community-based, non-corporate, participatory media
Morgantown under Marine Occupation
by PFC Sundizzy (un)Imbedded
Saturday, May. 15, 2004 at 10:42 AM
A report from behind the front lines of the marine occupation of Morgantown.
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That’s right, as anyone who’s been within twenty or thirty miles of Morgantown this past week has probably noticed, the Marines are here and training is in full swing. So much for students studying for finals, too bad for anyone trying to get a good night’s sleep and definitely don’t plan on any relaxing afternoons in the park, Marine assault helicopters have been circling town pretty much 24/7 for the past week or so. Despite complaints to the city about the noise, danger, and general lack of consideration of resident’s opinions, the training continues with little to no information available to the public about future actions which could affect them.
The Dominion Post, the largest local paper and many resident’s only source for news, ran a very slanted story about the public opinion of this training which ended with the quote "All I've got to say is that when residents hear that noise overhead, they had better thank God they were born here instead of in a place where that would be an enemy overhead. That’s the sound of freedom." Interesting that he would mention freedom. Especially right after Capt. Nevers, the marine’s PR guy, just got finished telling the reporter that they would be blocking off whole sections of town for the training, and that they would be firing live rounds, and that they were working along with the FBI doing covert operations. Their own press release about the training says, “For your own safety, please refrain from attempting to view the training.” Still sound like freedom?
Well, it’s pretty obvious to me that there are plenty of people who don’t feel the same way. “It makes me want to run and hide,” said one resident who came to the US as a refugee from a war-torn European country. “This shit doesn’t get us anywhere.” Flyers have been popping up around town as well, protesting the marine presence and raising awareness about the Iraq war. A passerby who noticed one of the flyers was overheard saying, “There’s nothing worse than a bunch of jarheads in town.” Last week several residents went to the city council meeting to speak out against this during the "public comment" time slot for the meeting, and a petition has appeared at a local coffee shop asking the city to halt the training.
The city refuses to release the dates of their major training operations, but one of them is scheduled to take place between the 17th-19th, (an earlier Dominion Post article stated they would be blocking off part of downtown on the 19th.) Pittsburghers, now is your chance to see a city under siege, come on down and bring a camera and your favorite antiwar bumper sticker, give us some support! Mo-towners, you don’t have to lie down and take it, now is your chance to have a real impact on the war machine! Take action, Speak out, Don’t allow them to practice here for the innocent’s they will kill overseas.
flyer
by PFC Sundizzy (un)Imbedded
Saturday, May. 15, 2004 at 10:42 AM
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another one
by PFC Sundizzy (un)Imbedded
Saturday, May. 15, 2004 at 10:42 AM
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chopper overhead
by PFC Sundizzy (un)Imbedded
Saturday, May. 15, 2004 at 10:42 AM
next pass
by PFC Sundizzy (un)Imbedded
Saturday, May. 15, 2004 at 10:42 AM
training in Westover (dominion post)
by PFC Sundizzy (un)Imbedded
Saturday, May. 15, 2004 at 10:42 AM
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training in Westover (dominion post)
by PFC Sundizzy (un)Imbedded
Saturday, May. 15, 2004 at 10:42 AM
they're taking off
by PFC S.
Sunday, May. 16, 2004 at 6:53 AM
The Marines are pulling out early, (pretty typical), supposedly their deployment is being pushed up and so they,re starting to leave today (Saturday)
Sister City?
by cleveland andy
Tuesday, May. 18, 2004 at 5:58 PM
Time for a Morgantown - Fallujah sister city project?
Sister City
by sundizzle
Monday, May. 24, 2004 at 7:49 PM
probably, Andy, but I'm not sure I've got the energy for that right now. pont me in the right direction though and I might be able to get a little momentum going.
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