[Nyclocal] response Re: Anti-War March Trashed in NYTimes

[natsec at sp-usa.org]

This is a response from one of our Bergen County Peace & Justice members.

Greg

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: To Mr. Clark Hoyt and Michael McElroy
Date: Sun, 23 Mar 2008 20:37:46 -0400
From: "P ROGOVIN" <paula.rogovin at verizon.net>
To: "'Public/NYT/NYTIMES'" <public at nytimes.com>


A War Protest Falls Short in Manhattan
By ANTHONY RAMIREZ

I'm a Marine mom whose son was recently redeployed and a member of Military
Families Speak Out (Bergen County, NJ). I'm deeply disappointed that the New
York Times has again chosen to play such a terrible role in reporting about
the many efforts to end the occupation of Iraq.

In October, many of us complained that the Times ignored the tens of
thousands of people protesting in 11 regional demonstrations on October 27.
On March 23, Anthony Ramirez chose to trash the demonstration where marking
the 5th anniversary of the war. He sought to focus his report on everything
that didn't happen - some gaps in the line, not enough young people... What
kind of reporting is that?

Well, I'll tell you what did happen. Thousands of us, military families,
veterans, and others - young and old - lined 14th Street demanding an end to
this illegal and immoral occupation of Iraq. We demanded that Congress stop
funding the war, that troops be brought home now, that the government take
care of our returning troops, and that funds be redirected to our
communities for housing, health care, and other community needs.
Come on, NYT - get with it.
Paula Rogovin
Military Families Speak Out, Bergen County, NJ
625 Linden Avenue
Teaneck, NJ 07666
201 248 3169

Please see prior letters.
-----Original Message-----
From: Public/NYT/NYTIMES [mailto:public at nytimes.com]
Sent: Sunday, November 25, 2007 3:51 PM
To: P ROGOVIN
Subject: Re: To Mr. Clark Hoyt and Michael McElroy

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---
October 27 anti-war
demonstrations is unacceptable. He said that there were &#147;more
pressing news
stories that trumped the protests, including the Californiawildfires&#148;
which
involved staff reporters and stringers. Maybe he should tell that to John
Fenton, who marched in heavy rains with members of Military Families Speak
Out, Veterans for Peace, and other residents of BergenCounty, across the
GeorgeWashingtonBridgeand then joined 45,000 other people near Union Square
. John held a photo of his son, Sgt. Matthew Fenton, who died on May 5,
2006, from injuries suffered in Iraq.

Tell John, tell the other Gold Star family members, that the story about
Halloween pumpkins in the Oct. 28 Times was more important than the
anti-war protests. Tell the families whose loved ones have come home with
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, Depleted Uranium
poisoning, one, two and three amputations, that there was &#147;more pressing
news&#148; for the &#147;dead tree editions of the Times.&#148; Tell the
loved ones
millions of Iraqi people killed or wounded by this war based on lies, that
the Times chose not even to print a story from the AP wire. Such
insensitivity in inexcusable.

This was not the first time the Times ignored or practically ignored
national, regional, or local anti-war activities. I recall seeing reports
of other large marches in a small paragraph in the back pages of the Times.

Again, I ask that the Times print an op-ed piece by Military Families Speak
Out or United For Peace and Justice (who sponsored the Regional
demonstrations on October 27). Again, I ask that the Times print a series
of articles about the anti-war work around the country, as they had planned
when they had reporter Rick Lyman, interview activists around the country
before they decided NOT to print his series a few years ago.

Times editors should realize that printing those editorials calling for an
end to the war in Iraq, as well as providing information about anti-war
activities, informs and inspires more people to get involved &#150; in a
myriad
of activities &#150; from letter-writing, meetings with Congressional
reps, to
posting billboards (like the one on Mc Carter Highway down the street from
the NJ Senators&#146; offices), to attending local street-corner vigils and
regional and national demonstrations. If the Times editors truly want to
help bring an end to the war  as they say they do &#150; they must keep news
about the anti-war movement in the front pages.

I do hope this letter will be printed in the Times.

Sincerely,

Paula Rogovin

Military Families Speak Out, BergenCountyNJchapter

625 Linden Avenue. Teaneck, NJ07666

Co-founder of the Wednesday vigil at the National Guard Armory in Teaneck.
My youngest son just returned from a deployment to Iraq.