CNN calls Anti-War protesters Anti-Troop!!

[GlenP]

Below is an E-mail I JUST sent to CNN.

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Kathleen Coke (sp?) was reporting on CNN Newsroom at ~7:07 pm PST on Saturday 9/15/07 in regard to the Anti-War protests in Washington D.C. today when she spoke of the small group of Pro-War opposition counter protesters. In commenting on them she stated approximately "a smaller group of 'Pro-Troop' counter-protesters..."

How DARE she (you CNN) impugn the Anti-War protesters, who represent the majority opinion of the American people as being Anti-Troop. No Americans are more PRO-TROOP than those who believe our troops should NEVER be inappropriately sent into war based on lies and for ulterior motives, and that they should only be sent to risk life and limb in war when there are absolutely NO other alternatives.

Nonchalantly referring to the pro-Iraq-war side as 'Pro-Troop' you automatically imply that the other side is ANTI-troop. That is an absolute OUTRAGE, and I intend on calling attention to this across the Internet, which will be another black eye on CNN for biased ignorant reporting. You may not be as bad as Fox News, but you're fast approaching their level of dishonesty. And don't try to tell me "Well that's what they call themselves". If that's the case then you ought to speak of them as "the pro-Iraq-war, self-proclaimed, pro-troop counter protesters", or simply "pro-Iraq-war".

You have done this in the past when speaking of the evangelical anti-gay-rights Christian groups by referring to them as "Pro-Family organization " SURE that's what they call themselves but without using qualifiers YOU CNN non-nonchalantly referring to such groups as "Pro-Family organizations" are AUTOMATICALLY implying that the gay-rights groups and gay people in general, are ANTI-Family!!

Either stop doing reporting like this, or I will not only stop watching CNN (just as I won't go anywhere near Fox News), but I will make it a mission of mine to expose and disparage your station and news web site. That is not a threat, but simply a reasonable response by someone who cares about accurate reporting, to ensure that people are not purposely swayed and misinformed by less-than-accurate reporting and commentary.

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Please contact them about this (especially if you've seen this segment).

[MadMaddie]

1. Good Response...

We have to start going after them....they are talking heads not news reporters...

[Kagemusha]

2. Er, I take it that the counter-protestors call themselves "pro-troop"?

I know CNN isn't forced to use that term, but I've heard of the reporter style guides. If Inuit want to be called Inuit and not Eskimo, you call them Inuit unless you can take a lot of heat to the contrary. There's a bias towards what groups choose to call themselves. That's why they don't call anti-abortion protesters "anti-choice" in ordinary reporting.

[gateley]

13. Well then we can call ourselves Pro Troop/Pro Peace demonstrators. Fuck 'em.

[Kagemusha]

14. Well we should!

I'm not kidding, we darn well should.

[gateley]

15. I've already begun on other threads. It's amazing how slick those people are. nt

[gateley]

16. And back to your first post regarding the term "anti-choice" -- they don't

even call themselves "anti-abortion" -- but "pro-life" thereby subtly indicating...

Starting to see the pattern here...

[patrice]

3. Thank you for your Activism GlenP!

I didn't see the segment, but I think I'll go over to CNN and tell them they are anti-American since they are obviously against People freely and independently making their own minds up about what is moral and standing up for what their conscience tells them without leaning on others to support them in their moral decisions.

[Arugula Latte]

4. I heard that and called their comment line immediately. I was livid.

:grr:

Same old shit from the lousy corporate media. They utterly suck.

[LibDemAlways]

5. The CBS Evening news gave as much time (about 10 seconds)

to the thousands marching aagainst the war as they did a dozen or so pro-war counter-protestors holding a single sign. Catapulting the propaganda. It's what they do.

[ShortnFiery]

6. Expect nothing else from a Corporate Press beholden to their Masters of Perpetual War.

:thumbsdown: :nuke:

[rodeodance]

7. where do we send a memo to?

[patrice]

9. There is a comment link at the bottom of the CNN page with the video. nt

[patrice]

8. I watched their video and then sent this comment:

Kathleen Koch's characterization of supporters of the Occupation of Iraq as "Pro Troop" implies that Anti-War demonstrators are anti-Troops. Not only does CNN demonstrate again that it is a TOOL of the government, but it also demonstrates that it is anti-American. For in its negative attitude toward the Peace Movement it shows that CNN is against the primacy of Individual independent Conscience with which many Americans identify by virtue of our FREEDOM to make our own moral choices. Those of us who have decided that this war is immoral can and do support the Troops, because many enlisted out of economic necessity AND they were LIED to and MIS-USED.

[superkia]

10. Americans need to wake up before its too late!

Dennis Kucinich has been ignored by the media this way since the campaigns started, Clinton and Edwards were caught at that earlier debate saying they needed to get rid of the little guys, does anyone realize what Kucinich stands for? Does anyone really listen to him or do we all just ignore him like the media? Stop and think a minute, you support the medias agenda, does that make since to you? Dennis Kucinich is stepping up and speaking out all the time about things like what happened today. Our rights are being taken away from us and he is the only candidate that is truly standing up for the constitution and our rights. I know everyone has their favorites, if obama I is the nominee I would vote for him, if its Edwards I would vote for him but my first choice by far is for the one representing the people not the corporations, Dennis Kucinich! We truly need change in this country and if we ignore the one voice thats standing up for us, we deserve what happens next. Well, I don't because my vote will cast for the rights of me and my family, I just hope someone else cares about their rights before its too late? We will see.

If we make the wrong choice again, will the media cover the little guy at all next time? We may not get another chance to save our rights.

[patrice]

11. So will there be Kucinich convention observers in Denver Aug '08?

There will if be a few Kucinich delegates out of the caucuses, I suppose, but I was wondering if observers will attend the Democratic convention too?

[RFKJrNews]

12. Well, at least they're not calling us "Anti-American" anymore...

...like they were after 9/11. Anyone who dared to question the government (or the media, in their infinite wisdom) was practically labeled a terrorist. Remember those days?

But for CNN to suggest that those who oppose this war are "anti-troop" only exposes their bias for what it obviously is. (Don't forget who their top advertisers are...how can you miss those Lockheed-Martin ads they run in every spot block? You know, the ads with our flag waving in the background behind images of fighting soldiers? Designed to tug at the American heartstrings, no?)

Great letter to CNN. Thanks for posting it here at DU for all to see!

[tom_paine]

17. Yawn. CNN does Bushie Infoganda...what else in new?

:boring: