[Peace] Sinclair/WICD Picket (online video clips)

[Randall Cotton]

There are online video clips of "Stolen Honor" available at the film's web
site:

http://www.stolenhonor.com/documentary/program-excerpts.asp

Here's just one little gem:

"Lieutenant Kerry painted a depraved portrait of Vietnam veterans, literally
creating the image of those who served in combat as deranged drug-addicted
psychopaths - baby killers."

Judge for yourself =8-P
R

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Randall Cotton" <recotton at earthlink.net>
To: <peace at lists.groogroo.com>; <ucprogressives at lists.groogroo.com>
Sent: Monday, October 18, 2004 1:43 PM
Subject: [Peace] Sinclair/WICD Picket scheduled 10/23 (after Unity March)


: Here are details on the picket being organized at WICD's office in
: Champaign. Some AWARE members (including myself) already plan on attending
: this picket, which will take place immediately after the Unity March event
: (see the AWARE website at anti-war.net for full details on the Unity
March).
:
: There is also a Sinclair/WICD petition being circulated (a copy is
attached)
:
: An announcement flyer for the picket is attached. Here are the details
from
: the flyer:
:
: ---- begin flyer text ---- 
: PICKET Sinclair Broadcasting/WICD (ch 15)
:
: Protest:
: - Slanted news commentary The Point with Mark Hyman
: - Preemption of prime-time programming to air Stolen Honor, a one-sided
: political film presented commercial-free as a news documentary
:
: Saturday, October 23rd
: Following the UNITY MARCH[1]
:
: Meet the organizers at 11:00 am[2]
: At the fountain in West Side Park, Champaign (between University and
: Church).
:
: We will organize, review the rules, and reconvene at the picketing site in
: front of WICD.
:
: Contacts:             Colleen Vojak  398-5134    or Jean Stoia  367-3537
:
: [1] For information about the Unity March, contact Carol Ammons at
: lifestratinst19 at sbcglobal.net!
: [2] If the Unity March has not yet ended at 11:00, we will meet
immediately
: after the Unity March!
: ---- end flyer text ----
:
: Also, I'm forwarding the following from one of the picket's organizers,
Jean
: Stoia. This issue (Sinclair airing a Kerry smear on all 62 of its TV
: stations with no forum for opposing views) crosses ideological lines and
: nationwide opposition is rising from all political corners - the
organizers'
: goal is to involve folks from all political persuasions. Note that the
: organizers are in "desperate need" of volunteers to assist them.
:
: R
: ---------
: >From Jean Stoia (flwriter at pdnt.com):
:
: There has been a lot of strong negative reation from both the left and
right
: to Sinclair Broadcasting (Channel 15) forcing their 62 stations to
pre-empt
: national programming to present the highly political film, "Stolen Honor,"
: without providing a smilar equivalent venue for opposing views in order to
: attempt to influence the outcome of the election just days before the
: election. It is 40 minutes of commercial-free advertising for Bush that
will
: reach 25% of the viewing market. Imagine a hapless viewer tuning into 15
to
: watch their favorite program, and hearing an announcement that regular
: programming will be suspended to present a special NEWS DOCUMENTARY.
:
: I would not support the airing of Fahrenhiet 911 as a news documentary,
just
: as I do not support this airing. Sinclair is an extremely right-wing media
: conglomerate that even pre-empted the Nightline program slated to read the
: names of fallen Iraqi soldiers because they felt it would reflect badly on
: Bush.  They have contributed the maximum amount allowable to the Bush
: campaing.
:
: The airwaves are reserved for "fair and balanced" reporting and must be
used
: in the public's best interest by law.  The airwaves are a public trust.
The
: movie, which was weeks in making, was produced by the swift boaters.
:
: Sinclair has said Kerry can show up and answer questions on the spot.
This
: is not an equivalent response forum to a pre-edited, slick, Hallmark type
: "docu-drama."  The film includes highly edited and out of context comments
: by Kerry and will present POW's reaction to anti-vietnam protests.  They
are
: expected to say how demoralized they were hearing Kerry's remarks before
: Congress after the war.
:
: Some are calling the "the October surprise."  Because it reaches such a
wide
: market, it is expected to profoundly affect the election.
:
: If Bush wins the election, it is felt the airing of this film, will call
: into credibility the legitimacy of the president, much like what happened
in
: 2000
:
: An FCC Official, Michael Copps said; (it) is an abuse of the public
: trust...(it) is proof positive of media consolidation run amok when one
: owner can use the public airwaves to blanket the country with its politcal
: ideology - whether liberal of conservative."
:
: The FCC is a non-partisan governement agency that is supposed to protect
the
: airwaves from abuse.
:
: Attached  is a copy of the Picket Flyer, the Petition, and a couple of
: articles providing context for the our concerns.  There is a petition
: signing, sign making, and picket awareness party at David Sutton's house
on
: Wed, from 5-8pm.  He lives in Savoy at 1017 Hadley in the Devonshire
: Subdivision.  Go S. on Prospect, Right on Harrington, L on Noel; SE corner
: of Hadley and Noel.  Please encourage your friends to come out and sign
the
: petition.
:
: We are asking people to join us in picketing Channel 15, after we meet at
: the fountain following the march.
:
: We feel the issue cuts across political ideologies.
:
: PLEASE FORWARD ALL TO YOUR LISTSERV GROUP OF SPONSORS AND OTHER INTERESTED
: PARTIES.  People should feel free to download the flyers and distribute
them
: at will.
:
: We desperately need volunteers to help with all aspects of the the picket
: since the idea came up so late.  Even if you can't come, you could help
: beforehand. Please have interested helpers call me at 367-3537 or 369-2092
: or email me at flwriter at pdnt.com or call Colleen Vojak at 398-5134 or
email
: at vojack at uiuc.edu.
:
: All interested are encouraged to download and print out the picket flyer
and
: distribute and download the petition and collect signatures to give to me.
:
: Please make signs to bring to the park.  Some suggestions:  "Stolen Honor"
: Stolen Airwaves
:
: Please encourage people to email Sinclair and WICD
:
: Jean Stoi
:


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