OK ..here’s something to think about. Earlier, I mentioned the Liberty and Livelihood march in London, which drew 400,000 marchers in protest of a proposed ban on foxhunting and other urban assaults on the rural way of life. The news media in this country covered it very prominently. That’s understandable, since a protest of that size really is newsworthy, wherever it occurs and whatever it’s about.
About a week later, there was another march in London. Estimates on the size varied from 150,000 to 300,000. The marchers were demonstrating against the United States’ and Great Britain’s plans to start a war in Iraq without the blessing of the United Nations. The march was virtually ignored by all the major media outlets in this country.
Admittedly, it was smaller. But even the lowest estimate of 150,000 is still a significant demonstration. And the issue is one that should be of more direct interest to the United States. This really isn’t the first case of US media downplaying and ignoring international dissatisfaction with American arrogance. And yet right-wingers still manage to keep a straight face when they whine about the “liberal media”.