{"id":147593,"date":"2019-11-18T12:00:33","date_gmt":"2019-11-18T12:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=147593"},"modified":"2019-11-25T11:09:12","modified_gmt":"2019-11-25T11:09:12","slug":"breaking-kings-bay-plowshares-7-story-is-highly-unprofessional","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2019\/11\/breaking-kings-bay-plowshares-7-story-is-highly-unprofessional\/","title":{"rendered":"Breaking! Kings Bay Plowshares 7 Story Is Highly Unprofessional!"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

The Kings Bay Plowshares 7 activists at oceanfront in Georgia. Photo credit: Kings Bay Plowshares<\/p><\/div>\n

6 Nov 2019 – <\/em>Dear Mainstream News Media-MSM,<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I\u2019m talking to you, New York Times<\/em>, Washington Post<\/em>, MSNBC<\/em>, CNN<\/em>, and all your upstanding, highly professional conglomerate cohorts.<\/p>\n

Thank you one and all very, very much for not covering the trial of the Kings Bay Plowshares 7.<\/p>\n

Huh<\/em>, you ask? Trial? Kings Bay? Plowshares 7? What Kings Bay Plowshares 7? WHAT trial?<\/p>\n

Exactly. I totally appreciate your putting the kibosh on this one.<\/p>\n

It would have been highly unprofessional if even one of you had paid any serious attention to the hackneyed, been-there story of seven geriatric Catholic Worker activists who chose April 4, 2018 \u2013 the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King\u2019s assassination \u2013 to cut through a fence and enter the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base in Georgia, where they threw bottles of their own blood onto military plaques, hammered statues of nuclear missiles, and spray-painted twee little messages like \u201cLove One Another\u201d on sidewalks.<\/p>\n

Then, as if they hadn\u2019t embarrassed themselves enough, they presented an \u201cindictment\u201d charging the U.S. government with crimes against peace. All because they wanted to prevent a nuclear war that could wipe out life as we know it on this planet.<\/p>\n

I mean, seven funky old white Catholic hippies? Could there be anything more uncool? These spiritual moonbats have been carrying out turn-your-swords-into-plowshares protests for nigh onto forty years now. We\u2019re talking over 100 actions: the sneaking, the throwing, the hammering, the spray-painting, the government-property besmirching. Followed, of course, by the lengthy prison terms.<\/p>\n

After the verdict came down on October 24, Bill Quigley, a Plowshares\u2019 attorney, stated that the defendants had spent two years in prayerful practice before deciding to carry out this action. Too bad God didn\u2019t tell them to hire a PR manager first.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re right, Mainstream News, this story is simply not newsworthy. The fact that, after their arrest at the naval base, many of the defendants were kept in jail without bond for months before trial; the fact that the judge refused to allow arguments of necessity, justification, or international law; the fact that the base harbors at least six nuclear ballistic missile submarines, each containing 20 Trident thermonuclear weapons, any one of which, if launched, would incur 1,825 times more destruction than the atom bomb dropped on Hiroshima; the fact that all seven defendants were convicted on all charges \u2013 three felonies and one misdemeanor \u2013 these facts obviously make for awkward run-on sentences, which are very hard to tweet.<\/p>\n

Then, when you add in the fact that these seven are well past middle age \u2013 the youngest 57; the oldest a few days away from 80 \u2013 and that they face a possible 20 years, which could amount to a death sentence in prison, you\u2019ve got a really<\/em> unsexy story there. So thanks for catching that.<\/p>\n

Of course, Mainstream News Media, your decision not to pay any mind to this Plowshares thing goes far beyond your disinterest in these seven nerdly peace-mongers. Although you may still be confused about how to cover \u201cclimate change,\u201d you at least have come to the realization that the prospect of nuclear annihilation<\/em> \u2013 a prospect that has only increased since the first atom bombs were dropped in 1945 \u2013 has simply become OLD NEWS. Unprofessional. Too boring for words.<\/p>\n

OK, maybe \u201cboring\u201d isn\u2019t the word I\u2019m searching for. How about \u201cunthinkable\u201d? \u201cUnimaginable\u201d? The point is, you\u2019ve finally figured out that it\u2019s impossible for your audience \u2013 we who buy the products you advertise \u2013 to allow nuclear holocaust into the realm of the speakable. Really, compared to witty adverts of Geico car insurance, who wants to be woke to that?<\/p>\n

So, given that our inability to contemplate nuclear war \u2013 or accident \u2013 is something you guys want to cultivate, it\u2019s much better that you steer us into fixating on breaking news updates like Russia-gate or the World Series or that woman who climbed into the lion exhibit at the Bronx Zoo. After all, Donald Trump, with absolute presidential authority to order a nuclear first strike, has been pissing on arms treaties and considering renewed underground testing, not to mention pursuing an overall military buildup. How much better, then, that we become lost in the exciting saga of whether or not he\u2019ll be impeached?<\/p>\n

I wonder how I even heard about this Kings Bay Plowshares 7 story in the first place. Oh right \u2013 it was on Democracy Now!<\/em> Which, along with CounterPunch<\/em>, Truthout<\/em>, The Nation<\/em>, and whoever-heard-of The Ithaca Voice<\/em>, is one of a tiny handful of \u201calternative\u201d news outlets that think outside the cashbox.<\/p>\n

These countercultural media tend to be biased toward pinko political activism, which isn\u2019t making anybody any money. As such, they are highly unprofessional. Unlike you, Mainstream News, they do not strive to get all the points of view. For instance, when Plowshares defendant Liz McAlister explained to Democracy Now<\/em> host Amy Goodman how she and her codefendants took full responsibility for committing all of those three felonies and that one misdemeanor, McAlister quipped: \u201cWe don\u2019t have the right to destroy God\u2019s creation.\u201d Amy just let that slide.<\/p>\n

Right there, Amy could have called up just about anybody in the Trump administration, who, in a robust ratings-boost for alternative media, would have aggressively demolished McAlister\u2019s cornball argument.<\/p>\n

See, Amy\u2019s problem here is one shared by all rad-lib news outlets. In informing us on such issues as racial injustice, prison abolition, or climate change, they assume that, in order for their work \u2013 as journalists or as activists \u2013 to matter, everyone has got to remain alive on Earth<\/em>.<\/p>\n

And that is so very unprofessional.<\/p>\n

\n

Sources:<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Basic facts of the Kings Bay Plowshares 7 case:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Democracy Now! (includes Bill Quigley\u2019s statement):<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.democracynow.org\/2019\/10\/25\/kings_bay_plowshares_7_found_found<\/a><\/p>\n

The Nation:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.thenation.com\/article\/antinuclear-activists-trial-georgia\/<\/a><\/p>\n

The Ithaca Voice:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/ithacavoice.com\/category\/story-database\/kings-bay-plowshares-7-story-database\/<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/ithacavoice.com\/2019\/10\/anti-nuclear-activists-kings-bay-plowshares-7-found-guilty\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Truthout, Marjorie Cohn:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/truthout.org\/articles\/convicted-anti-nuclear-activists-speak-out-pentagon-has-brainwashed-people\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Gay City News:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.gaycitynews.nyc\/stories\/2019\/6\/stpats-community-2019-03-14-gcn.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Kings Bay Plowshares 7 website:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/kingsbayplowshares7.org<\/a><\/p>\n

The Nuclear Resister website:<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.nukeresister.org\/2018\/04\/05\/seven-kings-bay-plowshares-activists-arrested-inside-trident-nuclear-submarine-base\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Held without bond:<\/strong><\/p>\n

https:\/\/kingsbayplowshares7.org\/2019\/03\/letter-from-mark-colville-from-the-glynn-co-jail\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cActivist with Baltimore roots languishes in Georgia jail,\u201d Baltimore Sun:<\/strong><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/opinion\/op-ed\/bs-ed-op-0608-elizabeth-mcalister-20190906-f5wipjxaebgxlabqumv3o3sbf4-story.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Judge Lisa Godbey Wood rejects necessity, justification, or international law defense; The Nation:<\/strong><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.thenation.com\/article\/kings-bay-plowshares-trial\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201c1,825 times more destruction than the atom bomb dropped on Hiroshima\u201d:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cTrident Is the Crime,\u201d Kathy Kelly, Counterpunch:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.counterpunch.org\/2019\/10\/28\/trident-is-the-crime\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Lion woman at Bronx Zoo:<\/strong><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2019\/10\/04\/nyregion\/bronx-zoo-lion-woman-myah-autry.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Trump first strike authority:<\/strong><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.politico.com\/magazine\/story\/2019\/09\/10\/donald-trump-nuclear-arms-race-228058<\/a><\/p>\n

Open skies treaty; one example among many of Trump-abrogated arms treaties:<\/strong><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.wired.com\/story\/trump-open-skies-withdrawal\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Nuclear disaster and Trump:<\/strong><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/opinions\/trump-is-quietly-leading-us-closer-to-nuclear-disaster\/2019\/06\/26\/3348ca5e-9445-11e9-aadb-74e6b2b46f6a_story.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Liz McAlister interview with Amy Goodman, DN!:<\/strong><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.democracynow.org\/2019\/10\/21\/kingsbay_plowshares_seven_activists_trial<\/a><\/p>\n

Petition to drop charges for Kings Bay Plowshares 7:<\/strong><\/p>\n

https:\/\/actionnetwork.org\/petitions\/sign-global-petition-to-dismiss-charges-against-anti-nuclear-plowshares-activists-facing-25-years?source=direct_link&<\/a><\/p>\n

TRANSCEND Media Service-TMS:<\/strong><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2019\/10\/anti-nuke-activists-kings-bay-plowshares-7-found-guilty-on-all-counts\/<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2019\/11\/a-tight-grip-on-our-nuclear-toys\/<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2019\/10\/trident-is-the-crime\/<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2019\/10\/taking-next-steps-toward-nuclear-abolition\/<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2019\/10\/nonviolence-charter-progress-report-15-oct-2019\/<\/a><\/p>\n

__________________________________________________<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a9 Susie Day, 2019<\/em><\/p>\n

Go to Original \u2013 counterpunch.org<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

6 Nov 2019 – Dear Mainstream News Media-MSM: After the verdict came down on October 24, Bill Quigley, a Plowshares\u2019 attorney, stated that the defendants had spent two years in prayerful practice before deciding to carry out this action. You\u2019re right, MSM, this story is simply not newsworthy. Then, when you add in the fact that these seven are well past middle age \u2013 the youngest 57; the oldest a few days away from 80 \u2013 and that they face a possible 20 years, which could amount to a death sentence in prison, you\u2019ve got a really unsexy story there. So thanks for catching that.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":145817,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45,59,68,65,62,139],"tags":[1161,1188,1058,853,244,120,354,401,1268,267,260,504,291,91,429,1323,635,1301,450,109,287,278,639,292,70,126,118,172,75],"class_list":["post-147593","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-activism","category-nonviolence","category-weapons-of-mass-destruction","category-anglo-america","category-media","category-justice","tag-arms-industry","tag-arms-race","tag-arms-trade-treaty","tag-atomic-weapons","tag-china","tag-conflict","tag-economics","tag-environment","tag-european-union","tag-geopolitics","tag-history","tag-international-relations","tag-military","tag-nato","tag-nuclear-ban-treaty","tag-nuclear-club","tag-nuclear-power","tag-nuclear-war","tag-nuclear-weapons","tag-politics","tag-power","tag-russia","tag-uk","tag-un","tag-usa","tag-violence","tag-war","tag-west","tag-world"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147593","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=147593"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147593\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/145817"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=147593"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=147593"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=147593"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}