Batman and Robin take on anti-health care reform activists in Highlands Ranch.
(Cross posted on Square State)
It takes a lot of nerve to crash a private campaign house party, but that didn't stop dozens of anti-health care reform activists from Colorado Springs and other areas of the state, one of whom claimed to drive 75 miles, to the home of David and Joni Canter in Highlands Ranch on Saturday. A feisty group of anti-reformers arrived early, took the best seats, and chastised Senator Michael Bennet for not having more public town halls -- even though just in the last two weeks he's held town halls in Telluride, Ouray, Durango, Edwards, Frisco, and Pueblo, to name a few -- attempting to ambush him with questions about "Obama-care" and "illegals." Gracious almost to a fault, David and Joni Canter gave them permission to enter their home thirty minutes before the Senator's arrival.
Admittedly, like many Square State progressives, I was once a Bennet skeptic, incensed Governor Ritter appointed an apparent union-neutral moderate over favored former Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff. I first warmed to Bennet when I hoped he might be the right person to take on CU's own conservative corporatist Bruce Benson in the area of education, at some point in the future. Since then, I have attended numerous Bennet campaign events. Never have I seen Senator Bennet in stronger form than Saturday. The usually mild-mannered, soft-spoken diplomat showed his true grit, and I couldn't have been more impressed.
Senator Bennet thanked the hosts, welcomed everyone to the event, and politely addressed the uninvited guests first. He told them he was happy to answer any questions they had, "except crazy ones." When one of them said, "Crazy on both sides, right?" he replied, "Everyone here knows what I mean".
The freshman Senator from CO pushed up his sleeves and asked for tough questions from people who were skeptical about health care reform. He requested all attendees ask "sincere" questions, try to be non-partisan, and promised to do the same. During each question, he walked up as close to the person asking the question as he could, and looked them in the eye with an attentive and engaged posture. When anti-reformers interrupted each other by talking out of turn, he reminded them who had the floor and asked everyone in the room to be more respectful so he could respond to the question. Clearly, Michael Bennet's experience as Denver Public School's Superintendent paid off in his ability to "manage the classroom."
Several of the anti-reformers mentioned having read "the bill". Senator Bennet looked incredulous, and said cheerfully, yet without personal attack, something to the effect of, "Let's be honest here. No one's read every page of 'the bill' in its entirety. Anyone who said they did is lying. There are four bills under consideration, and one is not even entirely on paper yet". The questioner could not argue the point after having been "called out" on his little "fib".
One by one, Senator Bennet educated the room, correcting misinformation about health care insurance reform. He emphasized the reform efforts were an attempt to fix the economy, reduce debt we pass on to the next generation, and make the entire system more economical and efficient. He also pointed out the VA, Medicaid and Medicare are all government programs (since many audience members were of retirement age, it's a good bet they're already receiving that dreaded "government-run" health care!).
Standing between the doorway of the great room and the foyer where the spillover crowd strained to listen, I was more fortunate than most. As Senator Bennet took aim at misinformation, exposed inaccurate assumptions and presented facts in one room, 6th Congressional Candidate Lt. Col. (Ret.) John Flerlage was doing the same in the foyer. At one point, a friend whispered to me, "You need to go help John in the dining room. 'They' are piled on him three-to-one." As I approached, it was clear to me John Flerlage was doing just fine on his own. The former fighter pilot, like the former School Superintendent, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying each challenge and responding with assertiveness and authority.
To a political junkie, watching a statesman at his craft is as good as it gets. Watching two at once is having the best seat at the political Super Bowl.
**************************************************
Monday, August 24, 2009
No Tears Shed For Newspaper Owners
No Tears Shed For Newspaper Owners
(Cross posted on Square State)
A friend of mine is one of thousands of unemployed journalists in Colorado. She has the wisdom of thirty years experience as a top-notch reporter and Editor, combined with up-to-date web-based blogging and new media technology. Still, she is having trouble finding a job.
Why?
America's standard for "truth" has diminished to the point its' newspapers have all but disappeared.
Thirty years ago, when my friend and other young students were studying in high schools and colleges across the country, journalism was a noble profession, attracting articulate people with a passion for truth, justice and the highest respect for a democratic, free press. Every evening during the dinner hour, Americans watched "the most trusted main in America", Walter Cronkite, tell us what was going on in the world with a sense of urgency and integrity. We never questioned his reports, knowing the journalistic code of ethics was at least as strong as the temptation to take money from sponsors.
There was another reason to trust media journalism thirty years ago. In 1979, the conservative movement's "Moral Majority", had barely begun its' assault on American journalism, with unsupported rants that all mainstream media had a "liberal bias". In 1979, few people took the radical conservative group seriously. Later, bumper stickers would surface all over America reassuring the masses, "The moral majority is niether".
Thirty years ago, the Fairness Doctrine, a policy of the Federal Communications Commission, dictated news programs were obligated to be presented in a fair and truthful manner. The rationale for the Doctrine is that airwaves, like air, are public domain. In 1987, under Ronald Reagan, the Doctrine was repealed and has never been re-instituted. Television news programs and newspapers were no longer obligated to tell the truth, to provide equal coverage of controversial issues, or back up assertions with facts. A relatively unknown, right-wing extremist named Rush Limbaugh was then freed to say anything he wanted, anytime he wanted.
In the smoldering ashes of journalistic integrity, Republican political strategist Roger Ailes gave birth to cable television's Fox News in 1996, arriving just in time to over-report Monica Lewinsky's sexual escapades and Bill Clinton's marital infidelity. The Columbine tragedy in April, 1999 was followed by a preponderance of theories that focused on infrequent church attendance and lack of respect for traditional "family values", rather than debates on access to machine guns by testosterone-driven, clinically depressed students. George Bush was elected (or rather, selected) as neo-conservatives were gaining ground. On September 11, 2001, America was attacked by foreigners, and Fox News found an even bigger niche in nationalistic, ethnocentric fervor.
Conservative media bias became big business. On every channel, in every newspaper, the media suddenly became full of waving flags(as if the flag is a partison symbol!), patriotic parades, stories about rap-music-censoring mothers, talk shows criticizing teen's scandalous clothing, and teens pledging their sexual purity in ring ceremonies. Fundamentalist church membership skyrocketed all over the country.
In 2004, popular Network news anchor Dan Rather of the CBS Evening News learned the hard way not to take on the neo-conservative-influenced corporate media. On September 08, 2004, CBS's "60 Minutes", reported:
"While Sen. Kerry has been targeted for what he did in Vietnam, President Bush has been criticized for avoiding Vietnam by landing a spot in the Texas Air National Guard - and then failing to meet some of his obligations."
For his bravery on this story, Dan Rather was investigated, chastised, humiliated, and accused of "failure to follow basic journalistic principles". "60 Minutes Wednesday" was cancelled, and after reassignment, Dan Rather resigned from CBS the following year.
Meanwhile, use of the internet exploded (thanks, Al Gore!). Sensing disingenuous criticism about the "liberal media", young America turned elsewhere for its' news. They wanted something more fresh, less judgmental and REAL. The weblog, shortened to "blog", was born. Suddenly, everyone could be a journalist, reporting from their own little corner of the Universe. The election of 2008 was due in part to people all over the globe comparing notes on-line, and realizing corporate-owned news did not reflect their reality at all. America was not suffering from moral decline after all; it was suffering from corporate take-over using the religious right's end-of-days fear-mongering as a convenient tool.
As any observer of the Fox-news created tea-bagging events can attest, the average age of their protesters appears to be 60-70 years of age. The habits of young America have been set, and blindly following corporate-owned media is not one of them.
As of July 4th, 105 newspapers have gone out of business in 2009, and more are added to the chopping block every week. Network evening news' ratings have plummeted, no matter how gorgeous they make Katy Couric look night after night. After Walter Cronkite passed away in July, 2009, Time magazine asked again, "Who is the most trusted journalist in America?" and the answer was... comedian Jon Stewart. Corporate-owned Time magazine immediately attributed the result to be a reflection of the American sense of humor (this blogger is not so sure).
When I hear my friend speak of trying to change careers during what should be the peak of her impressive profession as a journalist, my heart-strings tug for her and thousands of other journalists all over the country. Dan Rather made enough money to retire comfortably; my friend has not. I know she will put her talent and wisdom to good use in another field, but it will take some time, effort and money to retrain -- money that could be better used to send her kids to college. Was it her kids' fault corporate-owned media took the easy route, dumbed down their stories, and slanted their reporting to appease neo-conservatives who have no respect for science or reason? This liberal's heart may be bleeding, but it is not for the owners of the newspapers and network news' sponsors.
It's for all of us.
Rest in peace, Walter Cronkite. You will be missed.
(Cross posted on Square State)
A friend of mine is one of thousands of unemployed journalists in Colorado. She has the wisdom of thirty years experience as a top-notch reporter and Editor, combined with up-to-date web-based blogging and new media technology. Still, she is having trouble finding a job.
Why?
America's standard for "truth" has diminished to the point its' newspapers have all but disappeared.
Thirty years ago, when my friend and other young students were studying in high schools and colleges across the country, journalism was a noble profession, attracting articulate people with a passion for truth, justice and the highest respect for a democratic, free press. Every evening during the dinner hour, Americans watched "the most trusted main in America", Walter Cronkite, tell us what was going on in the world with a sense of urgency and integrity. We never questioned his reports, knowing the journalistic code of ethics was at least as strong as the temptation to take money from sponsors.
There was another reason to trust media journalism thirty years ago. In 1979, the conservative movement's "Moral Majority", had barely begun its' assault on American journalism, with unsupported rants that all mainstream media had a "liberal bias". In 1979, few people took the radical conservative group seriously. Later, bumper stickers would surface all over America reassuring the masses, "The moral majority is niether".
Thirty years ago, the Fairness Doctrine, a policy of the Federal Communications Commission, dictated news programs were obligated to be presented in a fair and truthful manner. The rationale for the Doctrine is that airwaves, like air, are public domain. In 1987, under Ronald Reagan, the Doctrine was repealed and has never been re-instituted. Television news programs and newspapers were no longer obligated to tell the truth, to provide equal coverage of controversial issues, or back up assertions with facts. A relatively unknown, right-wing extremist named Rush Limbaugh was then freed to say anything he wanted, anytime he wanted.
In the smoldering ashes of journalistic integrity, Republican political strategist Roger Ailes gave birth to cable television's Fox News in 1996, arriving just in time to over-report Monica Lewinsky's sexual escapades and Bill Clinton's marital infidelity. The Columbine tragedy in April, 1999 was followed by a preponderance of theories that focused on infrequent church attendance and lack of respect for traditional "family values", rather than debates on access to machine guns by testosterone-driven, clinically depressed students. George Bush was elected (or rather, selected) as neo-conservatives were gaining ground. On September 11, 2001, America was attacked by foreigners, and Fox News found an even bigger niche in nationalistic, ethnocentric fervor.
Conservative media bias became big business. On every channel, in every newspaper, the media suddenly became full of waving flags(as if the flag is a partison symbol!), patriotic parades, stories about rap-music-censoring mothers, talk shows criticizing teen's scandalous clothing, and teens pledging their sexual purity in ring ceremonies. Fundamentalist church membership skyrocketed all over the country.
In 2004, popular Network news anchor Dan Rather of the CBS Evening News learned the hard way not to take on the neo-conservative-influenced corporate media. On September 08, 2004, CBS's "60 Minutes", reported:
"While Sen. Kerry has been targeted for what he did in Vietnam, President Bush has been criticized for avoiding Vietnam by landing a spot in the Texas Air National Guard - and then failing to meet some of his obligations."
For his bravery on this story, Dan Rather was investigated, chastised, humiliated, and accused of "failure to follow basic journalistic principles". "60 Minutes Wednesday" was cancelled, and after reassignment, Dan Rather resigned from CBS the following year.
Meanwhile, use of the internet exploded (thanks, Al Gore!). Sensing disingenuous criticism about the "liberal media", young America turned elsewhere for its' news. They wanted something more fresh, less judgmental and REAL. The weblog, shortened to "blog", was born. Suddenly, everyone could be a journalist, reporting from their own little corner of the Universe. The election of 2008 was due in part to people all over the globe comparing notes on-line, and realizing corporate-owned news did not reflect their reality at all. America was not suffering from moral decline after all; it was suffering from corporate take-over using the religious right's end-of-days fear-mongering as a convenient tool.
As any observer of the Fox-news created tea-bagging events can attest, the average age of their protesters appears to be 60-70 years of age. The habits of young America have been set, and blindly following corporate-owned media is not one of them.
As of July 4th, 105 newspapers have gone out of business in 2009, and more are added to the chopping block every week. Network evening news' ratings have plummeted, no matter how gorgeous they make Katy Couric look night after night. After Walter Cronkite passed away in July, 2009, Time magazine asked again, "Who is the most trusted journalist in America?" and the answer was... comedian Jon Stewart. Corporate-owned Time magazine immediately attributed the result to be a reflection of the American sense of humor (this blogger is not so sure).
When I hear my friend speak of trying to change careers during what should be the peak of her impressive profession as a journalist, my heart-strings tug for her and thousands of other journalists all over the country. Dan Rather made enough money to retire comfortably; my friend has not. I know she will put her talent and wisdom to good use in another field, but it will take some time, effort and money to retrain -- money that could be better used to send her kids to college. Was it her kids' fault corporate-owned media took the easy route, dumbed down their stories, and slanted their reporting to appease neo-conservatives who have no respect for science or reason? This liberal's heart may be bleeding, but it is not for the owners of the newspapers and network news' sponsors.
It's for all of us.
Rest in peace, Walter Cronkite. You will be missed.
1500 people Show Up to Make Mike Coffman Squirm
(XP on Square State)
I went to four rallies during the last couple of weeks for health care. For each of those rallies, I facebook messaged, emailed and called hundreds of my friends to death to get them to get others to attend. So did the amazing folks at SEIU/Change That Works, Health Care for All Colorado, and Organizing For America. Ed Perlmutter's in Brighton, the Nancy Pelosi event in Denver, the rally at the Capitol - all were exciting and in the neighborhood of 300-500 people, or so.
We were told not to bother with Mike Coffman's Town Hall since he was a Republican. Arapahoe County will get tons of Republican people to show up, and that kind of rally does not need extra media attention, we were told.
But we didn't listen to the "experts".
Instead, we took our memories of Mike Coffman purging thousands of our (mostly Democratic) votes last year, and we turned them into positive energy. We recycled our disgust thinking about how his office gave out incorrect information to voter registrars, then denied it later, and with it, we created passion. We took our anger at his "No" votes on everything President Barack Obama has tried to accomplish thus far, and we turned it into teamwork. We turned out half of the 1500 people in Littleton last night, armed with questions, facts, passion and certainty.
We knocked their socks off. We - the volunteers who turned Arapahoe County blue in 2008, Arapahope Community Team members like Todd Mata, Donna Galassi and Dr. Carol Blackard, and Arapahoe County Organizing for America folks like Donovan ODell, Betty Harris, and so many others.
This happened in Congressional District 6, the district many state "experts" refuse to believe will ever go Democratic -- the area the CO Democratic Party doesn't want to pour money into to help us out. "Land that Dems Forgot", if you will, despite the fact Arapahoe County went blue for the first time in more than half a century, and Douglas County was the fastest growing county in the US during most of the last decade (just ask all the NY and CA transplants how they plan to vote).
I remember in early January being told I was crazy to host a Drinking Liberally chapter in Centennial every week. "No one does it every week", they said. There aren't enough Democrats in Arapahoe County or all of the 6th Congressional District to meet every week. Well, tell that to the 20 people, on average, who attend the Drinking Liberally Centennial chapter at Bistro Al Vino every Monday night.
Want to see the impossible? Next November, Democrats are going to beat Mike Coffman in the November election. Lt. Col(ret) John Flerlage will be our Congressman. We are going to be known as the county that did the impossible. Don't believe me?
Watch.
There is nothing this Living Liberally Chapter leader loves to uncork more than another bottle of "Whoop-ass", and serving it up to Democratic friends in CO-06.
**************************************************
I went to four rallies during the last couple of weeks for health care. For each of those rallies, I facebook messaged, emailed and called hundreds of my friends to death to get them to get others to attend. So did the amazing folks at SEIU/Change That Works, Health Care for All Colorado, and Organizing For America. Ed Perlmutter's in Brighton, the Nancy Pelosi event in Denver, the rally at the Capitol - all were exciting and in the neighborhood of 300-500 people, or so.
We were told not to bother with Mike Coffman's Town Hall since he was a Republican. Arapahoe County will get tons of Republican people to show up, and that kind of rally does not need extra media attention, we were told.
But we didn't listen to the "experts".
Instead, we took our memories of Mike Coffman purging thousands of our (mostly Democratic) votes last year, and we turned them into positive energy. We recycled our disgust thinking about how his office gave out incorrect information to voter registrars, then denied it later, and with it, we created passion. We took our anger at his "No" votes on everything President Barack Obama has tried to accomplish thus far, and we turned it into teamwork. We turned out half of the 1500 people in Littleton last night, armed with questions, facts, passion and certainty.
We knocked their socks off. We - the volunteers who turned Arapahoe County blue in 2008, Arapahope Community Team members like Todd Mata, Donna Galassi and Dr. Carol Blackard, and Arapahoe County Organizing for America folks like Donovan ODell, Betty Harris, and so many others.
This happened in Congressional District 6, the district many state "experts" refuse to believe will ever go Democratic -- the area the CO Democratic Party doesn't want to pour money into to help us out. "Land that Dems Forgot", if you will, despite the fact Arapahoe County went blue for the first time in more than half a century, and Douglas County was the fastest growing county in the US during most of the last decade (just ask all the NY and CA transplants how they plan to vote).
I remember in early January being told I was crazy to host a Drinking Liberally chapter in Centennial every week. "No one does it every week", they said. There aren't enough Democrats in Arapahoe County or all of the 6th Congressional District to meet every week. Well, tell that to the 20 people, on average, who attend the Drinking Liberally Centennial chapter at Bistro Al Vino every Monday night.
Want to see the impossible? Next November, Democrats are going to beat Mike Coffman in the November election. Lt. Col(ret) John Flerlage will be our Congressman. We are going to be known as the county that did the impossible. Don't believe me?
Watch.
There is nothing this Living Liberally Chapter leader loves to uncork more than another bottle of "Whoop-ass", and serving it up to Democratic friends in CO-06.
**************************************************
Monday, August 10, 2009
Keeping the peace at rallies.
Effective strategies for keeping the peace at rallies.
Whichever side of the political fence you are on, or maybe even on another plane altogether, you may be concerned as I am about the potential for violence at the Town Halls for Health Care Reform. I would like to ask for your help.
Many of us who have been involved in social justice movements before have learned some things about protests and rallies. We know how crowds can be whipped up into a frenzy, and we know how they are calmed. We can use our skills to assist in keeping the rallies peaceful. Can you help get the word out to other members of our faith who may have the opportunity to assist at these rallies, and ask them to help keep the peace?
Effective strategies for keeping the peace at rallies:
Encourage people to make only positive signs about their point of view.
Encourage sign-makers and speakers to speak from a place of their values versus their anger.
Let the security guards and police know you appreciate them, and offer your assistance if they need anything.
Encourage protesters on both sides to avoid confrontations with people who seem overly agitated.
Encourage people to SING rather than to chant. Bring a megaphone and help get the singing started. What to sing? We shall overcome, God Bless America, The National Anthem, Our Country Tis of Thee, This Land is Your Land, etc. When people sing, they are les likely to fight. We have witnessed success in many civil rights and social justice movements in the past, and we can use our wisdom to help. keep the peace.
Bring water and share it. Nothing can lead to hot tempers like a hot day. Offer it to people of both sides as a sign of brotherhood/sisterhood.
Carry a cell phone, and a camera or videocamera, just in case.
Thank-you to all of you who are working tirelessly to help bring peace and compromise to this heated issue. May something good come out of this important dialogue.
Whichever side of the political fence you are on, or maybe even on another plane altogether, you may be concerned as I am about the potential for violence at the Town Halls for Health Care Reform. I would like to ask for your help.
Many of us who have been involved in social justice movements before have learned some things about protests and rallies. We know how crowds can be whipped up into a frenzy, and we know how they are calmed. We can use our skills to assist in keeping the rallies peaceful. Can you help get the word out to other members of our faith who may have the opportunity to assist at these rallies, and ask them to help keep the peace?
Effective strategies for keeping the peace at rallies:
Encourage people to make only positive signs about their point of view.
Encourage sign-makers and speakers to speak from a place of their values versus their anger.
Let the security guards and police know you appreciate them, and offer your assistance if they need anything.
Encourage protesters on both sides to avoid confrontations with people who seem overly agitated.
Encourage people to SING rather than to chant. Bring a megaphone and help get the singing started. What to sing? We shall overcome, God Bless America, The National Anthem, Our Country Tis of Thee, This Land is Your Land, etc. When people sing, they are les likely to fight. We have witnessed success in many civil rights and social justice movements in the past, and we can use our wisdom to help. keep the peace.
Bring water and share it. Nothing can lead to hot tempers like a hot day. Offer it to people of both sides as a sign of brotherhood/sisterhood.
Carry a cell phone, and a camera or videocamera, just in case.
Thank-you to all of you who are working tirelessly to help bring peace and compromise to this heated issue. May something good come out of this important dialogue.
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