When Journalism Rides the Edge of Sensationalism..

Jul 25, 2011 2 Comments ›› LaVoix

People submit to becoming sheep out of fear.  Or perhaps this blog should be titled:

“Republican Party of Arkansas Cruises Left”

They also say a picture is worth a thousand words…so here we go!

I had to say something when I saw the KARK version of what took place Friday evening in North Little Rock at the Riverfront. I didn’t know if I would EVER STOP LAUGHING! Sensationalism has no place in reporting nor does it help in the efforts of seniors, working Arkansans, disabled and unemployed when they attempt to peacefully exercise their First Amendment Rights to have their voices heard (we all know the needs of the many fall on deaf ears with Republicans). Sensationalism might get higher corporate advertisement for KARK, is that the reason?

“Things almost got ugly on the banks of the river when a brief clash broke out between demonstrators and North Little Rock police.” Who said THAT? First…do these children look like they are working their way into a clash with the police?

And does this beautiful senior look like she would draw the “ire of police”.

I was in attendance the entire time and never saw one moment of “brief clash”. I did witness Alan Hughes, President of the Arkansas AFL-CIO explaining to protesters (in a very calm voice I might add) what the procedures were for protesting and sticking to the “free speech zone” that had been established by the North Little Rock Visitors Bureau and the North Little Rock Police reported by the Arkansas Times.

Kudos to the AFL-CIO for being as law abiding as they are to make sure that folks don’t do what KARK claimed “almost” happened. And none of the other organizations represented ever got into any brief clash.

As the Arkansas Times reported, there was a free speech zone established by North Little Rock police and Tourist Bureau. For further measure check out this young man’s very polite attitude, it’s Samuel Kauffman that wrote the letter to the Arkansas Times:

Samuel Kauffman is an extremely polite young man.  “The group had to get a permit for the protest but wanted to make sure republicans heard their message so they hit the trail, leaving their designated area and drawing the ire of police.”  This is a sensationalist statement made by KARK….pure sensationalism.

Just so you know what type of people were there and what this was all about watch Richard Belk explain why he is there:

And this is about as loud as we chanted a rather loooooong distance from the Arkansas Queen.

This video says it all…taken about 20 feet from the nine protesters at the site as the Arkansas River Queen pulls away to the “other side” of the Riverfront Park.

So…here is the skinny on the whole “almost got ugly”. Some folks in Arkansas are either “scared” of free speech or they truly are conducting class warfare on the majority of American and Arkansas.  Maybe we just “don’t matter to them”.

Then there is always this thought:  The Arkansas Queen left the scene from the right hand side of the river loaded with Republicans that are known as being “right” in politics only to steer down the river on the left-hand side…watch them blame that on the pilot just like they blame the entire debt of the nation on a President that took office with over a trillion of debt.  And by the way, it is standard for boats and ships to steer on the right hand side of the waterway….

I’m still laughing at the Republican “escape to the left” in the last video…but, am so saddened by KARK reporting “Things almost got ugly on the banks of the river when a brief clash broke out between demonstrators and North Little Rock police.” and the City of North Little Rock requiring a “free speech zone”.  The Republican Party of Arkansas was hosting a “Cruising into the Majority” and I am still laughing at their leaving the scene against the standard nautical route cruising on the “left”…still laughing….still laughing….still laughing…but, do expect another story on the “free speech zone” issue that seems to keep popping up in Arkansas.