This includes official police policies during events, as well as policies and attitudes of corporationist media that lead to internalizing the values of the police state over those of democracy, and to self-censorship on the part of journalists who want to be players in the Washington press game. There is paradox that we carry pithy signs and chant short slogans in our attempt to speak out about issues that require analysis and context. These demonstrations and direct actions are just a piece of the work, and everyone out in the streets knows that. But they are reported by the big press as the main event, and belittled as the antics of bored and privileged college kids and a few graying hippies caught in a time warp. In order to streamline this process, omission is a key component.
Contradictory information is ignored.
Millions buy this notion without question, as if the mass of folks in our nation, struggling to pay the bills, have more in common with millionaire anchorclones. Of course, brutal and militaristic police tactics are not news to poor and minority folks, but there has been an expansion of martial attitudes that perceive citizens as enemies. Such local problems do not often receive national coverage. The World Trade Organization is an international body. Seattle was ready to spend a great deal of money to welcome the WTO, to put the city on the map as a world-class city worthy of the presence of the world ruling class.