IMC Radio News Script for 3.22.04
31 minutes total
----------------------------------------
INTRO
It’s 5:30 on Monday and it’s time for the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center Radio News your source for community news on your community radio station, WEFT 90.1 FM. I'm Danielle Chynoweth, the coordinator for this week’s show. Tonight we bring to you an update on the global day of action – and local demonstration - marking the year anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. We will hear from a Gulf War I veteran and a local businessman who just returned from his second trip to Iraq since the invasion. We also bring you a report from last week’s community meeting in response to Champaign’s consideration of purchasing taser stun guns for its police force.
But first we hear from Ben Grosser on this week’s Citizen Speak where we bring you the commentary of your neighbors. If you would like to submit a commentary, please e-mail radio (at) ucimc.org.
----------------------------------------
CITIZEN SPEAK: WICD-TV Slants Coverage of UIUC Student Referendum
3 minutes of audio:
“Tonight on their 10pm local newscast, WICD, the local NBC television affiliate failed to report the basic facts of the recent student referendum vote on whether or not students wanted to retain the chief as the official symbol of the university. WICD reported that the students "overwhelmingly support" keeping the chief. They interviewed the winning student trustee who ran on his support of the racist symbol. Finally, they mentioned that anti-chief groups would not be deterred and interviewed someone who said they would continue to fight against the symbol.
What they failed to mention was the actual vote, which was 9161 in favor, 4027 against. In other words, over 30% of the students voted against keeping the racist symbol.
An objective observer might consider 4000 students voting to retire the "unifying symbol" of the university newsworthy. One might think the local television station might want to mention the actual vote. A listener to this broadcast wouldn't even have known if anyone had voted against the chief at all.
Perhaps they couldn't spare the extra 8 seconds it would take to accurately convey the whole story because then they wouldn't have been able to spend so much time on the other clips in the broadcast. These all important clips included the following: the weather, the Illini basketball team's progress in the NCAA tournament, a segment on migraine headches, some playful chatty banter about girl scout cookies, and a pre-packaged opinion piece critical of Moveon.org and ACT, two organizations that support a change in Washington this November.
This last segment, a commentary dressed up to look like it might have been produced locally, is actually the opinion of Mark Hyman, the "Vice President for Corporate Relations for Sinclair, the nation’s largest operator of television stations." Sinclair has been called the Clear Channel of television news because of its style of producing news content centrally, and then distributing it to "local" news organizations which pass it off as local news.
Of course, these "local" stations are no longer local--they are simply local fronts for the Sinclair Broadcast Group, the owner of WICD 15. According to their website, "Sinclair owns, operates, programs or provides sales and services to 62 television stations in 39 markets. Sinclair's television group reaches approximately 24% of US television households and includes ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, WB and UPN affiliates." According to Wes Vernon at Newsmax.com, Sinclair "says it's tired of left-leaning news reporting and wants to offer Americans a fair and balanced perspective, just as Fox News Channel does."
Perhaps Sinclair ought to reprimand WICD for its slanted reporting since they are so interested in a fair and balanced perspective.”
----------------------------------------
FEATURE 1: GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION
The one-year anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq — witnessed a well coordinated Global Day of Action against War and Occupation. This weekend, in more than 575 cities around the world, people demonstrated for peace and against Bush’s militaristic policy and the occupation of Iraq. The News Gazette buried the global story and ignored local protests.
In Iraq, a demonstration took place in Baghdad against the violence of the occupation. The protest was also a powerful show of unity between Sunni and Shia muslims. The marches started with the Shia's and the Sunni's across the river from one another. The two groups met just as the Shia's came over the bridge, and emotions were high as they merged into one. They then walked together to a public square where speakers denounced the occupation and called for unity between all Iraqis.
Friday, 20 Arab Journalists walked out of Powell's speech in Baghdad in protest of the shooting deaths of 2 Iraqi reporters by U.S. troops.
In Turkey, one of Iraq's neighbors, about 2,000 demonstrators protested the war in Ankara and Istanbul before dispersing peacefully amid tight security. Jordan and Bahrain (bah-RAIN) also witnessed small rallies.
In the Philippines over 1000 people – both demonstrators and the media - were attacked by fire hoses. The Vice President of the Philippines called the war immoral and condemned the Philipino President for his support of it.
Protesters in Sydney held aloft a 5 foot-high effigy of Prime Minister John Howard in a cage, saying it represented Australian terror suspects detained at the U.S. military prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Howard's government has sent troops to fight in Iraq, despite overwhelming public opposition, and some repeated allegations that he lied about the reasons for going to war. Protests were pervasive throughout Australia and New Zealand.
In Seoul, Korea about 1,500 mostly young college students staged a peaceful anti-war demonstration.
30,000 demonstrators braved a downpour in Tokyo, Japan, to protest the Japanese involvement in sending members of the Self Defense Force to Iraq. Some carried signs depicting the Statue of Liberty about to launch a missile.
In Bangkok, Thailand, a man in a mask depicting Bush carried an oil can and led another man -- wearing a mask of Thai Prime Minister -- by a leash. There are 450 Thai troops in Iraq.
Demonstrations also occurred in Hong Kong, East Timor, New Delhi in India, South Africa, Eqypt, and Greece. Rallies also took place in Belgium, Norway, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Poland, Finland, Ukraine and Denmark.
Over a million people jammed the streets of Rome, some of them decked out in rainbow-colored peace flags and chanting "assassins." Protesters – including a small cadre of Italian policemen - demanded that the Italian government, a strong supporter of the war, withdraw its 2,600 troops from Iraq.
About 150,000 demonstrated in Barcelona, Spain. Paolo Quadrardi, a 42-year-old mechanic, said the Madrid train bombings that killed 202 people and injured some 1,800 others showed that "war doesn't do anything but increase terrorism” according to the British AP.
1,000 protested outside a U.S. air base at Ramstein, Germany.
People bearing torches form a giant peace sign Saturday in Heroes' Square in Budapest, Hungary. Thirty civil organizations planned the protest.
Protesters carried signs in London, England, calling Bush the "world's worst terrorist" and labeling Prime Minister Tony Blair a "Bliar." Two protesters scaled Big Ben, then stood for hours just beneath the face of the clock tower with a sign reading "Time for Truth."
Anti war demonstrators carry a sign that reads ''No to war, no to terrorism'' during a protest Saturday in Santiago, Chile.
Representatives of the Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations shout slogans against President Bush during a protest Saturday in front of the U.S. Embassy in Honduras.
In the United States, notable protests included a 100,000-person march and rally in New York City, and a similar event in San Francisco attended by more than 50,000. In San Francisco, thousands of taiko drummers, cyclists, activists and other protesters chanted "End the occupation" and "Impeach Bush." Hundreds locked down outside Bechtel corps headquarter effectively shutting down their offices. Bechtel is one of the corporations most profiting from the war with a 3 billion dollar contract to reconstruct Iraq.
In Los Angeles, one of thousands of protesters held photographs of Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney with the words, "forget Janet Jackson's — expose the real boobs."
In Cincinnati, Claire Mugavin wore a biohazard suit to a protest that drew several hundred people. She pretended to look for weapons of mass destruction beneath benches and garbage cans. "We figure they're not in Iraq," said the 24-year-old Cincinnati resident. "So we figured we'd come look for them in Fountain Square."
In Crawford, Texas, where President George Bush owns a ranch and often vacations, 1000 protesters converged to repudiate his militaristic policies and call for a diversion of the billions of dollars that are being spent on war to domestic programs like schools, health clinics, and unemployment benefits.
Military families and veterans led a protest that drew 1500 to Fayetteville, North Carolina, outside the Fort Bragg military base.
In Montpelier, Vt., hundreds of silent protesters placed a pair of shoes on the Statehouse steps for each of the more than 560 U.S. soldiers killed in the war.
"The liberation of Iraq was good for the Iraqi people, good for America and good for the world," the president said Saturday.
And this brings us to our own local demonstration where several hundred gathered in auditorium of the Urbana Middle School to mourn the dead and call for the end of the Bush regime. The group heard poetry and songs, viewed a slide show of suffering Iraqis, lit candles and listed the names of some of the Iraqis and Americans who have died.
The walls of the auditorium were lined with the names and faces of those who have died. Roward Mohammed Suleiman – 8 months – whose lower body was blown off after crawling over a cluster bomblet last April. Fernando Padilla-Ramirez, 26 of San Luis Arizona, who was killed in combat last March after becoming a U.S. citizen in 2001. He was married and had a 5 year old and new born.
These faces of the dead provided the backdrop for keynote speaker Dr. Mohammad AlHeeti, a local business owner who is originally from Iraq. He has made two trips to Iraq to ensure the safety of his family since the war began. What follows is an excerpt from his talk:
------------------------------------------
DR. MOHAMMAD ALHEETI TALK
The diplomatic relationship between Iraq and the United States has been traveling a tough road for the last 13 years. We cannot thoroughly address the detailed history of the U.S. and Iraq because the history is both complicated and sad.
The continued conflict between the two countries has cost hundreds of thousands of innocent human lives, especially Iraqi lives, billions of dollars and the trust and harmony of and between the two nations.
The war on Iraq is not justified, is immoral and is a disaster operation. It is illegal and uncivilized.
The economic embargo that lasted more than 12 years took more than 1.5 million human lives. It took the infrastructure of Iraq back thousands of years. President Bush the father said it must clearly: “We will take them to the stone ages.”
Last year’s war, which began March 19, one year ago yesterday, was based on lies and continues despite President Bush’s declaration of victory on May 1, 2003.
In April 2003, Condoleeza Rice described Sept. 11, 2001 as an: “enormous opportunity, and America must move to take advantage of these new opportunities. And taking over Iraq, the world’s second largest oil producer, was the first such opportunity.” This was reported by the New York Times.
Dear friends – the invasion of Iraq in 2003 was planned before Sept. 11, 2001. The invasion was planned when President Bush arrived at the White House.
What are the reasons that made the Bush Administration invade Iraq?
1. WMD
2. Connection to al-Qaida
3. Iraq is an imminent threat to the United States and the world
One year later, we and the whole world can see that none of the stated reasons were correct. Not one reason held its ground. Even those who supported the Bush Administration’s invasion have found that they were misled by the American government.
Dear friends – the Iraqi people and most of us know why Bush invaded and occupied Iraq. We know, and we are very sure that Bush knew that Iraq did not have WMD, or he would’ve had to invade the country with more care.
Let’s look at the one year since the war and examine what the United States has lost:
1. Almost 600 American soldiers have been killed
2. More than 3,500 American soldiers have been injured.
3. More than 9,000 American soldiers have been evacuated from Iraq for health or mental illness. This includes injured soldiers.
4. Billions of dollars -- $160 billion.
5. And the most important loss is the moral leadership of the United States and the respect of the world.
Dear friends – Yes, the majority of the Iraqi people are happy Saddam Hussein is gone, but they are not happy with the way he was removed. Removing a tyrant only to replace him with an occupation is not correct.
Today, Iraq is under occupation and the country is in chaos. Iraq is at the brink of civil war.
The boarders of Iraq are open, and the Iraqi people strongly believe this is intentional.
As some in the media reported, “some Republicans suggest that Iraq turning into a terrorist magnet could be convenient – one stop shopping against terrorists.” Republicans say, “We don’t have to go anywhere to find them. They have fielded a Jihad All-Star team.”
Mr. Bush said, “Bring them on.”
He also said, “Our military is confronting terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan and in other places so our people will not confront terrorist violence in New York or St. Louis Los Angeles.”
Dear friends – We cannot know the number of Iraqis who have been killed or injured in this war. Some old reports from last year site the number of Iraqis killed between 25 and 50 thousand.
There are no figures on the value of houses and parts of the infrastructure that were destroyed by American bombing.
There is no sense of security anymore.
Yes, there is more money for those with government paid jobs, but the unemployment rate exceeds 50 percent, prices are jumping five to 10-fold.
Iraqis fear crime, terrorism, arrest for no reason and a dark future.
Dear friends – The Bush Administration committed an unforgivable crime by invading Iraq and a worse crime by not calculating the after-math of the collapse of Saddam’s regime.
Even after making the mistakes of invading and not planning for the aftermath, the Bush Administration continued to make mistakes.
1. They dissolved the entire Iraqi government.
2. They dissolved the entire Iraqi army.
3. They dissolved the police and border patrols.
4. They depend on and use criminals such as Ahmed Al-Chalabi and others to run Iraq after the occupation.
5. They do not know the culture and history of Iraq.
Dear friends – the coalition of the invaders has started to collapse. Today Spain, tomorrow Poland and in November, God willing, the United States, after we send Bush home to join his father in Texas.
------------------------------------------
That was Dr. Mohammad Al Heeti, a businessman Champaign-Urbana, who has family in Iraq.
After AlHeeti’s talk, attendees marched down Vine Street to the County Courthouse where they held a spirited rally in heavy wind. Meg Miner one of the speakers, served as an engine and aircraft mechanic for the U.S. Airforce from 1979 to 1995 including the first Persian Gulf War. This is what Ms. Miner had to say on the anniversary of the second war against Iraq:
[ meg response :20]
I asked Ms. Miner what in her experience, veterans will face when they come home:
[ meg on vets :45 ]
[fade in music – peace song ]
And that wraps up our story on the War Against Iraq, one year later.
------------------------------------------
TASER VOTE BEFORE CHAMPAIGN COUNCIL
On Tuesday, Champaign City Council will consider the purchase of Taser electroshock stun guns for its 125-member police force.
Tasers are small gun-shaped weapons that can propel two fishhook darts into a victim from 21 feet away. The dart delivers a 50,000 volt current for five seconds that can temporarily immobilize the victim. The taser can also be used as a stun gun by delivering a shock when pressed directly against the victim.
A multi-racial grassroots group of people from the twin cities, know as Champaign-Urbana Citizens for Equality and Justice, quickly formed to mobilize the public and convince councilmembers to vote against acquiring tasers.
The group met last week to share their concerns at a community meeting with Champaign Police Chief RT Finney, City Manager Steve Carter, and three police officers.
[ 8.5 minutes of audio: the script follows … ]
“The crowd of 50 who gathered at Mt. Olive Baptist Church to hear police and city staff make their case for tasers was unconvinced by police arguments.
Carol George told police that additional weaponry for police officers was not the way to go.
“We need to investigate the feeling of the community being militarized rather than protected. Adding something that makes fear come upon the people does not build relationships.”
Officials told the crowed that taser electroshock stun guns are needed by police to reduce the threat of injuries to officer and suspects. City manager Steve Carter.
“Our police officers are confronted more often that we’d like to admit with folks who are mentally ill or people who are suicidal or domestic situations where there is a threat of violence…We have some bad people who live in town who sometimes are in a position to hurt other people. And if we can find some way to reduce the threat of injury why then we need to take a look at that and I think that’s what the police department has done.”
Yet, according to the city manager and the police chief, only two percent of people who are arrested by Champaign police resist. In the last three years, police made more than 19,500 arrests that resulted in 61 injuries to officers. In other words, only .03% of arrests in that same time period resulted in injuries to officers.
Police Chief RT Finney told the crowd that tasers are needed to prevent these injuries.
“Injuries not only to citizens but injuries to the Champaign police officers. Champaign police officers have been injured by offenders who have resisted or battered is over $317,000 worth of claims. Over $100,000 each year to officers have been injured in these types of resisting situations in these two percent.”
But a deeper look at these injury statistics and the amount actually paid by the city for these injuries reveals a different picture.
Sixty-one injuries is just .03% of the total number of arrests made in the past three years, according to the police department’s own numbers. Of these 61 injuries, 40 were sprains or strains, 9 were exposures to blood or spit, 3 were abrasions, 2 were lacerations, 2 soreness, 1 was a multiple injury, 3 were bumps, bruises or contusions and one of the injuries was a dislocation. Just two of these injuries, a jammed left thumb and sprained fingers, accounted for $134,000 in costs incurred or 59% of the $317,000 number given by Chief Finney. Yet the city only had to pay out $167,000 for these injuries, not $317,000.
Chief Finney: “So why the need for another tool? The answer is injuries. Injuries not only to citizens but injuries to Champaign police officers.”
Yet, the Chief was unable to tell the crowd how many injuries suspects and arrestees had suffered at the hands of Champaign police in the same three-year period. Medical privacy laws prevented him from collecting that data, he said.
Champaign police did pay nearly $700 in medical costs to two suspects for injuries. One for a suspect whose face hit a door and another when a police officer stuck a man in the leg with his metal flashlight.
Yet Champaign Police officers appear much less violent than officers in many other departments across the nation. According to Taser International, nearly 4,000 police departments in the US now use Tasers. Many of these departments have seen a reduction in the number of suspects killed by police since the introduction of Tasers. But Champaign police, are not killing suspects.
[ QUOTE City Manager Steve Carter ]
The lack of lethal force used by Champaign police against suspects only weakened the police department’s case for Tasers in the minds of the crowd.
“Their not pulling their weapons. They’re not even using pepper spray,” Cleveland Jefferson stated during the meeting. “You’ve used pepper spray 20-25 times according to the Chief. So, why do you need Tasers? People in African American community are afraid that they are going to be used on them because that’s where most of the stops are made. Most of the harassment occurs. And when you talk about that little chi[p that’s going to be monitored after they’re fired, it’s being monitored by the folks that we’re afraid of. Police officers. Police officers monitoring police officers is not the best thing in the world.”
[ Quote Community Leader ]
Police departments already using Tasers have come under fire for alleged abuses.
According to an article in the Denver Rocky Mountain News from March 17, 2004, the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado has received numerous complaints from arrestees that allege being shocked multiple times by police with Tasers while being handcuffed and a report from a pregnant woman who said she was tased her in abdomen. Denver police denied that officers were using the Tasers unjustly.
The question of Taser safety was raised at the community meeting last week.
According to Chief Finney, no deaths have been attributed to Tasers use.
[ Quote ]
Although medical doctors hired by Taser International have found no connection between Taser usage and death, a cardiologist from the Indian aUniversity Medical Group in Indianaplois said that electrical energy administered by Taser stun guns has the potential to provoke sudden death, that according to a March 2, 2004 article in the Herald-Times of Bloomington, Indiana.
Since 1998, 40people nationwide have died in police custody after being subdued by a Taser gun. Human rights groups such as Amnesty International have called for their ban until more independent research on their safety can be conducted.
For the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center Radio News, I’m Kimberlie Kranich.”
------------------------------------------
[ South African song under the outro ]
That wraps up IMC Radio News for this week. Special thanks to the community singers of Urbana for the vocal music in this show. We are currently seeking reporters and headline writers. If you’re interested write us at radio (at) ucimc.org, or call 344-8820. No experience is necessary. Archives of this program are available at the IMC website, ucimc.org. |
