Martyr Porn Money Shot
And so the keening from the Lake begins with Jane Hamsher’s absurd claims that Obama ordered the Tar Sands Protesters jailed. Yes, that’s right — ordered.
Entirely ignoring reports that the National Park Service has stated that the protestors violated permits that allowed them to march — but not stand or sit — on the Pennsylvania Avenue side of the White House (which — according to Vent Casey III — has been closed off since the Clinton administration), Jane seems to need to believe that Obama’s jackboots are fomenting a police state, and that her arrest (along with the arrest of almost 100 others) is evidence of the looming police state.
Horseshit.
Does she not realize that 1500 people signed up to “court arrest” in connection with the Tar Sands protests? Does she not realize that the activists themselves have been dividing themselves into groups: Those who are willing to be arrested and those who planned to leave after police warnings were issued?
In other words, the organizers of the Tar Sands Action had planned and trained for this, and the activists who were arrested expected to be arrested (as participants in non-violent protests often do).
In fact, arrest is a mainstay of civil disobedience:
Those who have never experienced it first hand likely do not know this, but a civil disobedience event is… a dance. It is a carefully orchestrated and methodical set of moves in which a group of organized resistors plan ahead, aware going in that they are knowingly acting in violation of the law, what the likely consequences of their action will be, and exactly how they are expect themselves to behave during every step of the event in order to achieve the goal of peaceful non-violent and civil (civil as in polite) disobedience. In our modern political environment, that means that the actors (the protestors) and the police often have full awareness and communication of what each side will do.
Additionally, civil disobedience stems from a philosophy of love, spirituality, and faith in justice. It does not stem from self-aggrandizing and shrill attacks lobbed at those whom you view as perpetrating injustices.
Dr. King wrote about the following 6 elements which form the basis for civil disobedience and nonviolent resistance:
First, nonviolence is resistance to evil and oppression. It is a human way to fight.
Second, it does not seek to defeat or humiliate the opponent, but to win his/ her friendship and understanding.
Third, the nonviolent method is an attack on the forces of evil rather than against persons doing the evil. It seeks to defeat the evil and not the persons doing the evil and injustice.
Fourth, it is the willingness to accept suffering without retaliation.
Fifth, a nonviolent resister avoids both external physical and internal spiritual violence- not only refuses to shoot, but also to hate, an opponent. The ethic of real love is at the center of nonviolence.
Sixth, the believer in nonviolence has a deep faith in the future and the forces in the universe are seen to be on the side of justice.
Do any of these elements describe this petty woman who, as far as I can tell, absolutely loathes our President? Do any of these elements describe this permanently aggrieved woman who drew a comparison between her several-hour incarceration and Bradley Manning’s confinement? Do any of these elements describe the woman who penned the following “Letter from a D.C. Jail,”1 in a seeming effort to garner sympathy and page-clicks?
“All 65 of us were crammed into four 6 x 8 holding cells (we measured) with a toilet at the end. I was held with other women who took part in the demonstration. … The park police took all our jackets and sweaters away, which left a bunch of women in spaghetti straps. They said they were worried we’d hang ourselves if they let us keep them. Then they cranked up the air conditioning so everyone was really cold.
We asked for something warm so they brought us 3 yellow styrofoam sheets. They said that was all they had. So we ripped them in two and rotated them with two women sharing them at a time, but when someone had to pee, we all turned our backs and used the sheets as sort of a wall so they’d have some privacy.
One woman had to poop and she just really did not want to do that in a 6 x 8 cell with 13 other women in the room. She asked the guard if he’d let her do it in the restroom down the hall. He wouldn’t. So we asked if she could go join some of the men who were being held in the sally port where there was a porta potty, or if we could be taken there while she used the one in the cell, but he refused. We all said we didn’t care if she did what she needed to do, but she was so uncomfortable she just couldn’t.”
You mean they don’t allow private “poop” breaks in jail? THE HORROR.
When one compares her statement to that of Bill McKibben’s, the difference between activism and ankle-biting becomes clear:
Hello everyone! We don’t need sympathy, we need company. It’s clear to us that police were hoping to deter this action, and it’s equally clear to us the opposite will be the result.I’m looking forward to seeing everybody over the next 2 weeks. It has been a little hot here in central cell block, but not as hot as it will be if we don’t stop this project. People here have been in good spirits, and there has been a great deal of learning. We are thinking ahead to this weekend to share stories about Dr King and freedom movement.Even though uncomfortable, this experience has given us a greater sense of that part of history. Come on in, the water is fine.” If you’re looking to jump in to the water, sign up here: http://www.tarsandsaction.org/sign-up/ We expect that the 45 protestors who remain in jail from Saturday’s demonstration will be released early Monday afternoon.
As The Lake continues to exploit Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy, know this: nothing that Jane Hamsher does has anything to do with the principles espoused byDr. King, or nonviolence, or bending the arc of history towards justice. Nothing.
Whether it’s working with the Tea Party to kill a bill that provides health insurance to 30 million Americans, or calling supporters of President Obama “the dumbest motherfuckers in the world,” Jane Hamsher perpetually seeks cudgels that she can wield against Obama, his administration, and his supporters.
Jane Hamsher is not on the side of justice, love, or faith — justice, love, and faith don’t lead to page clicks or membership revenue.
Jane Hamsher is on the side of Jane Hamsher.
And you can bet your ass that no matter the outcome of the Tar Sands sit-ins — whether Obama signs the permit or not — Jane Hamsher will be there, either to take credit, or scream “Toldja so!” And whatever the outcome, she will move on to Obama’s next big failure, whatever that may be.
Serenity now.
1 Just to be clear, Hamsher’s post is not entitled “Letter From D.C. Jail.”
[To find out more about or participate in the Tar Sands protests over the next couple of weeks, visit www.tarsandsaction.org, and remember FOCUS ON MARK RUFFALO -- (Tar Sands Pipeline: Ignore the FireDogMartyr and Focus on Mark Ruffalo).]
[edited for clarity Aug. 22, 1 p.m.]
I didn’t know this background on the rest of the group & the event. Excellent. Yes, they were doing their thing in a long tradition and Hamsher comes to use it to grandstand for her own name and President Obama bashing.
I’m not sure how I feel about tar sands or the pipeline but there are issues around it worth considering closely. I’m glad the bulk of the people who are against it are working to draw attention and maybe nix it in the manner they are. Perhaps Hamsher will sign on to that fully or just go find another means to shill herself.
“I’m not sure how I feel about tar sands or the pipeline but there are issues around it worth considering closely.”
Yes, yes there are. The Tar Sands has been an ongoing issue for Canadians for years. It’s interesting to finally see Americans getting involved. Too bad it happens to be this particular one.
I’ve been involved in investing in various oil interests for a long time so Canadian oil & tar sands are not a new issue for me, but I’ve not been in the loop for awhile. I can only speak for myself, not what Americans at large know or do.
Overall, I would prefer to leave the tar sands alone, partly as it’s not, in my assessment, a good way to make money, aside from the environmental impact. However, as said, I have not studied it in many years.
The horrors! Spaghetti straps! Didn’t Choi warn her? He’s been there before when he chained himself to the WH fence. And her letter from a DC jail–does she think she’s MLK? Where’s the barf smilie?
Ms. piss and vinegar never quits. She must be so tired from all of her whining. It is a known fact that if you whine all the time, you are indeed tiring.
Down with Jane the Shame.
I didn’t realize Miss Jane had moved to DC. The contrast between the two letters is remarkable.
Ahhhh so. We add paranoia to the Narcisism? People like her? Why?
Psych! We were discussing this yesterday over at my blog and at TPV, and I said “watch for the martyr post on Monday.” Yup. I’d like to claim I’m pyschic, but it’s just knowing Jane’s pattern. Predictable git, ain’t she?
Actually, I’m pretty sure that’s how “psychics” work, so go ahead and claim the title. You could be on the Tee vee.
So predictable. I knew she would be insufferable this week, as I pointed out yesterday.
She is an embarrassment.
Hamsher is one sick individual. I guess she thinks she’s the reincarnation of MLK, Jr. now with this farce of a “letter.” PBO probably knows who she is, but with all he has to deal with, I seriously doubt that he’d give a deliberate order to have protesters removed from in front of the WH. He’s the type of guy who, if he weren’t POTUS and was a bit younger, would probably be a member of the protest group. If Hamsher knew anything about PBO, she’d realize this. She’s driving somebody somewhere nuts. I’m just glad it’s not me.
This is a hoot. She’s basing her accusation that Obama “ordered” harsher treatment because someone saw a blog by someone else who stated his personal belief that the Obama administration “had a hand in it” with NO evidence whatsoever? What a bunch of dumbasses. No matter which administration it is the DC cops have very little interest in dealing with a constant merry-go-round of protesters who get themselves arrested and released, only to go back and do it again, and encouraging those who conclude that being arrested is no big deal and therefore decide to join the party. Anyone from DC could tell them that it’s typical of the cops to go harsher if they think not going harsher will generate more protesters. No Obama intervention necessary at all. They probably wouldn’t need to go any farther than the Chief of Police to find the one who decided on this course of action. It’s been happening like that since I was a kid.
But the orders came from “higher up,” you see. So the order of things is thus:
National Park Service cops –>
Metropolitan DC crowd cops –>
Metropolitan DC cops who book people (what are they called? Booker T. Cops?) –>
OBAMA HIMSELF
PRIMARY HIM!!!!!11
Exactly. I lived in DC for 9 years, and I recall that every time that protests started getting on the nerves of the cops, or they’d just decided that it was time to get people to stop trying to get arrested, someone was going to spend time in jail. Heck, they’d even let everyone know they were going to do it.
Shorter Jane: I didn’t realize I’d go to jaaaail!! Prison sucks! Poor me, the President is out to get me! Send money!
The Monty Python song “Brave Sir Robin” keeps running through my head when I think of her in this case.
I got a parking ticket last week and I’m pretty sure Obama ordered it.
I won’t click her site but looks like casual clothes in that pix … did they change for their arrests?
my guess is they were wearing spaghetti strap tank tops or something under their jackets.
there have to be rules if you’re going to a sit-in:
1. dress appropriately.
2. poop before you go.
“Listen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing primary threats is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic emoblog!”
I also loathe your president. I’m looking forward to your tears in the background as he makes his concession speech. Kanpai.
Well that’s OK, slick, I’m sure if he had any idea a lower life form like you existed he wouldn’t be any too fond of you either.
Now please go set yourself on fire so some of us can piss you out. Or maybe we’ll just stand back and enjoy the barbecue…
So this “Ted Glick” person heard from someone who heard from someone that things came from “higher up” and this we’re supposed to accept as metaphysical truth? Does he by any chance have a bridge in Brooklyn he’s looking to unload? Beachfront property in Nevada maybe?
And yes, The Hamster and her like-minded sorts fail, as do so many, to grasp the basic point that civil disobedience is about facing the consequences of their actions of the day. Not that they’re in imminent danger of understanding that, of course.
And I’d add “grifter” to that earlier typology and put Hamster’s (and Greenbeck’s) pictures there as illustrative examples.
Obama did not order the arrest of Jane Hamsher.
I did.
Way back when, I had a hand in organizing and participating in quite a few direct actions, and yes, some people CHOOSE to be arrested in order to try to promote their cause, as you pointed out, and as I did. The usefulness of it as a tactic is arguable, but never mind that.
For us, somebody like Hamsher taking part would have been a total PITA, because rather than talking about the issue we were wishing to focus on, she’d want to grandstand and make it about extraneous distractions, which is exactly what she’s done. We used to call people like her limelighters and avoid them or try to work round them if all else failed.
Contrast her spiel with what some of the other reasonably well-known activists involved have been quoted as saying:
“The President ran on a platform in 2008 saying that he was going to be extremely aggressive in dealing with climate change, and this is his chance to prove it,” says Daniel Kessler, spokesman for Tar Sands Action, the group organizing the event. “He has our support to stand up to big oil.”
“We’re trying to send a message to the president that he has our support in making the smart decision to not approve this dangerous pipeline,” said David Daniel.
Disingenuous or not, statements like that are far more in keeping with the traditions of direct action than whining because you’ve been treated exactly like any other detainee in similar circumstances.
Wow, just unbelievable. Great post ABL, bravo, bravo. I’m sure the Tar Sands people just love having Jane hanging around. Iiieeeeee.
Hey, if the thing gets built maybe they can use her as a brush to clean the inside of it!
Is anyone surprised? Jane’s Addiction (ha!) to attention goes back at least as far as the Lamont campaign, where her unsolicited “help” included the infamous Lieberman In Black Face schtick.
““All 65 of us were crammed into four 6 x 8 holding cells (we measured) with a toilet at the end.”
And yet she was cold. mkay.
“Even though uncomfortable, this experience has given us a greater sense of that part of history.”
Yes, you’re experience is SO similar to MLK Jr.’s struggle for freedom, it’s eery.
I particularly liked the part of the “Letter From Birmingham Jail” where MLK talked about the poop problem.
Indeed. Attack dogs,firehoses, but poop problems, that’s clearly over-the-top torture.
(ABL, Apparently I, too, had a your/you’re crisis last night. I had to laugh when I read that part of my comment this morning!)
What a bunch of pathetic whiners. Miss Jane apparently has never visited a local jail: it ain’t the Marriott and you don’t get to trade up on your accomodations.
Some radical activists Hamsher and her cronies turned out to be, complaining that the jail cell was too chilly and there was no privacy to use the facilities. Poor baby.
In your last post on this, you chewed Hamsher out for claiming that the police were using extended detentions to deter the protests. Today, you’re quoting McKibben, who’s making the same claim (also, these guys are saying the same thing: http://www.tarsandsaction.org/not-deterred/). So are you going to correct yourself on the point that she’s making this stuff up? Because if you don’t, your claim that it’s a falsehood begins to suggest that the references to it by McKibben and others are also made in bad faith.
I know you (justifiably) hate Hamsher, but maybe you could take some of your own advice, focus on something that matters (like the issue itself), and stop with this poop-flinging. It’s depressing to consider that you probably wouldn’t have written about this protest at all if it didn’t present an opportunity to bludgeon Hamsher. If this issue is really worth writing about, then maybe you should actually write about it, rather than dumping a bunch of links at the bottom of a post that has nothing to do with it.