Journalism In a Bubble, As Climate Rebellion About To Explode
Dear NJ Press Corps: Naomi Klein is now at Rutgers. Giver her a call. Get a clue.
Dear Blind Boys of Trenton – Chris Hedges lives just up the road in Princeton
Protestor at Albany NY anti-fracking event (8/11/15) He told me he was a real cop
Veteran reporter and NJ Spotlight co-founder John Mooney had a career first yesterday – and his own words reveal just how clueless, lame, and out of touch he and his profession are.
In today’s NJ Spotlight email distribution, Mooney wrote:
Just when we thought New Jersey’s lame duck session may not be that exciting after all, this happened. It was a first for me as a reporter to see State Police not just escort protesters out of a Statehouse hearing, but actually physically remove them — or at least one of them, in this case activist Susan Altman (pictured). And all at a hearing on corporate tax incentives, no less.
What the fuck is he talking about?
Let me break that lame bullshit down in the order Mooney presented it:
1. “Excitement”?
As if the Lame Duck session’s abuse of democracy and orgy of political corruption are some kind of sports event or reality TeeVee show?
We recently criticized NJ Spotlight for coverage that ignores the corruption and abuse of democracy that calls itself “lame duck”:
So, I must ask: Why are so-called “progressive” and “green” groups supporting ramming through controversial and deeply flawed legislation in the lame duck session? …
For many years, environmental groups have railed against lame duck legislation being rammed through after elections as a gross abuse of the legislative process and democratic accountability.
The public is shut out of the legislative process, there is virtually no legislative deliberation, dirty deals are pervasive, and legislators dodge electoral accountability for their often highly controversial votes.
Some of the worst special interest legislation gets passed in lame duck.
But this “excitement” meme is a bridge too far and reveals that even NJ Spotlight – “where issues matter” – is driven by entertainment values, consciously or not.
2. “First time”
A longtime NJ Statehouse and political reporter would have to be blind to not see NJ State Police in action in Trenton abusing people’s Constitutional rights.
Where the hell has Mr. Mooney been?
I’ve personally been the victim of and/or witnessed 3 egregious State Police political abuses in the last 5 years alone. That’s just the tip of a very large iceberg – and obviously it is not limited geographically to Trenton and the State House.
I sent Mooney this email note, with documentation – I’m sure I’ll get no response, just like the inquiry I made to Mooney asking why NJ Spotlight banned me from commenting on articles:
John – yesterday was your first time? Where you been? Here are 3 episodes, 2 of which I was the victim of and 1 I witnessed:
I was ejected from a DEP public hearing in the DEP building, and I was not protesting (I was talking to longtime DEP DAG George Schlosser). My mere presence – and photography of DEP’s “New World Order” powerpoint – was a threat to Christie DEP Commissioner Martin, who ordered my removal by 2 state police officers, one under each elbow, see:
Again, in December 2016, a State Police officer ejected me from the State House, for which I filed a complaint with the SP for excessive force and violation of my rights, see:
State Police Officer Facing Complaint For Excessive Force In Improper Ejection From State House
And I witnessed and wrote about this:
Christie DEP Deploys State Police To Eject Mayor and Critics From Public Hearing on Pipeline Permit
The NJ press corps has always been soft on reporting abuses by State Police.
[Update #1: BTW, a NJ State Police officer actually trespassed on my property and poisoned my home – true story! How could he possibly have believed that was OK?
[Update #2 – Here is another example of political abuse by State House authorities – of course it was witnessed but ignored by the corporate media, because I was just a dirty blogger:
[Update #3 – Tom Moran joins the Blind Boys of Trenton – like a virgin, he too was touched for the very first time]
3. “Corporate tax incentives, no less”
The “no less” gives it away.
How could Mooney be surprised that gross corruption and corporate power and corporate subsidies trigger citizen protest?
Is Mooney aware of “climate disobedience”? (now expanded as Sunrise Movement? Extinction Rebellion?
Where has Mooney been for the last decade or more, hiding under his desk in Trenton?
Mr. Mooney must be prepared for a radical escalation of non-violent direct action protest, as the climate emergency explodes into public view and millions engage in rebellion.
For an explanation of all that, see Chris Hedges column yesterday – it might be the most important thing you’ll ever read:
Police film protesters at Philadelphia anti-fracking event – 9/20/12 You never saw this abuse reported by corporate media