The San Jose Mercury News gleefully promotes divisiveness among and between demographic groups. We have a pretty good thing going here with three different demographics each having 1/3 of the overall population—the demographic proportions result in a remarkably peaceful city.
But at least since 1979, the Merc has sought to undermine urban unity in San Jose by the use of repeated divisive terms or statements three to five times a week. These are not one-time slips. If they were, the Merc would have allowed rebuttals which it never does.
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Mike Swift Divides—The Diversity Beat
Mike Swift is always ready to implement the Merc’s mission to undermine unity. One of his techniques is to take utterly similar events in the real world, and attach a positive label to one, and a negative label to the other. For example, he referred on 12/10/06 to American Latino departures from California as a “Latino diaspora,” a delicate, even pious label, certainly positive.
In the same article, he referred to similar Euro-American departures from California as “white flight,” a cowardly reference, flying away like scared sparrows, certainly negative. (He repeated this divisive label as recently as 12/15/08.)
==========
Mike Zapler Divides—The Sacramento Beat
Mike Zapler is also deeply committed to the Merc’s mission to weaken urban unity, but he uses a different tactic. He likes to find public figures who can be goaded into using divisive terms, and then incorporate them in an article for maximum divisive effect. For example, he published the term “cracker” on 8/6/06 in a story and ignored his ethical obligation to criticize it as a racial and regional slur.
The San Francisco Chronicle, on the other hand, ran a story about the same event on the same day, but followed ethical guidelines and took a few lines to report that the hate term “cracker” was derogatory.
==========
Just bricks in the wall the Merc seeks to build between and among groups through repetition and by banning rebuttal.
Chuck Reed has opened the door, by selecting the Peralta redevelopment request for the federal bailout list, for a federal investigation over the issues raised by McMannis.
Not smart, Mayor Reed. You should have considered the fact that even if the ethics charges against Tom are dismissed, and I think they will be, there is now a federal avenue that the unknown enemies of Tom could take.
Don’t you love the fact that Santa Clara has not even bothered to fill out such an application. Where are the great Reed fans like McLemore, Darby, and Bailey that like to slam our city?
A mostly adhoc group of cyclists that take to the streets monthly to celebrate the freedom and childlike joy of riding a bicycle.
There is music, there are bikes of all kinds, there are riders of all kinds. Even skateboarders join the fun.
You cannot avoid a good time when riding with hundreds of peaceful new friends.
Motorists of San Jose and Campbell are generally supportive, those that aren’t are patient and maybe a little jealous.
The pedestrians and motorists caught in our draft stop and stare, unconsciously smiling as the joy and excitement of adults on bicycles reminds them of a carefree childhood and the freedoms a bicycle afforded.
I want to know why State Legislators are going to receive their pay checks next month, when the State Controller has plans on stopping payments to the blind, elderly, disabled, money to schools, health care institutions, give IOUs to people for State refunds, interrupt Unemployment benefits, loss people thousands of jobs, and a whole host of other things, unless they pass the budget in the next two weeks. The fact that these rich lazy jerks are playing politics instead of doing their job is simply outrageous. Where do they get off harming so many tax paying businesses and citizens, and still get THEIR paycheck? We need to change the law so that these idiots don’t get a pay check UNTIL they pass the budget.
JMO is right; it is time for a Californian Tea Party!
#2 J.R.,
The Fed’s wont’ waste their time on baseless charges. They’ll see it as it is; charges made by McEnery haters (cough NORA CAMPOS cough) who are willing to bring down a great vision at all costs. Cased closed!
Here is a very troubling video of pro Palestinian/Hamas protesters in Florida chanting for the “Jews to go back to the showers” and “Jews go back to the ovens”, in reference of course to the millions of Jews executed in WWII.
#6-Steve,
It is indeed sad that these protestors would use Hate Speech like this and are allowed to get a way with it. Hate Speech is against the law and these types of violations should be enforced. They haven’t been enforced because our leaders don’t want to make any one angry. That in and of its self is just sickening to me.
Secondly, the great influx of immigrants into the US is leaving us wide open to them bringing their homeland fights here. It is putting our representatives, and our citizens in an awkward position of having to either take sides, or suffer unfair consequences for not.
A new type of hatred and discrimination has reared its ugly head right here in the US, and I fear if something doesn’t change soon, we’ll have wars right here between fractions of immigrants who hate one another. Unlike here in the United States, in their homelands laws are different. They can beat, stab, and kill one another with out going to jail for it.
No one wins when violence or principle is involved. This country is in a lot of trouble people. As a once great country, we seem to have lost our pride, integrity, the very foundation of what this country was built on, and our compassion toward one another. I’d bet our fore fathers are shedding many tears, and turning over in their graves watching this stuff. I know I am very saddened, and fearful at the direction this country is headed in.
If a pro Palestinian/Hamas protester says “Jews to go back to the showers” or “Jews go back to the ovens,” people look the other way. What’s up with that?
This is a video of a homeless man in Santa Barbara and his pets. They work State Street every week for donations. The animals are pretty well fed and are mellow. They are a family. The man who owns them rigged up a harness for his cat so she wouldn’t have to walk so much (like the dog and himself). At some juncture the rat came along, and as no one wanted to eat anyone else, the rat started riding with the cat and, often, on the cat! The dog, will stand all day and let you talk to him and admire him for a few chin scratches. The Mayor of Santa Barbara filmed this clip and sent it out as a holiday card. A great video …..a MUST watch! Click on the link below
There was a largish demonstration this afternoon at the corner of Stevens Creek and Winchester protesting the invasion of Gaza. The crowd seemed well-behaved, not blocking traffic, etc. No hate speech as described above.
There were a few police lounging around on the Santa Clara side of the street but they didn’t have much to do. I thought I saw a few counterdemonstrators but there didn’t seem to be any trouble.
It says something about the lack of public space in the community that the small narrow stretch of sidewalk at this intersection is chosen for a political protest. Of course there is a lot of traffic to Santana Row and Valley Fair, but since both are private property the protestors are confined to the sidewalk.
It’s not a very effective venue because the protestors are strung out all along the street instead of being able to assemble in a body. Evidently the high traffic flow outweighs this disadvantage.
There have been small demonstrations here in the past. There are frequently people with “Out of Iraq” signs on the weekends. This is the first time I have seen such a large crowd, though.
The Divisive Mercury News
The San Jose Mercury News gleefully promotes divisiveness among and between demographic groups. We have a pretty good thing going here with three different demographics each having 1/3 of the overall population—the demographic proportions result in a remarkably peaceful city.
But at least since 1979, the Merc has sought to undermine urban unity in San Jose by the use of repeated divisive terms or statements three to five times a week. These are not one-time slips. If they were, the Merc would have allowed rebuttals which it never does.
==========
Mike Swift Divides—The Diversity Beat
Mike Swift is always ready to implement the Merc’s mission to undermine unity. One of his techniques is to take utterly similar events in the real world, and attach a positive label to one, and a negative label to the other. For example, he referred on 12/10/06 to American Latino departures from California as a “Latino diaspora,” a delicate, even pious label, certainly positive.
In the same article, he referred to similar Euro-American departures from California as “white flight,” a cowardly reference, flying away like scared sparrows, certainly negative. (He repeated this divisive label as recently as 12/15/08.)
==========
Mike Zapler Divides—The Sacramento Beat
Mike Zapler is also deeply committed to the Merc’s mission to weaken urban unity, but he uses a different tactic. He likes to find public figures who can be goaded into using divisive terms, and then incorporate them in an article for maximum divisive effect. For example, he published the term “cracker” on 8/6/06 in a story and ignored his ethical obligation to criticize it as a racial and regional slur.
The San Francisco Chronicle, on the other hand, ran a story about the same event on the same day, but followed ethical guidelines and took a few lines to report that the hate term “cracker” was derogatory.
==========
Just bricks in the wall the Merc seeks to build between and among groups through repetition and by banning rebuttal.
Chuck Reed has opened the door, by selecting the Peralta redevelopment request for the federal bailout list, for a federal investigation over the issues raised by McMannis.
Not smart, Mayor Reed. You should have considered the fact that even if the ethics charges against Tom are dismissed, and I think they will be, there is now a federal avenue that the unknown enemies of Tom could take.
Don’t you love the fact that Santa Clara has not even bothered to fill out such an application. Where are the great Reed fans like McLemore, Darby, and Bailey that like to slam our city?
Hooray for SJ Bike Party!
A mostly adhoc group of cyclists that take to the streets monthly to celebrate the freedom and childlike joy of riding a bicycle.
There is music, there are bikes of all kinds, there are riders of all kinds. Even skateboarders join the fun.
You cannot avoid a good time when riding with hundreds of peaceful new friends.
Motorists of San Jose and Campbell are generally supportive, those that aren’t are patient and maybe a little jealous.
The pedestrians and motorists caught in our draft stop and stare, unconsciously smiling as the joy and excitement of adults on bicycles reminds them of a carefree childhood and the freedoms a bicycle afforded.
HOORAY FOR SJ BIKE PARTY!
PUT THE FUN BETWEEN YOUR LEGS!
I want to know why State Legislators are going to receive their pay checks next month, when the State Controller has plans on stopping payments to the blind, elderly, disabled, money to schools, health care institutions, give IOUs to people for State refunds, interrupt Unemployment benefits, loss people thousands of jobs, and a whole host of other things, unless they pass the budget in the next two weeks. The fact that these rich lazy jerks are playing politics instead of doing their job is simply outrageous. Where do they get off harming so many tax paying businesses and citizens, and still get THEIR paycheck? We need to change the law so that these idiots don’t get a pay check UNTIL they pass the budget.
JMO is right; it is time for a Californian Tea Party!
#2 J.R.,
The Fed’s wont’ waste their time on baseless charges. They’ll see it as it is; charges made by McEnery haters (cough NORA CAMPOS cough) who are willing to bring down a great vision at all costs. Cased closed!
Here is a very troubling video of pro Palestinian/Hamas protesters in Florida chanting for the “Jews to go back to the showers” and “Jews go back to the ovens”, in reference of course to the millions of Jews executed in WWII.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz0r3FGlZ9c
#3 Cyclist: Where can people find more info on the SJ Bike Parties?
#6-Steve,
It is indeed sad that these protestors would use Hate Speech like this and are allowed to get a way with it. Hate Speech is against the law and these types of violations should be enforced. They haven’t been enforced because our leaders don’t want to make any one angry. That in and of its self is just sickening to me.
Secondly, the great influx of immigrants into the US is leaving us wide open to them bringing their homeland fights here. It is putting our representatives, and our citizens in an awkward position of having to either take sides, or suffer unfair consequences for not.
A new type of hatred and discrimination has reared its ugly head right here in the US, and I fear if something doesn’t change soon, we’ll have wars right here between fractions of immigrants who hate one another. Unlike here in the United States, in their homelands laws are different. They can beat, stab, and kill one another with out going to jail for it.
No one wins when violence or principle is involved. This country is in a lot of trouble people. As a once great country, we seem to have lost our pride, integrity, the very foundation of what this country was built on, and our compassion toward one another. I’d bet our fore fathers are shedding many tears, and turning over in their graves watching this stuff. I know I am very saddened, and fearful at the direction this country is headed in.
Why bother to pass “hate speech” laws if you’re not going to enforce them?
And why the double standard: if a white person takes a hard-line white-supremacy position, and calling for action to keep African Americans out of white neighborhoods, it’s a Federal case per http://supreme.justia.com/constitution/amendment-01/44-group-libel-and-hate-speech.html
If a pro Palestinian/Hamas protester says “Jews to go back to the showers” or “Jews go back to the ovens,” people look the other way. What’s up with that?
We could learn a lot from animals:
This is a video of a homeless man in Santa Barbara and his pets. They work State Street every week for donations. The animals are pretty well fed and are mellow. They are a family. The man who owns them rigged up a harness for his cat so she wouldn’t have to walk so much (like the dog and himself). At some juncture the rat came along, and as no one wanted to eat anyone else, the rat started riding with the cat and, often, on the cat! The dog, will stand all day and let you talk to him and admire him for a few chin scratches. The Mayor of Santa Barbara filmed this clip and sent it out as a holiday card. A great video …..a MUST watch! Click on the link below
http://www.youtube.com/v/D85yrIgA4Nk
#7
http://www.sjbikeparty.org/
Feb 20 theme is Mardi Gras! Should be a good time!
There was a largish demonstration this afternoon at the corner of Stevens Creek and Winchester protesting the invasion of Gaza. The crowd seemed well-behaved, not blocking traffic, etc. No hate speech as described above.
There were a few police lounging around on the Santa Clara side of the street but they didn’t have much to do. I thought I saw a few counterdemonstrators but there didn’t seem to be any trouble.
It says something about the lack of public space in the community that the small narrow stretch of sidewalk at this intersection is chosen for a political protest. Of course there is a lot of traffic to Santana Row and Valley Fair, but since both are private property the protestors are confined to the sidewalk.
It’s not a very effective venue because the protestors are strung out all along the street instead of being able to assemble in a body. Evidently the high traffic flow outweighs this disadvantage.
There have been small demonstrations here in the past. There are frequently people with “Out of Iraq” signs on the weekends. This is the first time I have seen such a large crowd, though.
Nothing about it in the Merc, of course.
I notice that very few people in the SJ Bike Party video are wearing helmets. This is very stupid.
You would think that people who organize bicycle events would discourage irresponsible dangerous behavior by the participants.