  

We are witnessing and participating in the birth of a progressive political movement. But this is what the establishment media doesn't want you to learn about. Progressives have succeeded so far in discouraging a more aggressive and larger fascist turnout. It is up to us, then, to spread the good news about what we are able to accomplish.