Photo Credit Eva Russo Times Dispatch 3/3/12
On March 3, 2012 a women’s right’s march was held, with the marchers intending to rally on the steps of the capitol building built by Thomas Jefferson. There is video of that march here: http://youtu.be/hQXjsEGTeEU The protesters march across up the street chanting “This is what democracy looks like.” They are carrying signs and women’s rights banners. They march across the grassy lawn towards the capital steps. A smaller group of the marchers, looks like about 50, mount the steps and begin to speak and hold up banners.
From the video, the marchers are totally nonviolent. Nothing is thrown. They talk about the passage of a bill requiring ultrasounds and their right to control their own bodies. However, they are told to leave or get arrested. Rather than leave, they sit down, with some leaving. 31 are arrested.
These guys come marching in. The protesters stay seated, silent, peaceful.
To control this group of mostly female, totally peaceful protesters, the armament includes machine guns.
Most of the protesters are, in fact, silent. Virginia is having a primary on March 6, 2012 – three days after this extraordinary violation of the right of free speech, and assembly, all about control of women, by Republican Governor McDonnell – it feels like suffragettes, or the year 1900. I wonder just what the endorsement of this governor means in the Republican primary? Our media isn’t covering this, but Virginia’s citizen journalists and media are in a frenzy. After all, I could find these photos on facebook, 11 videos on youtube (I choose my favorite) and more. As an aside, if you join the “festivities’ in Rahm Emmanuel’s Chicago this May, you had best bring your camera and video equipment – and know to whom to make your one call, if Richmond is willing to attack women’s rights protesters this way I imagine Chicago will be even more paranoid and over reactive.
Anyway, rather than the right of assembly and petition, or citizens airing their grievances, this is how the steps of Virginia’s capitol building looked (did I mention it was built by Thomas Jefferson)
Yup, here is free speech and assembly – Gov. McDonnell and Virginia style circa 2012.
But I don’t have to guess what Thomas Jefferson would say; not really.
Jefferson already said it: “When people fear their government there is tyranny; when government fears the people, there is liberty.” A young men carried this sign during one of Occupy Boston’s marches in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street.
Will these arrests and the evident militarization of Virginia under McDonnell effect the Virginia primary and the 2012 election? Time will tell.
But, if nothing else, I hope this foray into current events and free speech helps YOU remember to vote. If 100% of us voted, paid attention, and fought for what we believe in, government would fear us and the citizens would reclaim democracy. It all begins with showing up to vote, the dance of democracy.
…but I have no doubt given their record that MSNBC will be all over this Monday night, Maddow especially.
Don’t we supposedly have a 24-hour news cycle? Does it shut down for the weekend? The Corporate Media are going to minimize their reporting on this to whatever extent they can. It’s what they always do when something happens that reflects badly on the establishment. Excusing their doing it because “it’s the weekend” is what’s called enabling. If they don’t report on it Monday, some people will excuse it because “that’s yesterday’s news,” and therefore no longer of interest.
I just know that MSNBC weekend primetime is prison documentaries rather than shows that would cover this. Yes, the news cycle does still slow down some on weekends, which is why people often leak bad news late Friday when it is least likely to get a lot of attention.
Neither was Mr Holder’s speech justifying government murders noted in the MSM. How different if John Mitchell had given the speech?
It seems that if you want US news it is best to go to overseas sites. US sources tend to be alert for Kardashian news. At least until the Internet is shut down, then we’ll just have to rely on rumor and gossip as they do in other totalitarian societies.
“Calvin: Do you believe in the devil? You know, a supreme evil being dedicated to the temptation, corruption, and destruction of man? Hobbes: I’m not sure that man needs the help” –Bill Watterson
And I gather up and fact check when a whiff of news comes my way, and I can make the time. it is a bit late, but I had something that needed to be said about Tar Sands. Again. So I have a new post up. But Iell you, the Republicans may go the way of the Whig party with their attacks on Women