As I pointed out in the comments yesterday, the BBC’s Matt Danzico has been touting for book donations for a new Occupy Wall Street library organised by his sister Liz (aka “bobulate”):
(Liz sounds like she could be one of Occupy’s Uptown crowd.)
Even *ahem* impartial BBC journalists such as Matt Danzico might think twice about giving stuff to OWS when they hear of the money swilling around the place.
Last month Danzico interviewed this guy, Thorin Caristo, from the OWS media centre at Zuccotti Park:
Caristo was also interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme following the clearance of Zuccotti last week; he told Evan Davis that the occupiers’ next move would be a takeover of Central Park.
It turns out Mr Caristo is a bit of a divisive character within the OWS set-up. According to audio-plus-transcript posted today by OWSNYC at Livestream (recorded secretly by other occupiers, it seems) he has been taking substantial amounts of money from a rich benefactor called Jean Louis Bourgeois (no, seriously). Here are some screengrabs to give you an idea of the sums being discussed, not to mention a somewhat two-faced attitude towards the guy with the money:
The Livestream clip linked to above is worth watching in its entirety to get a full sense of the bitterness, backstabbing and bitching that’s going down within OWS. There’s talk of chauffeur-driven cars, alienated celebrities, and even a threat to kick someone in the teeth. And if you’re really into the soap opera of it all, you can see one of Thorin’s former friends responding here.
You don’t get any of this stuff on the BBC, do you?
According to enoughism.com this Jean Louis Bourgeois seems to be a nutcase, so I expect that even if the beeb doesn’t give him some good PR soon, the Guardian probably will –
Jean-Louis Bourgeois is an activist, relaxivist, and Groucho Marxist. He is a “neo-luddite”, a student of the primordial buddhas, a feminist and advocate for the first female Dalai Lama, a renegade son of the establishment (Harvard ‘5), and a Relaxivist opponent of the work ethic and of Industrial labor practices . He is also an author and architectural historian with a special interest in adobe traditions.
Apparently mother was sculptor Lousie Bourgeois (“Her work was wholly autobiographical, inspired by her childhood trauma of discovering that her English governess was also her father’s mistress”) and father was art historian Robert Goldwater.
Clearly loaded, and clearly a bit of a soft touch. I suggest David Preiser gets down Zuccotti way again and tries blagging some money.
Great stuff, DB! The fun never stops with these people.
Everyone should send this tweet of Danzico working on behalf of the Occupiers to every media outlet and blogger you can think of.
Let’s all cry a river for a poor 35-year-old student at OccupyWallStreet
http://hotair.com/archives/2011/11/20/the-1-occupation/
Hypocrisy or what ?
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/wall_street_cra_pad_s31YWPjPTt0TYuxLGnu7IK
All of this stuff is out there in some of the US press, and certainly on leading websites. ALL OF THIS is available to the BBC’s US “journalists”.
But we who pay for those lazy “journalists” never get to hear it.
It surely can’t be bias ?
‘You don’t get any of this stuff on the BBC, do you?’
But… they ‘get it about right’.
They say so. And folk they hire, or polls they rig say so. And pols addicted to saying ‘Hi Mum’ on niche progs or being filetted on HIGNFY say so.
So it must be true.
These comments by Newt Gingrich apply also to the St Paul’s crowd. His comments reflect the views of (polled) a majority of the US, and probably a majority here in the UK.
But NEVER from the BBC.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/11/20/gingrich_to_occupy_wall_street_go_get_a_job_after_you_take_a_bath.html
The battle to be your party’s Presidential nominee is always fascinating.
Unless you follow the BBC. The BBC is denying us licence-payers a proper view of what is going on with the Republicans – unless someone can be kicked, like Perry or Cain in the past couple of weeks.
Brit Hume, as staid as political commentators come, suggests here that it is not in the bag for Mitt Romney. Ergo – Brit Hume has not written off the challengers. But in the BBC view all the challengers are idiots. So why should the BBC report the many contrary opinions held by Brit Hume and others ?
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/11/20/brit_hume_these_are_extremely_difficult_times_for_mitt_romney.html
book donations?
aw diddums
did they lose all their colouring in and dot-to -dot books in the raid?
Oh dear….how sad…..never mind
Why should I comment? The BBC didn’t feel the need, or perhaps they did.
The naked truth: Using art and strip poker to enlighten New York
Wow, what a load of pretentious toss! And what’s the point of reporting this now? It happened three months ago.
I notice that there’s no byline, but it’s definitely a Danzico – the boho/geeky subject matter set to a trendy beat.
I wonder what all those BBC local radio journalists facing the axe think about stuff like this from BBC America.
Lovely line from a poster on the OWS farce:
“We are all the 99%, but some people are more 99% than others”
What’s going to happen to the 99% when the snows come? There aren’t enough buddha-rich, adobe-themed boutique hotels in Manhattan to shelter all the solipsistic, pseudo-anarchist children. Looks like it’s gonna be Gramsci’s Portakabins.
jarwill101
When it snows – “We are all the 99%, but some people will be less 99% than others”.
Whereas the Tea Psrty sre derided for their limited gatherings in good humor, and their adherance to democratic principles and mutual respect, The Occupy movement are misrepresented as oppressed people trying to stand up for the good of the many.
Court documents (ignored by the BBC) show what these occupiers are really like. From the telegraph:
08.13 Sex offender amongst Occupy camp, court docs say
The City of London has filed papers at the High Court seeking an eviction of the Occupy London camp on the steps of St Pauls.
The image they paint of the camp is a far cry from the vision of a “new society” the camp’s organisers proclaimed. The documents include witness statements from the police, an experienced social worker, St Paul’s cathedral and the City authorities which paint a picture of squalor and deprivation after the camp attracted rough sleepers and addicts.
Idealism has given way to squalor, drug abuse and fears for women’s safety
Allegations include:
• Rainwater gullies around the cathedral have been blocked with food waste, urine and human faeces – creating an “offensive” smell. When council workers arrived to clear the drains they were “verbally abused” by protesters.
• Council staff have found hypodermic needles and reported smelling cannabis during the two minutes’ silence on Remembrance Day. Dogs roam freely and foul the camp, while litter and bottles of urine pile up between the tents – many of which are empty.
• A social worker reported fears for a child of nine brought to the camp by his drug addict father. Social services agreed to move him away – but they had disappeared before they could act. “The camp is becoming a magnet for very vulnerable people who have chaotic lives,” she said – adding they were putting themselves at risk by leaving their hostels and skilled homeless workers.
• Women protesters told police they were scared to stay at the camp overnight, and two women had to hide in a portaloo in fear of being attacked by men.
• St Paul’s authorities said people had defecated inside the cathedral “on several occasions” and “sacrilegious” graffiti had been daubed on the cathedral doors and pillars. Services were interrupted by live music and staff sworn at. Over half the school visits had been cancelled.
• Protestors have abused shopkeepers who refuse to let them in to use the toilet – one threatening to urinate inside her shop. Another urinated “through the window of the Crypt restaurant”.
• A group of around 15 hardened drinkers keep the boarders of St Paul’s Cathedral Choir School awake at night by shouting abuse. Business takings are down up to 35pc.
• Arrests on site include possession of a blade, failing to register a new address under the Sexual Offences Act, theft, assaulting police and breach of bail.
So there you have it, I tiny minority movement which has been made to look bigger by allowing homeless alcoholics, drug addicts and sex offenders boost their numbers, whilst defecating and urinating all over the place.
The BBC pick very very odd people to support.
The Guardian, Telegraph, Daily Mail and Evening Standard have already covered this story. The BBC – with its vast resources – nothing so far. They must be struggling to work out how to spin this to make Occupy look good.
Must be their impartiality kicking in. As between good and evil, it must be a struggle to be even-handed.
“St Paul’s authorities said people had defecated inside the cathedral “on several occasions” and “sacrilegious” graffiti had been daubed on the cathedral doors and pillars.“
I wonder if that will cause them to pause and consider just where appeasement gets you?
Doubt it. The church has been “defaecating” on Christianity for some time, and has replaced the Book of Common Prayer with “sacrilegeous graffiti”. As for appeasement, it’s the new Anglicanism.
Compare and contrast:
@MarianneMagd Marianne Magdy They need doctors urgently in #tahrir plz retweet and spread 19 Nov via Mobile Web Favorite Retweet Reply
OccupyLondon Occupy London RT @OccupyLSX: We need a boombox for a very important onsight project. Must have mini jack inputs for iPod. Contact ridinggloves@gmail.com 1 hour ago Favorite Retweet Reply
I don’t know about the NUJ, but the US equivalent, the Communications Workers of America – of which the Newspaper Guild is part – has come out in support of the Occupiers. (bottom section of article)
Most “journalists” at all the big US papers are members of the Guild. It explains so much. No wonder people from the New York Times and NPR have been actively coaching the Occupiers, advising them on how to work the media, or even acting as spokespeople.
I don’t know which union Matt Danzico belongs to, if any.