Sunday's incident

[markm]

FYI their was a report on WAMC (public radio) at around 7AM today about the incident in the park Sunday. It contained actual audio of the incident, an occupier could be heard arguing with the man (identified by WAMC as a veteran). The occupier said something like, We have true democracy here at 5:30 at our General Assembly every day. WAMC then interviewed the man who said he was just trying to walk down a public sidewalk and could not pass, he implied he was provoked and preventing from doing so. WAMC then said that police were called and they provided him an escort down the sidewalk. I wasn't there, just heard this on the radio and wanted to pass it along.

[Emma]

oy, that's awful. I can't believe wamc wouldn't notice that this guy was hardly an accurate reporter of the incidents, and would just take (and broadcast) him at his word. argh.

[Emma]

(the TU got it much more accurately, fwiw.)

[theancientflack]

If you were there and feel that Dave Lucas' report misrepresented the this incident (I was, and I do) by allowing the agitator's claims of abuse at the hands of protestors to go unchallenged, you can email him and let him know. (Unfortunately, the web post of this story at WAMC offers no option to comment, so there is no way for eyewitnesses to take issues with this report publicly.)

[e-mail]

I think there were a number of troubling omissions in Dave's reporting: failing, for example, to note that the person grabbed by the agitator was offered the opportunity to press charges but declined, while the agitator clamored for charges to be pressed (over the issues Dave allowed him to voice unchallenged) and the Albany police officers who were present declined because they saw no such behavior. If the angry veteran was having trouble breathing, perhaps it was from his successful effort to disrupt Mr. McEneny's speech by shouting down the bullhorn. And if anyone had wanted to trip him, he certainly gave them ample opportunity -- he 'just wanted to pass' on the crowded sidewalk...then he wanted to turn around and 'pass' again, and again, and again, initiating physical contact at every opportunity. He even harassed his police escort, asking one officer if he'd been ordered by DA Soares not to arrest any of the 'rabble' in the park -- when the officer answered no, the troublemaker turned directly to a television camera and stated that this officer refused to make arrests because David Soares told him not to.

None of this, or the fact that the car this guy was escorted back to was illegally parked, or the fact that he's visited the site previously with the sole intent of being disruptive and confrontational, managed to find its way into Mr. Lucas' reporting.

I don't ask for or expect support from the news media - that's not their job. I do believe they owe it to the people in this movement and to all their listeners/viewers/readers to be as fair and accurate as they can be in reporting the news, and I think in this instance that standard hasn't been met.

[markm]

Thank you for clarifying. I wasn't there, I only heard the report on WAMC, which really upset me because, on the whole, they usually do good work. Is PR going to have a response to this and other negative reports that pop up? I know it may not be feasible at this time but has PR considered having a regular press briefing. This might be a way to handle situations like this in a timely manner and get out in front of future incidents before they become misrepresented and overblown.

Also could PR issue suggestions to the general members and supporters of OA on what they should do when they see inaccurate, misleading or otherwise untrue or damaging reporting in the media. I wanted to respond but didn't know the appropriate manner and certainly didn't want to inadvertently, throw gas on the fire and make matters worse so I did nothing but post to PR what I heard.

[denmarkvesey]

fuck the media

[madskeptic]

I believe the coverage by the TU and other sources presented the gentleman as an agitator who was looking to instigate something.

When I heard the WAMC report this morning, I wasn't left with the impression the coverage was biased one way or the other. It was my impression they were doing a "just the facts" story but I was already aware of the man's behavior from my previous readings.

I wouldn't expect too much from the press about this incident. Like the drunk guy who tried to start a fight, the story really doesn't seem to have legs.

Having said that, I do find it concerning that both incidents involved veterans. Perhaps people need to look into why the OA message is not being received or understood by some veterans.

[jeannef]

I agree with markm, especially re suggestion for some training for all when confronting inaccurate or misleading coverage. I heard the Dave Lucas report also on Sunday. I guess all we can do now is e-mail Lucas (who usually is pretty good and aware--my feeling is that he came late to the altercation and only got pieces of what transpired--bad/piecemeal reporting, rather than deliberately misleading). But the discussion on the other thread, about CitizenOne, is another case in point. Since Occupy is leaderless, then I think it's incumbent on all to be prepared to be spokespeople--and that means knowing in advance ( or else being prepped) re media coverage that is, well, false. I'd worry more about the MSM than a blogger, CitizenOne is known for her general antipathy to everything that doesn't fit the conservative agenda of CitizenOne. But WAMC should have known better.
Realize that Occupy is a *hot* story, in all the localities where we exist, and the media is scrambling after the story, which changes day to day, locality to locality. This puts us in a terrific position--we can mostly "control" what they put out, because media is on followup, not in creation mode. So I think we all need to be prepped on eventualities, particularly 1)misleading press, and 2)disruptors (like the vet on Sunday). An approved MO for *everyone*. An observation from Sunday: folks could have deliberately sought out the media who were there to give our perspective, rather than wait for the media to come to them. An "invited interview". Believe me, they will not turn us down if we approach them first.
And a regular press briefing is (to me) a great idea. Remember--we are leading the media on this, not the other way around. It's the best possible situation, I think we should take full advantage of it.
Just a thought re madskeptic saying that both incidents involved vets: coincidence. Vets for Peace has been a steady presence at all Occupy events. But maybe suggest to Vets for Peace that they more fully ID themselves as such. One of the first responses to Sunday's disruptor (which was brilliant and empathetic both) was a call for anyone from VFP to come to talk to the guy. (as it turns out, only one rep from VFP present, who demurred--can't blame him). So maybe VFP could be contacted about this--I know the chapter head here, can do that if you want. Perhaps also realize that vets in particular suffer from more psychological damage from their experiences than the general population--not my own observation, rather from VFP. But I think it's interesting that the victim in Oakland was also a vet; and thus vet status seems to be coming into public consciousness in a way that it might not have otherwise. So we now have this consciousness-raising handed to us, to either pursue or not. Just a thought.

[markm]

Is there an OA Veteran's Caucus?

jeannef What are your thoughts on a releasing the minutes of the GA's (which are posted in a FAC WG thread) in a daily press release? I've advocated for this in a few posts and generally the response by the PR WG members is lukewarm at best and some in Facilitation feel the same way which kinda surprises me? I would at least like to see some more discussion about it.

[Albanius]

Unfortunately some of the most active members of Vets for Peace here went to Syracuse today for the Hancock 38 trial. I'm not sure when they will be back.

[jeannef]

markm, maybe the GAs topics and decisions briefly listed, as a regular part of larger press release. I didn't know there was a daily press release until a few days ago, but glad of it. There is so much good press right now, with everyone from you to Konev to Cuomo weighing in--show the people what we do, and how! That also might bring more people to GAs (once I am done working, I will come too).

[jeannef]

Albanius, I will e-mail John Amidon about a more visible VFP presence at OA events and in general. He's in Syracuse but gets e-mail.

[markm]

Suggest they form a veterans caucus at OA to have a greater voice.

[jeannef]

will do