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Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Good work! The Washington Post is pulling out of its sponsorship of the Department of Defense's pro-war Freedom Walk. See the news story in Editor and Publisher.

'Wash Post' Cuts Ties to Pentagon Event After Protests

August 15, 2005 11:55 PM ET

NEW YORK - The Washington Post announced tonight that it will cease its co-sponsorship of the Pentagon-organized Freedom Walk next month. The paper's involvement had drawn heat from within and outside the paper, with a guild committee today calling for the link to end.

The newspaper told the Department of Defense that it was pulling back on its offer of free ads for the event—a march up the mall ending with a concert by pro-war country singer Clint Black.

"As it appears that this event could become politicized, The Post has decided to honor the Washington area victims of 9/11 by making a contribution directly to the Pentagon Memorial Fund," said Eric Grant, a Post spokesman. "It is The Post's practice to avoid activities that might lead readers to question the objectivity of The Post's news coverage."

[ READ MORE » ]

posted by Merle Harton Jr. | 10:10 PM |

Sunday, August 14, 2005

Speaking truth to Iraqnam. My youngest son K., now a soldier in the US Army, left this morning on a military transport for Iraq—first for a short time in the Green Zone palace and then on to the green grasses of Mosul. He's an upright young man. Please remember him in your prayers.

Although I'm currently in Florida for an educator's conference, I can still step into the Internet circle for clarity about what our government does in our name. On September 11 the Washington Post is going to co-sponsor the Defense Department's "America Supports You Freedom Walk" in Washington, DC,[1] a sponsorship that surely conflicts with its ability to speak honestly about the conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan. I would ask you to join with the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) in requesting the newspaper to withdraw its sponsorship of the event. For the Washington Post to remain a sponsor is for it to become another wheel in the Bush administration's propaganda machine. And that's a whirring wheel which doesn't need any WD-40®.

1. US Department of Defense news link, Thursday, August 11, 2005. See also Washington Post, Friday, August 12, 2005; p. C01.

posted by Merle Harton Jr. | 12:25 PM |

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