"You Aren't Even TRYING to Hide It Anymore, Are You?"

[IdaBriggs]

I'm not in the DU Activist Corps, but here's my letter to the AP re: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=106x21766 and I join with Skinner and the DU Activist Corps in encouraging everyone else to share their opinions on this article with the AP at [e-mail] -- I'm still pissed, even after this rant to them!

I don't normally waste my time responding to all of the inaccuracies perpetrated by the AP, but this time you folks got my blood boiling, and I am responding.

In reference to your story, "Patriotic Camp Springs Up to Counter Peace Mom's Anti-War Demonstration Near President's Ranch" by Angela K. Brown (http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBFH5JNMCE.html), the LOWEST standards of journalism are displayed in not just the headline, but the entire article, which contains some of the most obvious lies, slurs, and non-clever innuendo EVER to disguise itself as "journalism." In fact, I think "PROPAGANDA" would better describe the article!!!

"Patriotic Camp" as a description in reference to the sparsely populated PRO-WAR group camped in Crawford has got to be one of the most insulting things EVER written, especially since THE VAST MAJORITY OF THIS COUNTRY (INCLUDING THE MILITARY) are completely against this war and the way it is being run. According to your writer, we are NOT patriotic. Are you INSANE??? Or just STUPID? Our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, moms and dads are DYING FOR A LIE -- remember all those "weapons of mass destruction" that YOU FOLKS DIDN'T BOTHER TO FACT CHECK? Or how about that "freedom is on the march" nonsense that turns out to be Islamic fundamentalism instead? Or any of the other excuses for some of the WORST JUDGMENT BY A PRESIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY that have got us into a disastrous QUAGMIRE??? And you think trying to FIX this mess isn't PATRIOTIC???

We have a man in the office of President who is not only a FAILED BUSINESSMAN, with a long history of DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE (documented by police record, and public admission), but apparently says CRUDE, INSANE AND STUPID THINGS like "I've got to get on with my life" as an explanation of how he handles the rising death toll in Iraq occurring while he is on HIS FIVE WEEK VACATION -- and your reporter writes AN OPINION PIECE INSULTING ANYONE WHO IS BRIGHT ENOUGH TO OPPOSE WAR???

The credibility problem the "Main Stream Media" is having is 100% due to this type of writing and editorial malpractice. You people didn't tell the truth, STILL don't tell the truth, and PUBLICLY INSULT the PATRIOTIC PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM THAT YOU HELPED TO CREATE WITH YOUR REFUSAL TO REVEAL ANYTHING THAT MIGHT EMBARRASS THE "PRESIDENT!"

How dare you! You need to chastise not just the "reporter" who wrote this nonsense (although I personally believe that a demotion is in order until some basic journalism classes are passed), but also the EDITOR who let this DRIVEL through, and PUBLICLY apologize for the SLANDER you have perpetrated!!!

And in the meantime, I pray Dante is right, and that there is a special place reserved in hell for not just TRAITORS to their country like George W. Bush, but also for the enablers whose half-truths, innuendos and outright LIES have helped him to continue with the disastrous policies that are destroying our country!!!

In Utter Contempt,
I Remain,
Mrs. Ida Briggs

[LoKnLoD]

1. You go Ida

Great letter. Nominated!

[IdaBriggs]

3. Thank you!

:blush:

[B Calm]

16. Kicking for the morning crowd! MUST READ

[MadisonProgressive]

62. Holy Cow!

Don't mess with Ida!!

[IdaBriggs]

67. Why, THANK YOU!

That is officially one of my favorite comments to this thread! :blush:

[MadisonProgressive]

76. Thank you! And THANK YOU!!

[notadmblnd]

2. That would be a good one to send to Nora Odonnel too

she called the people at camp Casey anti-war extremest today while sitting in for that damn Tweety on Hardball.

Good on you Idabriggs!

[IdaBriggs]

4. I can't watch Hardball due to its obvious bias.

It just makes me mad. Feel free to "cut and paste" as appropriate if you want to send it, though.

And thank you for the compliment! :) :blush:

[notadmblnd]

5. oh thank you,

I think I will.

[Pachamama]

58. I was screaming at the TV when she said that and the rightwing talk radio

piece of shit that they had on. Coleen Rawley atleast set Nora O'Donnell and the piece of shit hate monger straight by saying that they are NOT extremists. The only thing that Colleen Rawley forgot to add was that the only EXTREMISTS here were people like the hate monger that Nora Odonnell was cowering too and allowing such irresponsible statements to be made about people who love their country and want to stop the insanity being perpetrated against us.

[eeyore]

6. Wow!

That was really amazing. It sounded like my mom was dressing me down when I knew I was wrong. They should feel incredibly ashamed, indeed!!

:yourock:

[IdaBriggs]

7. Thank you!

And Wow! Six votes for the Greatest Page -- when did THAT happen? I am so HONORED!!

:) :blush:

[Lochloosa]

20. How about 22 votes for the greatest page..beautiful letter

and nominated for the front page...

[IdaBriggs]

27. Thank you!

Its at 25 now -- I am STUNNED!!! And so honored, it isn't even funny! To all the people who are replying, THANK YOU!!! And, please, write your own letter, too! :)

[emanymton]

8. Doubt This Will Make It Past The 'Hate Mail' Bag. File and Forget.

[xchrom]

13. hmmmm?

why would you say that?
conservatives use this tactic quite successfully.

the letter was spot on.

[emanymton]

15. I Agree With The Letter. Do You Think AP Cares? It's The Money ...

that counts.

[blue neen]

88. Maybe AP cares and maybe they don't. The point is, WE DO!

Do we have to sit back and take the propaganda that they are manufacturing? Hell, no. If you want to, that's your choice.

Now be a nice Democrat and give Ida her just props.

[loudsue]

9. Wow! And WOW! 'Bout time someone said these things!

:loveya: IdaBriggs...that was awesome! :hug:

:patriot: I salute you

:applause: I applaud you

:bounce: And I'm REALLY glad you said what has needed to be said for way too long. The media SUCKS!!!!

[fooj]

10. Way to hold those rat bastards accountable!

I salute you!:patriot:

Peace.

[Cooley Hurd]

11. If they keep it up, "patriotic" will become a negative term...

As you stated in your letter, the majority of Americans are now firmly against this war, and if they keep using the term "patriotic" to describe pro-war advocates, then people will start associating the term with them, and reject it in much the same way they've rejected the war.

Excellent letter, Ida! Recommended.

[sendero]

21. Beautiful letter..

.... I never knew patriotic was defined as "willing to send other people's kids to die for a lie".

[ElectroPrincess]

12. Oh Ida, You're the best! = You're the WOMAN! :-) /eom

[B Calm]

14. Remind me not to play darts with Ida!! Bulls Eye Ida

[lynettebro440]

17. I love it when that time finally comes

for us when this administration and the media finally crosses the line and we can so eloquently and powerfully express how it is we really feel. For some it is early others it is later, but all and all we are all finally getting there. Ida, please start writing letters to everyone that pisses you off, because girl you have some of that "Cindy" in you, and that get's their attention. Let it all out Ma'am because you deserve to be heard with a megaphone to help you say what it is you want to say for all of them to hear. Thank you for sharing that. Kicked and Nominated.

:kick:

[tlsmith1963]

18. We Need to Start Making the Media Accountable

They have let Bush have a free ride for too long. It's time to take our media back. I miss being able to watch the news without turning it off in disgust & frustration.

Tammy

[txindy]

19. Don't hold back.

;) Well done! I couldn't have put it better, myself. You called them on their obvious bias. I am past disgusted with the SCLM.

[leftchick]

22. Ida

:yourock: girl!

Take that GE/MSRNC!!!!

[Bassic]

23. Maybe someday if enough of us do this sort of thing

than we can take back the conservative media. :D

[coffeenap]

24. Thank you Ida.

[Mad_Dem_X]

25. Hot damn! GREAT letter!

Says everything that needs to be said. Good job!!! :toast: :kick:

[newportdadde]

26. Great letter.

[ooglymoogly]

28. speak the truth....

and yell it to the rooftops...for we are suffocating under a comforter of lies. you go ida....kick n nom

[bear425]

29. Wow. Excellent letter. Please let us know if you get a response! n/t

[IdaBriggs]

37. Definitely! So far there has been none....

And thank you for the nice compliments! (That goes for everyone else, too!) :) :blush:

[glitch]

30. The corporate media is trashing it's own reputation.

They are not credible anymore, through no fault but their own.
They think our complaints are fringe, meanwhile their viewership plummets.

[raccoon]

32. Your post warms my heart. nt

[raccoon]

31. Your letter kicks butt!

You mentioned der Chimpenfuehrer saying "CRUDE, INSANE AND STUPID THINGS like "I've got to get on with my life" "

Also, things like, "Bring 'em on!"

A stupid, idiotic, totally irresponsible thing for the leader of any country to say, and if Clinton had said that, the corporated media hoes would have gone ON AND ON AND ON about it.


(edited for spelling)

[CitrusLib]

33. Wow, tell us how you really feel.

:yourock:

[JohnyCanuck]

34. Are you INSANE??? Or just STUPID?

They're neither insane nor stupid. They're just doing their job as they see it as a member of the corporate media. They're Brainwashing America.

[electropop]

35. Just wrote them too.

"I am writing to complain about the following disgusting display of anti-American bias:

Patriotic Camp Springs Up to Counter Peace Mom's Anti-War Demonstration Near President's Ranch
By Angela K. Brown Associated Press Writer
Published: Aug 20, 2005

The implicit message is that being pro-illegal war is "Patriotic," while being pro-peace is somehow "unpatriotic."

I urge you to reprimand the author and any editors involved in releasing this garbage."

[SammyWinstonJack]

36. Most excellent!

And well deserved! :applause:

[northzax]

38. nice work, Ida, and some constructive criticism

First off, I appreciate your passion, I think we all do. But this letter will never get out of someone's inbox, where it will be read by an intern. First off, it's too long. Anything over about 150 words, they won't run without serious editing. Second off, your passionate language, while cathartic and helpful in a rant, diminishes your point. Putting words in all caps allows them to pigeonhole you as a kook, which you most certainly are not.:) The catch on writing letters like this is to seem as reasonable as possible, don't give them the excuse of 'oh, that person's just a nutcase" to not pay attention.

if I were to submit this letter to my local rag (the Post) I would keep the paragraphs two, three and the last, and excise the first line, and pp's 4, 5, 6. Don't make this about Bush, make this about the war. Don't let them say "oh, another Bush-hater, how boring" you make your point in 2 and 3 without needed in the (wholly correct, but not directly relevant) diatribe that follows. I'm also skeptical about the use of Dante, that's so going over the head of most people!

yours-

[FlaGranny]

48. Sometimes you just have to do something

because it feels good.

[IdaBriggs]

50. Thank you. I will try to remember your points for future letters.

But Dante being over the head of most people? No way! Seriously? Just, no way! Right? PLEASE tell me you are joking there!

:)

[MinneapolisMatt]

39. Simply fabulous!

Bravo!

-Matt

[Snivi Yllom]

40. kick nt

[Maru Kitteh]

41. Has anyone received any response yet?

I have visions of a virtual robot laughing at our words then tossing them into his virtual incinerator somewhere on a server deep in the bowels of a mountain in Wyoming.

[tblue37]

42. You are my hero.

I hope I grow up to be just like you some day!

Oh, wait. I am already 55. Well, I will just applaud you then.

[gristy]

43. Woweee

Damn.

[DearAbby]

44. WOW ...you go girl!

I am in awe, that was some awesome letter :wow:


:applause:

[SeanQ]

45. Incredible! May I reuse a few pieces of that? It's incredible, thanks!

[IdaBriggs]

47. Certainly! And THANK YOU for your kind compliments!

:blush:

[meganmonkey]

46. Normally I am of the 'catch more flies with honey' mindset

But you just verbally kicked their asses and I loved every word of it!

:applause: :patriot: :yourock:

[pacalo]

49. That's telling them, Ida! Great, great letter.

[Beelzebud]

51. Right on, Mrs. Briggs. Great letter!!!

[redqueen]

52. Hot damn!

Inspiring!

:yourock:

[patrice]

53. I am a DU Activist. I told them their Headlines are proof that they

are Fascists and don't care about hurting America, as long as they get what they want, War Profit$$$$.

They are "slaves to demon servants of Mammon" who sacrifice human blood to their own self-centered exclu$ive benefit$$$$$$$$$$$ - AND CALL IT VIRTUE IN THE EYES OF GOD!!!! - I say WHAT GOD???????????????

A god of Slaves I think, not one that dances now in the hearts of those who freely live and love and choose peace and service to others over the plastic glorification of other peoples' suicidal, and potentially racist, death energy.

If you wish others well, you don't start by bringing them Death and Destruction run by War Profiteers!!!!!

[berni_mccoy]

54. Associated Propaganda

That's what AP Stands for...

here's my letter:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=106&topic_id=21766&mesg_id=22012

[IdaBriggs]

55. That is a GREAT letter! Nice job!

[Generic Other]

56. IDA BRIGGS, I WANT TO HUG YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN!!!

Posted link here:

8/23 ALL DU Cindy threads DAY 17
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4433280

BEST LETTER TO DATE!!

[IdaBriggs]

57. Wow! Coming from you especially, Generic Other, THAT is a MAJOR

compliment! Thank you!

:blush:

And, by the way, let me add my thanks and appreciation for all of the work you do in helping us stay informed -- YOU ARE THE BEST!!!

:applause:

[proud patriot]

59. great letter Ida , here's the second version of my letter

Hi ,

Were the Germans who opposed Hitler's invasions the patriots or were the Germans who wore
Brown Shirts and Gassed Jews patriots? From the looks of this article http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBFH5JNMCE.html
the people of the AP must believe the Nazi's were the patriots . Sad Sad Sad for the good people of this Country to be led astray by those who profit from "patriotism" of pro war protesters ...Do the people of AP plan on calling Torture supporters patriots? How about The Constitution destroying patriots ? Is that coming soon ? A patriot ran over a war dead memorial with a truck smashing old glory into the ground ? Is that headline coming soon . Wait how about your future headline The pacifist Traitors who defend the Constitution and gold star mothers who ask questions are being taken to GITMO for re education and patriots everywhere hold parties to celebrate the New Freedom Camp in Cuba designated for Americans who question our great leader ?

Do the people of AP think Americans are stupid ? Ask yourself why is it that Fox News Rush limbaugh and Sean Hannity's
ratings have dropped by millions . The Answer is simple The American People Are Not Stupid , and one can be a patriot
if one opposes war . You've sunk to a new low with this . Both sides love their country . It's articles like this one that divide
our Nation at a time when we need to heal .

Sincerely

Tricia from California

[IdaBriggs]

90. Nice job! nt

[Booster]

60. Damn, that's good. Kick and nominated.

[bearfan454]

61. Excellent ! nt

[Roland99]

63. Let's make that a nice even 50 recommendations!

[Beam Me Up]

64. Here's my letter to AP

Supporting an immoral war is PATRIOTIC?

Where on earth do you get that idea?

The Bush administration lied to Congress and the American people to engage us in an illegal and immoral war that is literally killing thousands upon thousands of people. WHY?

Mrs. Sheehan wants an honest answer to that question -- and so do I and millions of other Americans. By labeling a pro-war camp "patriotic" you imply that those of us who oppose this war are "unpatriotic" -- thus offending millions of patriotic Americans like myself.

YOU KNOW BETTER THAN THIS.

But then, the corporate owned news media -- which is in the business of disguising government propaganda and selling it to the American people as unbiased "news" -- has lost almost ALL of its credibility so far as many Americans are concerned. The internet and new media are increasingly making the "associated press" IRRELEVANT.

Either you are with us, the people of the United States of America, or you are with THEM, a criminal, treasonous junta that, by intrigue and decetion, has hijacked the highest offices of our nation. Your choice.

Yours,

name and city

[IdaBriggs]

68. Nice job! nt

[Beam Me Up]

77. Thanks! n/t

:hi:

[sepia_steel]

65. Wow WOO HOO!

Nice shootin', Ida Briggs!

[linazelle]

66. Awesome letter!!!! You go Girl. nt

[Nightjock]

69. Make that 54 votes Ida!

Wow!

[Miss Chybil]

70. AMEN!

:kick:

[Sewsojm]

71. Go Girl!

[Melodybe]

72. Beautiful! Absolutely beautiful, sending it out now.

Thanks

[rman]

73. "The credibility problem of the Main Stream Media"

good framing, good talking point.

And an excellent letter.

[HEyHEY]

74. Yeah, they won't think your insane at all when they read that.

"Patriotic Camp Springs Up to Counter Peace Mom's Anti-War Demonstration Near President's Ranch" - What's the problem?

The problem with this letter is it completely based on what you want the story to say, not what is really going on. I read the story, saw no problem or bias with it.

Maybe disect why it is biased and they will take you more seriously.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

75. The story body isn't biased, but that one word in the title is. (nt)

[HEyHEY]

78. Not really, if they're running around pounding their chests

Chanting USA USA, and calling it a patriot camp, then it has been accuratley described. Just as Cindy's side has been.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

80. I still think double quotes are in order. (nt)

[HEyHEY]

81. Well, that ain't gonna happen!

:P

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

82. Didn't some SF newspaper change the article title on its site?

I read a thread in DU about that today. I forget where.

[HEyHEY]

83. Yeah, that could be for a million reasons

When you're laying out a page you can't always get the headlines you're given to fit the space oyu have to work with.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

84. The title got longer (nt)

[HEyHEY]

85. There ya go

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

86. Not so sure that is the reason.

Bear with me, I'm not a news insider. Correct me if I'm saying something that doesn't make sense.

The article came from AP, with "patriot" in the title. Lots of papers reprint the stories from the big agencies, title and all, correct?

Then that newspaper changed the title in their website (others have not). It could have been in response to the e-mails, including that of the DUer who posted the thread, or not. But I think the simplest explanation is -- they realized it is a biased title and changed it.

[HEyHEY]

91. Nope

"big agencies, title and all, correct?"
Incorrect, in fact most places would automatically change it because other papers use the wire service, and you don't want the same headlines as your competition.

[flyarm]

79. woooooooo hooooooooooo!! great job Ida!!!!!!!!!

wonderful wonderful wonderful is all i can say..other than true to every word!!

fly:applause: :applause: :applause: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:

[Burried News]

87. Googled 'contempt' found this. (Judith Miller)

[dalaigh lllama]

89. awesome. just awesome

another vote for greatest

[DiverDave]

92. Ida, that was a great letter

I tried to nominate but was told I couldn't as the post was over 24 hours old...dang.

I wish I could articulate the rage and shame I have for the acts of this junta.

You put words to my feelings, thank you.

Dave

[flying_wahini]

93. fabulous

way to go

[femrap]

94. Write some more letters....

you are great!