WENY-TV (Elmira, channel 36) story by Emma Wright
Two Stories: Ithaca Journal today and WENY Top STory last night at 11pm!!!
Last link is something to lighten your day
http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20090103/NEWS01/901030327/1002/NEWS01
http://www.weny.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjpJib3dct0
–Nevin
Ithaca Journal, January 3, 2009
Ithacans protest America’s financial support of Israel
By Tim Ashmore
tashmore@gannett.com
ITHACA — Cold weather and lingering holiday apathy were no match for some politically active Ithacans on Friday.
About 10 people gathered around 3:30 p.m. at Route 13 and Clinton Street to protest Israel’s attacks on the Gaza strip to increase awareness that American-funded weapons are taking innocent lives, they said.
“If I stand the whole day just to make one person think the other way, that’s OK,” Leuma Hardy, an Egyptian-American resident, said after accusing media of providing one-sided coverage during recent violence in the Gaza Strip. Go to Ithaca Journal story chat now
The Israeli offensive has killed more than 400 Palestinians and sparked outrage among the Arab public. Israel says its offensive is aimed at silencing Hamas rockets fired into southern Israel.
The group of protesters included Claire and Ellen Grady, two sisters recently returned from Washington, D.C., where they were arrested along with a New York City resident while protesting outside the Israeli embassy.
Claire said she wanted to raise awareness that the U.S. government is providing the financial support Israel needs to buy American-made weapons used to kill Palestinians living in Gaza. She said she’s been quoting former Georgia Congresswoman and Green Party presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney, who once said the American people need to know American weapons are producing the rubble in Gaza.
Mary Anne Grady, another protesting Grady sister, called Gaza a “prison” because of the blockade used by the Israelis to cut off supplies to that strip of land. Quoting the Maan News Agency based in Bethlehem, Grady said 57 percent of the 430 dead in Gaza are children.
The blockade itself was one reason Kay Sweeney was out protesting.
“The blockade is not talked about enough,” she said, adding that Israeli efforts to cut off supplies are surely responsible for additional lost lives.
Hardy said the “blind support” from the U.S. government has produced a one-sentence sound-bite for government officials to hide behind. She said that line is, “The Israelis have the right to protect their borders.”
“They don’t say people have a right to live,” she said.
A Muslim herself, Hardy said her religion isn’t what makes her active in protesting Israeli actions. She said the “human level” is what upsets her when she watches mothers and children die on television.
“It’s not fair, airplanes and high tech versus rocks and things,” she said.
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3 responses so far ↓
1 Cris // Jan 3, 2009 at 11:30 am
I am impressed by the WENY-TV coverage. Very professional, with good soundbites from interviews, cover shots, archival video from the St. Patrick’s Four, and current news footage from Gaza. Reporter Emma Wright did a great job. It is really evident that everyone involved cares about their work. I have always admired the capability of good tv news journalist to chose the right sound bites to fairly represent the people in the story. It is takes skill and practice.
That the Ithaca Journal came out on such short notice is commendable. The article covered the basic points, but it should come as no surprise that the turn out was small given the short notice.
Thanks, Nevin, for including the talking dog video. It reminded me of my dear old black lab Jerry, who always seemed to be makingan effort at human speach. But this dog is amazing. Thanks also for contacting the media.
I bet WHCU/WNYY would do an radio interview with Ellen and Clare.
2 Cris // Jan 3, 2009 at 2:31 pm
The Ithaca Journal article has one error. “Mary Anne Grady, another protesting Grady sister, called Gaza a “prison” because of the blockade used by the Israelis to cut off supplies to that strip of land. Quoting the Maan News Agency based in Bethlehem, Grady said 57 percent of the 430 dead in Gaza are children”
Actually, the 57% figure Mary Anne cited is a misquote. Here is what was published the Maan News Agency article of January 2, 2009:
Do the math and 16 out of 30 is 53%. WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS HOW THIS FIGURE COMPARES WITH ALL OF 2009 FOR ALL OF PALESTINE. What this says is that children are the biggest casualty of Israel’s continued occupation. This is clearly a war crime of enormous proportion. How can it be justified? As an appeal to the humanitarian values so often cited by Isreali spokespersons? Coupled by a not so subtle suggestion that Palestinians don’t value human life? As with the settlements, the facts on the ground tell a different story.
Thank you Mary Anne for letting me know about maannews.net, a great website for indepndent media in Palestine. We will continue to build a movement to end this illegal and immoral occupation, and to change our government’s policy and complicity.
3 Nevin // Jan 3, 2009 at 6:41 pm
I agree that Emma did a great job.
The Journal covered local news! Hooray!
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