Grand Rapids Institute for Information Democracy

Analysis:

This channel 8 story is based upon the protest held on April 20 in East Grand Rapids during Bush’s speech on Iraq. The story begins with comments from the EGR police department who were surprised by the turnout and stated that the protesters were “not unruly.” What do you think the police meant by unruly? The story did mention that former CIA analyst Ray McGovern spoke at the demonstration and that the protest was organized by ACTIVATE GR. The story does not cite any of the comments made by McGovern or ACTIVATE, but do cite a high school student and another protester. Do the comments by both protesters help viewers understand why people chose to protest the President’s speech?

Story:

Between 1000 – 2000 people gathered in John Collins Park along Reeds Lake to protest the appearance of President George W. Bush, far more than police officials expected.

East Grand Rapids Director of Public Safety Mark Herald told 24 Hour News 8 the unusually large number or protesters was unexpected, but not unruly.

Ray McGovern, a former CIA analyst who once confronted Donald Rumsfeld in a press conference about the conduct of the war, was the main speaker at the protest, organized locally by the group Activate GR.

Many students from both East Grand Rapids High School and Aquinas College were at the protest, shouting their displeasure about the US war in Iraq. The crowd was loud, banging drums at one point.

High school students who spoke with 24 Hour News 8 said it was worth it to leave school and attend the protest. “There were way more people than I expected,” said Katie Lorenz. “It was an intelligent gathering. I’m really glad I did it.”

Security was very visible, but the demonstration was peaceful. Many of the crowd moved from the park to the front of the school in an effort to glimpse the president as he left. A scroll was unrolled with a list of Americans who died in Iraq.

“The number of people who died is dreadful and the fact that each one is the loss of a relative or a friend or a neighbor,” said protester Palmer Morrel-Samules. “That’s a really important issue to keep in mind.”

Analysis:

This Grand Rapids Press story is based upon a local school’s participation in a national campaign called Kick Butts, where students learn about the realities of smoking and tobacco use. What does the Press headline “Graffiti artists ‘Kick Butts'” imply? How do readers negotiate the word Graffiti? This first few sentences are connected to the headline, with a comment from one of the students and the mentioning of some of the slogans students created. Why did the Press writer chose to begin the story with this focus?

The rest of the story does provide an overview of what Horizon’s School did during the day. There was mention that “Horizons teachers incorporated the event into the day’s curriculum,” with 2 examples of what teachers did, although it failed to mention the classrooms that were dealing with health issues and historical examples of tobacco advertising. The story also mentions that a speaker was at the school and the story does cite the speaker. However, ask yourself is it clear from the article what the speaker presented that day and what the Grand Rapids Institute for Information Democracy does? The article then closes with a mention that another student was video taping the day with plans to make a documentary. This student is also cited in the story and mentions that he is a smoker.

While the story does provide a fairly good overview of the day it does not provide any clear reasons as to why the school chose to participate in the Kick Butts event. The story also limited the responses of both students to a personal account of tobacco use as opposed to, or in addition to, what they thought about how tobacco companies target youth.

Story:

WYOMING — The so-called “smoking ward” at Horizons Community High School has a new look that might discourage students from lighting up.

As part of the 12th annual Kick Butts Day — a national event sponsored by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids — students at the alternative high school armed with spray paint left their mark Wednesday.

They sprayed anti-smoking messages, such as “Don’t Smoke” and “Quit Puffin’ ” on the concrete behind the school — an area where students often congregate to get their nicotine fix.

One graffiti artist, sophomore Jahan Trimble, said his grandmother’s smoking led to her need for an oxygen tank. He said he has never been a smoker and doesn’t plan on picking it up. “I want to be an athlete, and that’s bad for your lungs,” said Jahan, a basketball player and wrestler. “You get tired quick.”

More than 2,000 Kick Butts events were planned across the country.

Horizons teachers incorporated the event into the day’s curriculum. In Ed Arnold’s science class, students researched the effects of smoking on the environment, such as those produced by the pesticides used on tobacco crops.

And math teacher Sharon See presented statistics that alarmed students. For example, the American Heart Association claims 4,000 kids ages 12 to 17 start smoking each day in the U.S. Of those, 1,500 become lifelong smokers.

Jeff Smith of the Grand Rapids Institute for Information Democracy told students that tobacco companies foster “brand loyalty” at an early age through strategic product placement in ads, movies and video games. “I wasn’t coming in to preach to them,” he said. “I was coming in to tell them how media targets them from very early on.”

Horizons senior and four-year smoker Joe Richards recorded footage of the day’s events and plans to create a documentary to be shown next month. “A lot of people say they can quit when they want, but I see a lot of them struggling when they try,” he said. “I know I did.”

Analysis:

This story appeared on the front page of the region section and is based upon the anti-war action planned by the group ACTIVATE. The article is framed in the first paragraph with a variety of statements that comes across with no focus. The early part of the article has comments from two people who attended the protest, but neither of their comments reflect why people were at the march. Instead, the comments are things like “there’s no question this war is a disaster.” The article also mentions that most motorists had positive responses to the demonstration. However, the only motorist cited was someone who had a negative comment.

The story then talks about the march moving to the house of Congressman Ehlers. There are no comments from any of the demonstrators or the organizers of the march, although they do cite a flyer that was distributed to residents of that neighborhood about Ehlers’ position on the war in Iraq. The only people who are sourced are Ehlers and a neighbor, both on their reaction to the protest. Both Ehlers and his neighbor make claims that are not verified by the GR Press. Ehlers says he based his initial vote on the war with “faulty evidence” and that “it was a mistake.” The point that the protestors were making based on the media release was that Ehlers has continued to support the war by voting for every funding legislation that has been presented to Congress since 2003. The Press also cites both Ehlers and his neighbor on their dislike for a statement on one of the signs they claim was “obscene.”

The last section of the story dealt with the arrests made and the Press frames this section by stating “The trouble started minutes later….” The police are cited with claims about what happened as well as comments from a witness who had a different point of view. The story then ends with a comment from one of the ACTIVATE organizers on the effects of the war on US troops. Readers should ask themselves if it was clear from the article what was the intention of the demonstration. There is also no mention in the story of the march that then took place down the East Beltline to 28th street and the confrontation between the mall security and demonstrators.

Story:

GRAND RAPIDS — As peace protests go, this one had everything: young and old calling for the end of the Iraq War; a rally outside of a U.S. congressman’s house, with signs — some vulgar — planted in his yard, calling him a war criminal; and arrests of four people, including a university professor who brought his 11-year-old daughter.

Demonstrators on Saturday took part in a nationwide protest to highlight the war’s fourth anniversary.

“There’s no question this war is a disaster,” East Grand Rapids resident Martha Hayes said, standing near East Beltline Avenue and Burton Street SE.

She said opposition to the war has gained mainstream acceptance. She and other protesters gathered at the busy intersection. They held signs and banners — “Citizens Against Iraq War,” “Troops Out Now,” “Stop U.S. Imperialism” — that drew mostly supportive honks, or thumbs up from passing motorists.

But not everyone supported their position. One driver yelled, “Morons,” while another said: “The insurgents are going to come after all of you.”

Ada resident Don Wilson said he hadn’t protested anything in his 75 years, but couldn’t ignore this effort to bring an end to the war. “It’s not a Democrat or Republican issue, the war. The groups should unite and bring this thing to an end.”

Before long, the 150 or so protesters took that message to the Grand Rapids home of U.S. Rep. Vernon Ehlers. They marched down his street, getting a thumbs-up from a neighbor down the street. One put fliers in doors that read, “CRIME ALERT! One of your neighbors has provided legal and financial support for the following crimes: The killing of more than 3,000 U.S. soldiers, approximately 650,000 Iraqi civilians torture of prisoners, and paying contracted mercenaries to prosecute the war in Iraq.”

Then, they put signs in his front yard, while others duct-taped a cardboard sign on the front of his house — which had a U.S. flag on the front — asking him to sign a pledge to end the war. As protesters gathered in his front yard, Grand Rapids police Capt. Curt VanderKooi, in plainclothes, told them to leave the private property. After they left, a 51-year-old neighbor took down the signs.

Police had advised Ehlers and his wife to stay inside. He didn’t oppose the protest, but did not appreciate the “profane” and “obscene” signs. The sign on his door took paint off.

Ehlers said he frequently meets with war opponents, and said such protests are part of the job. “That’s the right of the citizens, to (protest) the government,” he said. He was worried about his neighbors, and didn’t appreciate people going on his property. He also was concerned that some had apparently gone behind his house, but police later investigated and didn’t find any damage.

Although Ehlers voted four years ago to authorize President Bush to go to war, he has since said it was a mistake. He said he based his vote on what he now says was faulty evidence of Iraq’s ability to produce nuclear weapons, and said the U.S. should have been “more cautious.”

Concerned about his safety, Ehlers’ neighbor didn’t want to be identified. He said the protest on his quiet street was unusual, but he said demonstrators had a right to protest. He was disturbed by an expletive on one sign, and another sign that read: “War criminal lives here.” He said Ehlers is just a regular guy in the neighborhood. “Vern is an outstanding, Christian man. I know he votes his conscience.”

The trouble started minutes later, after protesters left and started marching along Burton toward East Beltline. VanderKooi, the police captain, said officers were trying to stop a man who violated the city’s noise ordinance by using a megaphone.

He said officers tried to warn the man, but he kept walking away. Police arrested him, and said others got in the way. “You can’t interfere with a police officer who’s trying to arrest somebody,” he said.

Hermann Kurthen, a Grand Valley State University sociology professor, was among those taken away. He was tackled to the ground, then handcuffed. Sheila McCarthy, 57, said the momentum of the crowd pushed Kurthen into the street but he didn’t try to interfere with police. “People were pushing behind him, and … he went into the street. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.” She hoped that the arrests wouldn’t overshadow the effort by anti-war protesters.

Chris Mills, a 20-year-old GVSU student, helped organize the rally for ACTIVATE of Grand Rapids. He said people are “tired of people coming home with (post-traumatic stress disorder), injuries, and men coming home in body bags.”

Analysis:

This story is based on an anti-war march that was held in Grand Rapids on March 17. Channel 17 based this story on an interview with Congressman Ehlers and an ACTIVATE spokesperson on Sunday, March 18. The story is limited to what both Ehlers has to say and a few responses by one of the march organizers. Is it clear to readers of this story what prompted people to go to the Congressman’s office? Does the reporter verify the claims made by the Congressman in the story? The reporter does cite a CNN poll and that the US House will vote soon on the war in Iraq. The ACTIVATE member also cites some statistics on what Iraqis think about the war, but the reporter does not verify the claim. The story ends with a mention about arrests made at the march, but no details are provided as to why arrests were made.

Story:

Reporter – The 4-year anniversary of the War in Iraq has spawned protests across the country, including several here in West Michigan. Saturday, the group “Activate” organized more than a hundred people to march to the home of Vern Ehlers in Grand Rapids. Ehlers has supported the war since the beginning. In 13 years as a congressman, this is the first time someone has protested in Ehlers’ neighborhood. He stayed inside, but the activists came right up to his door and even taped a sign to the wall.

Congressman Ehlers – Isn’t it great that people feel free to come and demonstrate in front of their congressman’s house.

Reporter – Activate is a grassroots group made up mostly of college students. Lara Parsons was one of the rally organizers.

ACTIVATE member – We have tried letter-writing campaigns and other more suggestive methods,” said Parsons. “And there hasn’t been any response.

Reporter – Protestors want to show Ehlers that his constituents are against the war in Iraq.

Congressman Ehlers – Obviously the war is not popular, Americans want instantaneous results. They’ve never been content with long drawn-out things, we’ve seen that before.

Reporter – But nationally it’s becoming more and more unpopular. According to a recent CNN poll, 21 percent said the U.S. should withdraw now, 37 percent said within a year and only 39 percent said we should stay as long as needed. The full House votes on its withdrawal plan next week.

Congressman Ehlers – A number of members of congress want us to pull out, which I think is stupid. We can’t just abandon the Iraqis after we totally mess up their lives and their world. We have a moral obligation to straighten out the mess before we leave.

Repoerter – Opponents say we should leave before more lives are lost.

ACTIVATE member – We’re not doing any better staying there, the longer it goes on the worse it gets, and 80 percent of Iraqis don’t want us there any more and we should get out for that reason.

Grand Rapids Police arrested four people in the protest. One was a GVSU sociology professor.

Analysis:

This story is based upon an anti-war march that took place in Grand Rapids on Saturday, March 17. The story frames the issue up front with this comment “A protest in West Michigan was one of many taking place across the country, but some police in Grand Rapids said this group went too far.” What do they mean when they say “too far?” The next sentence also has a comment from the reporter who uses the statement “Unfortunately, they ended up clashing with police.” What does that mean when the reporter says “clashing with police.” Is it clear what provoked the arrests? The only sources cited in this story was one protest participant and two different police officers. The story mentions that people marched to Congressman Ehlers’ house and to the mall, but is there any clear indication from the story as to why people marched to those locations? The last comment made by the police officer also leads viewers to assume that people were not “peaceful,” since the police officer uses that term in his statement, but no clarification of his comment was provided. Is it clear from this story the reasons why people were protesting?

Story:

News reader – A protest in West Michigan was one of many taking place across the country, but some police in Grand Rapids said this group went too far.

Reporter – Monday marks the fourth anniversary of the war in Iraq. The group says they wanted to let people know how they felt about the war. Unfortunately, they ended up clashing with police and 4 people were arrested. Those taken into custody include a Sociology professor from Grand Valley State University. People involved in the anti-war protest said they wanted to make a statement. They are against the war in Iraq and want the troops to come home. It all started in Grand Rapids.

Protest participant – We marched over to Congressman Vern Ehlers house. Who’s been a staunch supporter or the war since its inception.

Reporter: That’s when the “peaceful” protest got ugly. The Grand Rapids Police Department says someone in the group was using a megaphone. That’s a violation of city ordinance. When police asked the man to stop, they say he refused, so they attempted to arrest him. Police say some of the others hindered what they were trying to do.

Police – When we went to arrest one person, they jumped on the back of the person we were trying to arrest.

Protest participant – Several members of our party were arrested for, as far as we can tell, basically standing there. Including a Grand Valley Professor.

Four people were arrested before the crowd moved on to Kentwood. Police there say the protestors were on private property.

Police – The mall did not want the protestors on the property and we assisted in that.

Reporter – With Grand Rapids Police and mall security there to help, the protestors moved to the sidewalk along 28th street. The group says they are disappointed by what happened.

Protest participant – I mean everybody’s being very emotional, it’s a charged subject. We’re here just trying to make a bit of a statement and feeling like we’re being censored because of it.

Police – If good choices were made, this would have been peaceful and no one would have gone to jail.

Reporter – And Grand Rapids Police say those that were arrested were taken to the Kent County Jail. What they were arrested for was a misdemeanor. If they haven’t already been released they will be soon. They will also face a fine.

Analysis:

This story features no comments from ACTIVATE, the group organizing the protest, despite the fact that a spokesperson for the group did an interview. Moreover, while the article does mention that the group went to the home of Representative Ehlers, they do not investigate the group’s claims that Ehlers has been a supporter of the war. Instead they simply state that “they say he’s been a long supporter of the war.” Does this make it clear why the group chose to go to Representative Ehlers’ home?

Story:

GRAND RAPIDS — The fourth anniversary of the start of the Iraq conflict brought out protesters around the country today.

Thousands marched from the Lincoln Memorial to the Pentagon — just like protests 40 years ago against the Vietnam War.

Not everyone is calling for the end to the war though.

Within the crowd there were a few supporters of President Bush’s call for more troops.

Protests here in West Michigan resulted in a handful of arrests.

Grand Rapids Police say they arrested four people for noise and hindering officers.

The group marched in front of the home of US Representative Vern Ehlers. They say he’s been a long supporter of the war.

They continued on to the East Beltline where they called for peace.

Protests were also held in Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo.

Analysis:

This story contained little actual reporting on what protestors were doing, claiming only that they were remembering the more than 3,000 service members killed in Iraq and the four year anniversary of the invasion.

Most of the footage showed demonstrators at standing on the corner of East Beltline and Burton. On the 11:00pm newscast, WOOD TV 8 claimed that “one person was taken into custody for refusing to stop using an amplifying device and while police were making those arrests, someone threw a small explosive device.” The only source cited for these claims was the Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD).

Story:

Police arrested four demonstrators arrested four demonstrators for noise violations and hindering police.

The protest was held by the group ACTIVATE that is calling for an end to the Iraq War.

Another rally was held in Kalamazoo’s Bronson Park.

Analysis:

This story deals with a sexual assault case in Holland. After the opening comments from the news readers the reporter frames the story early on by quoting the police who said “what they should’ve done is run. Get away from Saul Salas as fast as they could.” Does making this statement put the blame or the focus on the behavior of the 3 girls? The police repeat this by saying “This is a huge reminder to our parents that we need to reiterate with our children to be safe and act diligently and to say no, run away.” The story then turns attention to the possible whereabouts of the perpetrator, with an invitation for viewers to call police if they know anything. In addition to focusing on the girls behavior this story does not put into context the realities of sexual assault, what the profile of perpetrators are, what the incidents of sexual assault in Holland are, nor information on prevention of sexual assault, resources in the community or where victims can get help.

Story:

Lee Van Ameyde: Michigan State Police want to find this man tonight.

Juliet Dragos: They say he lured 3 teenage girls, on their way to school, into his car and sexually assaulted them. Good evening I’m Juliet Dragos.

And Im Lee Van Ameyde, police said it happened 2 weeks ago when a Holland man asked the girls if they wanted to party, the girls jumped into his car and then drove off.

Juliet Dragos: Police say 33year old Saul Salas gave the teenagers beer and marijuana before sexually assaulting them. WZZM Phil Dawson joins us now from our news room with more.

Reporter: Investigators say they don’t know what the girls were expecting when they got into the mans car instead of continuing on to Holland High School, but police say what they should’ve done is run. Get away from Saul Salas as fast as they could. The 3 girls, 2 age 15 and 1, 16, were almost to Holland High School when police say a 33year old man drove up with an offer they did not refuse.

Police: Asking these 3 young ladies if they wanted to party.

Reporter: Investigators believe that 33year old Saul Salas of Holland drove the girls to a house in Saugatuck, gave them beer and marijuana and sexually assaulted all 3.

Police: This is a huge reminder to our parents that we need to reiterate with our children to be safe and act diligently and to say no, run away

Reporter: Holland police believe 33year old Saul Salas may have tried to lure school girls into his car before, 3 to 5 times since last fall, always with a similar sales pitch.

Police: Basically approaching saying do you want a ride is what some of these young victims would state. That he offered them a ride or asked if they needed to go somewhere.

Reporter: Police believe Salas may now be hiding in Mexico, but they say its also possible he’s cruising around looking for new victims.

Police: I hope not, but we have been stepping up our patrols and watching for the suspect.

Reporter: It took 2 weeks for police to get a warrant for Saul Salas and he may have used the time to leave the area, if not the country. Police would like a phone call from anyone who knows where he is. In the news room, Phil Dawson, WZZM 13 News.