Comments on: Movin On

by: Richard Spisak Jr.

Sat, 07 May 2005 05:51:04 +0000

Those of us, with access to information and the means to pass it along, but create our own journalism.
The corporate media has lost its hypnotic hold on the thinking class. And there is a curious synergy where the continued dumbing down, and freakshow of “coporate media” alienates more and more, both the religious and the ironic clans among us.

While we have the internet, and our printers, we must supportively work together to pass along the data and the news that is quickly being throttled out of the last mass media outlet remaining in the old paradigm… PBS.
But we must remain aware that while the internet remains a powerful distribution model - it may be denied us, at a critical junction. The powers that control the machinery of the state, are not unaware of the INTERNET as a free publishing medium. We must keep our feet unfettered, and keep one foot still on the alternative distribution routes… looking passed the storm and the long shadows…to the coming dawn

solidarity & peace
rick
miamiforpeace.net

by: Meremark

Sat, 07 May 2005 03:40:58 +0000

BOYCOTT Cable TV saves money to give MoveOn, or to some other Movement, especially if MoveOn or some Movement would lead the BOYCOTT.
What can be done to change MainStreamMedia if not destroy it? It is obvious MSM is not going to reform or wake up or mend its ways or take criticism to heart. And when do nothing and like sitting ducks wait to be annihilated is NOT a good option, then Do what? What can one person do? Well, Molly Ivins’ first rule of holes says, When you find yourself in one, stop digging it deeper. In an echoing cave of mind-poisoning MSM, that says to me: Stop paying for the poison. Cancel all subscription payments to media. It probably would need only about a half-million boycotters to bankrupt the cable TV business plan. Boycott satellite TV too.
Some of us. Only a half-million. And if not that many of us can kick the habit then, yes, we probably face the gloom-and-doom future all addicts face. How do we know how much we can disrupt MSM until we try? We DO know how much we accomplish if we just sit there zombied.. BOYCOTT Cable TV.
(Let’s see TV report on this blog story.)

When MSM is destroyed, then we need a new replacement media. One that carries the news. Start building it, that’s what one person can do. Ending the old media, (or ‘burning the bridge’), and being without any might be the necessity of information starvation that prods invention to begin.

It looks like the pieces laying around to build the new media with are word of mouth among friends, co-workers, internet linkers, emailers, free broadcasting and, in general, community meet-ups. CUT-n-PASTE THIS COMMENT, and pass it on. Now you’re doing it, making media — BE A MEDIA CHANNEL, I’m telling ya’. Personal experience has been the more TV I watched the less news I got. And, since I turned off TV I haven’t missed any news — somebody is always telling me ‘Hey, did you hear?’ BOYCOTT Cable TV. Too bad MoveOn moved on, they could have helped spread the word on this.

by: Nathaniel Polster

Mon, 07 Feb 2005 03:30:07 +0000

I’ve read Schechter books. I’ve never seen a Schechter film.
I trust his political justment thoroughly.
What did MoveOn’s two sentences say?
I favor their usinng mainstream media for advertising.
It seems to me ridiculous that they wouldn’t promote a film that addresses the core issue on war or no war—Administration lies and deceptions.
The continuing flow of those lies make a tsunami seem like a dewdrop. Who is distributing the film in Rockville, MD and Chicago?

by: Cameron

Fri, 04 Feb 2005 02:08:31 +0000

Cindy (post 12) makes an excellent point:

>>I received a solicitation for funding to support their latest Social Security ad, but after watching the ad opted not to contribute. It just felt to me like more of the same-o same-o political advertising nobody takes seriously anyway.<<

It’s not just that, but who is the target demographic anyway? How many voters under 25 (or under 35, for that matter) know the what/when/how details of the working lunch? Any AD contradicting the Bush SS machine needs to explain, in clear language, WHY THE CURRENT SYSTEM IS WORTH KEEPING!!! Otherwise, the current Bush media onslaught will succeed.

Perhaps MoveON needs to have another 30 seconds contest to get some fresh ideas flowing…

by: MoveOn Sucks

Fri, 04 Feb 2005 01:48:17 +0000

MoveOn - an “anti-Bush” group that supports Bush’s “War on Terror”. The Democrats’ Trojan Horse for limiting debate:
http://www.oilempire.us/moveon.html

by: K. E.

Thu, 03 Feb 2005 21:15:41 +0000

I also share in the surprise expressed by some commentators about the function some groups like MoveOn perform in our political landscape. On their Web site, it said they were also supportive of running candidates for political office. I wrote to them after the election about this subject (considering a run myself). I never received a response to my first e-mail, even though on November 3, a mass MoveOn e-mail went out to its members about how encouraged, despite Kerry’s loss, some of that outfit’s leaders were because they had gotten an inquiry from a person who was considering a run for public office (in California, I believe). I followed my first e-mail up several weeks later with a second one to the same effect, only to get a canned message about how they can’t respond to individual e-mails!

A number of approaches to the current political landscape will be critical if progressives will have any chance of affecting the tilt we’re in. Instant runoff voting, election reform, accuracy in media (Air America is a breath of fresh air on the airwaves now)–to name a few–are essential for achieving any constructive change. However, so is a galvanized progressive infrastructure. I think that many progressives do not feel that the Democratic Party fully represents their needs, concerns, values and issues. When comparing party platforms, for example, one can infer that many who voted Democratic in the 2004 election expressed views that were ideologically much closer to the Green Party’s platform. Whether the future DNC chair can recognize this and speak to what would be an enormous, energized, financially committed base, is, to me, not yet clear.

But what seems certain is that without a coordinated strategy for running progressive candidates for public offices, showing films (such as yours), appearing in and on the media that are accessible (on-line, in print, and on radio and TV) with people who can speak about salient issues, maybe even getting clerical councils involved in preaching messages of tolerance and compassion to their devotees, etc., then we might well stay in the current climate for quite some time. For example, what if the presidency goes to another Republican in 2008?

by: Michael

Thu, 03 Feb 2005 19:41:57 +0000

Dear Danny, and friends
Having hosted a couple of MoveOn events at my home, it became clear that the orgaization was a mere appendage to the Democratic Party. I truely believe that they see the salvation of this system in the formation of a left wing version of the current flop. The purpose is to save capitalism, but of course. As we slip into the abyss, people MUST be prepared to step out of the BOX and look at what type of society, we must build.
All we hear about are the mounting job losses. The latest being SBC and ATT. The principal cause of bankruptcy ? Medical.
We need a representative political party for the rest of us. The Labor Party, is such an organization. Healthcare as a human right. Check out the web site.
Michael

by: Michael Grello

Thu, 03 Feb 2005 14:55:11 +0000

Independent media is wonderful; it allows US to get the news that otherwise would be unavailable. But it is also preaching to the choir; a free speech zone, if you will. It is cut off from the main population of Americans who need to hear the alternative news. The only way we will get their attention is to publish in the main stream media also.

by: Dr. Sandy Martin

Thu, 03 Feb 2005 14:00:56 +0000

Danny, as founder of the Grassroots Theatre Network, I have previewed your film, “Weapons of Mass Deception.” WMD is a tremendous film. It was our Board of Directors’ first choice to be included in our Grassroots Theatre Network screenings at commercial theatres across the country. Our screenings start in Bethel, Connecticut and Larkspur, California on February 9, and continue across the country during February and March. Supporters interested in seeng the film can inquire at www.grassrootsforamerica.us to check for additional venues. Your strength of spirit is inspiring, and we join you enthusiastically in your call for truth from the nation’s media. Good luck with your opening in New York!

by: Valda Wells

Thu, 03 Feb 2005 05:04:47 +0000

When you raised the question in December, I said that at least for the 2004 election, if not altogether from the beginning and still, they were double agents for the administration.

In June 2003, after their relatively brilliant idea for selecting the Democratic candidate for party nomination, they posted the results briefly after the June 24-25 straw vote and immediately began pushing Kerry after removing all record of the actual results. The fact that Kerry came in #3 after Dean and Kucinich was never mentioned again. They had promised to back the candidate with the most votes, provided the tally was 50% or more of the total vote.

The results (top 4 of field of 9 with total of 317,647 votes cast): Dean - 139,360 votes - 43.87% of total. Kucinich - 76,000 - 23.93%. Kerry - 49,973 - 15.76%. Edwards - 10,146 - 3.19%.

I wrote to MoveOn to question why they had done that, in apparent contradiction to their stated goal. No response was forthcoming. After a while, I wrote to Alternet on this same issue and was again ignored. … more recently, I wonder if their vote was not the first chapter in “correcting” the 2004 voting - so hanging chads and other embarrassments wouldn’t become a problem.