PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Protest ClearChannel's National Pro-War Rally - May 24th
by heath Tuesday, May. 13, 2003 at 7:25 PM
harris40@marshall.edu

Ultra�conservative�national�radio�talk�show�host�Glenn�Beck�recently�announced�that�Marshall�University,�in�Huntington,�WV,�has�agreed�to� serve�as�host�of�his�final�Rally�for�America�on�Saturday,�May�24.�Please�join�us�in�a�protest�against�this�invasion�of�our�town.�White�Rose,�a�student�organization�dedicated�to�examining�the�media�and�other�forms�of�expression,�is�protesting�media�conglomeration�and�the�cynical�paradox�of�supporting�the�troops�while�the�administration�cuts veterans'�benefits.�

Rally�for�America?�Cynical�Corporate�Manipulation
(for�more�informaion�check�out�<http://www.whiteroseresist.com>��or��
<http://whiterose.wvejc.org>
Ultra�conservative�national�radio�talk�show�host�Glenn�Beck�recently�
announced�that�Marshall�University,�in�Huntington,�WV,�has�agreed�to�
serve�as�host�of�his�final�Rally�for�America�on�Saturday,�May�24.�
Please�join�us�in�a�protest�against�this�invasion�of�our�town.�White�
Rose,�a�student�organization�dedicated�to�examining�the�media�and�
other�forms�of�expression,�is�protesting�media�conglomeration�and�the�
cynical�paradox�of�supporting�the�troops�while�the�administration�cuts
veterans'�benefits.�
The�Clear�Channel�event�will�be�televised�nationally�and�is�expected
to�
draw�up�to�50,000�participants.��We�are�in�very�close�proximity�to�the
home�of�Jessica�Lynch�whose�family�will�be�attending�the�Beck�event,�
one�of�the�reasons�for�staging�the�rally�here�instead�of�the�original�
destination�of�Washington,�D.�C.�
We�suspect�a�second�reason�for�selecting�Huntington�is�their�
confidence�in�little�or�no�resistance.�However�.�.�.�
Our�rally�on�the�Marshall�campus�will�include�speakers�and��local
bands�
who�are�fed�up�with�corporate�control�of�the�radio�and�will�be�playing
to�
show�their�contempt�for�Clear�Channel's�control�of�much�of�the�music�
industry.�For�more�details�go�to�our�web�site�at�
<http://www.whiteroseresist.com>�or�our�web�page�at�
<http://whiterose.wvejc.org>�For�the�final�"victory�rally"�being�held
at�
Marshall�Universiy,�Beck�has�raised�over�$350,000�through�donations�
of�one�dollar�per�person.�Stung�by�recent�media�attention�to�corporate
pro-war�rallies�around�the�country,�Beck�wants�to�create�a�fa�ade�of�
grass�roots�organizing�in�what�is�known�by�critics�as
?astroturfing.?�
According�to�statements�to�the�press,�Beck�claims�these�rallies�are
not�
pro-war�but�simply�support�the�troops.�However,�statements�from�his�
web�site�clearly�show�his�pro-war�sentiments.�
A�recent�Clear�Channel�"Rally�for�America"�in�Huntington�became�
violent�when�several�of�the�?non-political?�support�the�troops
crowd�
attacked�a�small�group�of�counter�demonstrators,�ripping�up�signs�and�
even�pepper�spraying�one�young�man�on�a�skateboard,�to�the�cheers�of�
the�larger�crowd.�It�is�clear�to�those�who�have�attended�the�rallies
that�
they�promote�a�definite,�and�reactionary,�political�agenda.�Their
origins�
lie�not�in�local�initiative,�but�rather�in�the�agenda�of�Clear
Channel?s�top�
executives,�who�are�closely�linked�to�the�Bush�administration.�
Unfortunately,�many�unwitting�and�innocent�participants�at�these
rallies�
are�being�used�by�the�Clear�Channel�mega�giant�to�promote�and�assist�
the�far-right�agenda�of�the�Bush�administration.�
While�Beck�advances�his�career�promoting�national�chauvinism�and�
boosting�the�Bush�administration�and�its�policies,�that�same�
administration�is�cutting�veterans?�benefits.�Many�participants�are
being�
fooled�by�the�emotionalism�of�supporting�the�troops�into�supporting�
policies�that�are�eroding�the�very�foundations�of�our�democracy.�
For�music�lovers,�Clear�Channel's�monopolistic�practices�are�
accelerating�the�homogenization�of�the�airwaves.�Please�join�us�to�
protest�this�last,�national�"Rally�for�America"�facade.�Help�us�make
our�
point�that�Clear�Channel�is�out�to�control�our�airwaves.�We�must�stop�
the�FCC�from�allowing�further�media�

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