This forum has always been long on complaining about what was done to them at Straight and short on doing anything about it. Straight was founded by Mel and Betty Sembler yet there was little discussion or participation from the Straight crowd when St. Pete for Peace protested the Sembler Company last month. Most TV stations that covered the protest were careful to shoot their camera shots so that the Sembler Company and its logo were not in the background. Everyone quoted by the reporters sounded off about George Bush--all of which is noteworthy because there was a purpose for the protesters being at the Sembler Company in the first place. The Straigtht crowd was represented--but poorly. Nevertheless some great photos were taken by the Straight crowd of the protesters with the Sembler Company in the background. The photos are in our vaults for future books, newspaper and magazine articles, web pages, fliers and TV shows.
Three years ago protesters flew in from all around the country to protest at Sembler's home in Treasure Island. A reporter from the new St. Pete Times was there taking names and shooting photos. What great shots he took of 20+ people in line at the same time in front of the dynamic duo's home while others were on a bull horn across the street in the little park. How often have people flown in from all over the country to protest an ambassador tied to child abuse on a grand scale--his Order of Australia notwithstanding. What a great story. The Straight crowd did not take any pictures relying on the Times. Well the Times never ran the story and the pictures are lost. But exactly one week later the Times announced that it had been given exclusive right to sell their paper in Sembler shopping malls. This deal included large, electronic ticker tapes in Sembler malls and also an entertainment stage named for the Times. From what I saw last month the Times covered anti-inaugural protesters in California and elsewhere in the country but ignored the protesters across the street from it.
Look, all I am saying is that you can buy off a newspaper or TV station as long as the story can be controlled. But you can not control a story that involves the protest by 100 people--or more!!! That brings in national level coverage that makes the local papers have to at least pretend to cover it. Sitting on your duffs, talking but doing nothing is exactly what they want you to do. They don't even want you discussing it on the Internet, but they can't stop that. So they settle on containment--limit it to a narrow group on the web. Dear friends, you have to help make the story happen.
Citizens for Legitimate Government have issues with the Semblers for trying to stiffle free speech and other issues as well--including those of the Straight crowd. See:
http://www.legitgov.org/front_stpete_sc ... 12205.htmlWho among you has even bothered to inform them that there will even be a protest?
And what about the Uhurus. They have racism issues with Sembler. Last year they did a joint protest with the Straight crowd of Sembler's home. See:
http://thestraights.com/pickets/st-vale ... /story.htmWho would like to be at the protest but can not make it to Florida? Would you consider staging a protest at a Holocaust Memorial in your area. Can you send money? Who has contacted the press? Who has contacted the picket coordinator to inquire whether there is anything you can do over and above showing up--which is the minimum you can do? Who has even thanked the coordinator for trying to put this together? The coordinator can be reached at:
http://stpeteforpeace.org/events.htmlWes Fager
ed.,
http://www.theStraights.com
