Democracy Now!
Aug. 25, 2005
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/08/25/1342217
American Legion Declares War on Peace Movement
The organization the American Legion has voted at its national
convention to target peace activists and the antiwar movement. The
group boasts nearly 3 million members. The group's national commander
called for an end to all "public protests" and what he called "media
events" against the war, even though they are protected by the Bill of
Rights. Thomas Cadmus told the convention "The American Legion will
stand against anyone and any group that would demoralize our troops, or
worse, endanger their lives by encouraging terrorists to continue their
cowardly attacks against freedom-loving peoples. The delegates voted to
use whatever means necessary to "ensure the united backing of the
American people to support our troops and the global war on terrorism."
MSNBC Journalist Calls Crawford Protesters ‘Anti-war Extremists’
As
the American Legion declares war on peace activists, President Bush and
his allies continue to find support among some in the media for what
many see as a smear campaign against Cindy Sheehan and other antiwar
military families. On Monday's edition of MSNBC's Hardball, White House
correspondent Norah O'Donnell labeled anti-war demonstrators at Bush's
property in Crawford "anti-war extremists." The comments came in an
exchange with FBI whistleblower turned Congressional candidate Colleen
Rowley:
O'DONNELL: You're a Democrat running for Congress. It was reported that Republican leaders in your state were just thrilled that you had decided to align yourself with anti-war extremists. Do you think that this could affect your race for Congress?
ROWLEY: Well, I will quickly correct the record that they are not anti-war extremists. The majority of the people I saw down in Crawford were actually veterans groups. There were military families and --
O'DONNELL: But, Colleen, they do oppose the war in Iraq, do they not?
ROWLEY: Yes, they do. But that does not make, I guess the term extremists. They're really, I think, reflective of mainstream America in many ways.”
FBI whistleblower Colleen Rowley responding to MSNBC's Norah O'Donnell. Thanks to MediaMatters.org for posting that clip.
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/08/25/1342217
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