What a difference in media coverage and on-the-streets reality there can be, depending on where you are.

There’ve been continuing protest marches and die-ins about Michael Brown and now Eric Garner in eastern Massachusetts.  I understand that in other parts of the country, peaceful protests are being largely ignored in news reports; only violence and destruction get coverage from the media, it appears.  Yeh, big surprise, eh?  But the protests have received lead-story coverage here, at least on the cable news channel NECN — I don’t watch the network affiliate stations so can’t say how they’ve reported on it as it happens, but given how many major roadways have been shut down at prime evening drive time, such as last night’s demonstrations in Somerville into Cambridge, I’d expect they’re covering it too.

Or maybe not; I’ve just looked at the websites for the ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox affiliates.  ABC:  Second of four rotating lead stories.  CBS:  Not even in the lead; a sidebar under “Mother, son narrowly escape being hit by train”.  NBC:  Lead story.  Fox:  Not the lead; second sidebar headline, but not as slanted as you’d expect.  Don’t, for the sake of your sanity, read the comments.

What reports I’ve seen have pointed out how peaceful and nonviolent the protests have been, which is due, of course, in large part to the people participating, but also to the very different attitude of elected officials and police here.  Our governor and Boston’s mayor, among many other public officials as well as Cardinal O’Malley, have openly supported the right to protest and expressed sympathy with the anger, rather than spending days ratcheting up the tensions with dire warnings about expected violence and how it will be suppressed.  The current Boston police commissioner is a strong advocate of community policing, dialog with people, and talking down angry crowds rather than rolling tanks and tear gas on them.

Watching the coverage last night, I was struck by the difference in gear and approach of the state and local police, even when major arteries were being blocked and traffic was going to hell:  Wearing those sickly yellow-green vests but otherwise in normal uniform; no nightsticks and assault rifles out and ready, no helmets other than on the motorcycle units, no hulking tanks lurking.  I saw helicopter shots of some protesters come forward and engage in lively discussion with front-line officers, but the body language was respectful on both sides.

I think these quotes are telling:

On its Twitter account, the Boston Police Department thanked the thousands who demonstrated peacefully and cooperated with law enforcement Thursday night, saying: “You too should be proud.”

Police Commissioner William Evans, in a statement, thanked his officers for showing “restraint and professionalism” during the protest.

Source: NECN headline story on protests – http://www.necn.com/news/new-england/Hundreds-of-Protesters-Shut-Down-Harvard-Square-284926861.html

What?  Treating people with human decency and respect rather than beating them into submission?  Who’da thunk it could ever work?

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