Posted on 10/09/2013 3:44:39 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
With the Ride for the Constitution three days away, it came as no surprise when a story appeared in US News and World Report yesterday indicating that truckers were planning to congest the DC beltway and arrest congressmen during their October 11-13, 2013 event. According to their source, Earl Conlon, the truckers would ride 3 lanes deep circling I-495 and demand the arrest of those in office who have violated their oath. This part of the story is false. As someone who has been in contact with the organizer and their media spokesperson, the message has been and continues to be a peaceful protest to deliver grievances to Congress requesting they honor their oath by upholding the Constitution. Their entire intent can be read here. At no point has the arrest of those in office by truckers or law enforcement been on their agenda.
The Blaze also reported the same story and has since updated the original to include a statement by the organizers of the Truckers Ride for the Constitution. Ben Pam, one of the organizers, told The Blaze the group does not intend on arresting congressmen, obstructing traffic or closing down roads. A post by the organizers on their Facebook page indicates other trucking groups not associated with Ride for the Constitution and Truckers to Shut Down America are spreading false information in an effort to copy the original movement and "divide and conquer."
The organization has sent a request to US News and World Report advising them to print a retraction or update the article to "reflect the truth about the campaign." The media spokeperson for the group, Peter Santilli of Guerilla Media Network, indicated Earl Conlon happened to be only a "coordinator" of drivers and not a spokesman for the event at all. According to the emails sent to the news organization from Pete Santilli, the group was disappointed that reporters did not contact the organizer of the group, Zeeda Andrews, or himself for commentary. Mr. Conlon even indicated in an email that he was not a spokesman for the Ride for the Constitution.
A subsequent email from Pete Santilli to US News and World Report summarizes their expectations with regard to the article.
Steven, attached is a link to the audio conversation I just had with Earl Conlon.
Earl is not even a trucker, he was merely offering to organize the convoy as he has had previous experience.
He has never been designated as a spokesperson, and it's apparent that his intentions are polar opposite the Ride for the Constitution's.
We hereby respectfully request a retraction or update on the article to indicate that Earl is in no way associated with the mission of the ride. He was merely a point of contact for drivers at a meeting place for the start of the convoy. Please immediately update the article so as not to create the false perception you have portrayed in your article.
At this point, if you fail to make an immediate correction, we will have to inform all members of the media of this extreme example of yellow journalism that exists in the main stream. I will personally have to denounce this article as an intentionally harmful means of hi-jacking the positive message Zeeda has conveyed since day one.
Unfortunately, I have been unable to retrieve the link in the email to the conversation.
As of the writing of this article, US News and World Report has not printed an update or a retraction.
Overdrive magazine online has even printed an article indicating that Conlon's convoy was "intended as a show of force." The paragraph is as follows:
Conlon's convoy is intended as a show of force, he said, attendant to delivering evidence to law enforcement authorities that he hopes will result in "one or two people stuck in handcuffs," he said – "politicians, senators, congressmen – for violating their oaths of office" to uphold the constitution.
This paragraph follows one that quotes Zeeda Andrews on when the event will start. The magazine has made it appear as though Conlon is authorized to speak on behalf of the Ride for the Constitution organization. As indicated, Conlon was never authorized to speak on behalf of the organization and has provided false information to the media.
I contacted Zeeda regarding the article in Overdrive magazine to inform her of the continued reporting of negative information regarding the truckers Ride for the Constitution. In her return email, Zeeda indicated the legal side of this is being handled by Larry Klayman. This is confirmed on the Facebook page in a post indicating Mr. Klayman would be in DC for all three days to speak on behalf of Citizen Indictment. As you may recall, Larry Klayman has called for an American citizen march on Washington on November 19, 2013, to indicate to Congress and the federal government that a return to the Constitution is in order.
One can only wonder at the intent of Mr. Conlon. Earl Conlon contacted Freedom Outpost wanting to disseminate some information to the organizers of the event. He requested their contact information. Being that Mr. Conlon was near the area where I reside, I contacted him by phone. At that time, Mr. Conlon indicated to me that he was with a group who had planned to ride to Washington in November and had a point of origin where all the truckers could meet. Mr. Conlon stated that this effort was important and egos needed to be put aside in favor of the bigger issue of government following the limits in the Constitution. After speaking with him, I referred him to Zeeda Andrews, the organizer of the event, since I had spoken with her via email after writing the first article on the trucker strike.
Whatever his original intent, Mr. Conlon overstepped his role in this event spreading an alternate negative message that has placed a cloud over the positive peaceful event to have government address grievances identified by the truckers and the American people. This transgression on the part of Mr. Conlon was all the lamestream media needed to now spread a negative message about this event. It is sensationalism at its best to produce an emotional negative response. What else can one expect from the mainstream enemedia who supports the liar in chief?
If an individual such as myself could identify the organizer and spokesperson of the event, one would think that a reporter for US News and World Report could do the same considering their vast array of investigative tools. Actually, it didn't take a seasoned reporter to identify the true organizer or spokesperson. One only has to visit the website, the Facebook page, and a previous article on Freedom Outpost to identify the organizers and their media spokesperson. But, one can bet that the reporter for the news organization was not interested in presenting a totally positive message on the entire event; he wanted to search for any negative spark to incite opposition.
The truly sad thing is more than one news organization picked up that unofficial false intention and ran with it.
One can bet Washington has read that article. It would be no surprise if that misrepresentation by Mr. Conlon was used by the fascist Obama and this administration to prevent the event or somehow impede it.
This event has continued to be supported because of its peaceful intent to demonstrate to our federal government that it has strayed from the Constitution and needs to fall back into line. Other organizations and individual Americans have supported this effort by vowing to cease all monetary transactions for the days of October 11-13, in protest of the unconstitutional actions of the branches of our government. Remember, buy your goods that you will need before these days; perform all banking and monetary transactions beforehand and prepare to be financially silent on those days. Be sure and have extra goods on hand to last a few weeks afterward as distribution of goods may be delayed.
Our family has supported this and will continue to support efforts to hold our government accountable to the limits set forth in the Constitution.
Come on America. Let's Roll!!
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
ABC Radio News stated yesterday afternoon that the truckers were demonstrating “against the government shutdown”.
I heard that as well, I think on AP radio or it could have been one of those CBS news interrupts on the radio, that the Truckers were protesting the Gub’mint shutdown, and there was much angst within the GOP party.
How come journalists aren’t being furloughed? They are all government employees.
“Earl Conlon, the truckers would ride 3 lanes deep circling I-495 and demand the arrest of those in office who have violated their oath. This part of the story is false.”
Awww, what a disappointment.
Ping! I thought you might be interested in this perspective given our conversation yesterday.
I’m now left confused. I’m not sure what to believe with regards to the specific plans here. I’m just glad that I ended up taking Friday off at this point.
Oh, and someone mentioned that Ed Schultz said the bikers were there to protest the shutdown as well, as was the black woman who was shot to death with her baby.
I don’t listen or watch Ed Schultz, so I cannot confirm this report (an elderly guy who I fish with).
“How come journalists aren’t being furloughed? They are all government employees.”
Because they are “Essential” employees to this administration.
Don’t you/they mean the “GOP” shutdown of the governless, er government?
Megan Kelly’s show said they were going to do citizen’s arrests of congressmen.
If Earl didn’t exist, the media would invent him. Maybe he is a plant.
Because they are truly essential!
Good one, but the government answer is that they are Essential Employees.
what I would love to see a Military convoy with tanks and APCs drive around DC, then to the White House to arrest the leaders of this regime for treason.
Megyn...you gotta keep a “conservative eye” on this lady. All “right” in the outside, a “little left” on the inside. (Re: Ted Cruz interview)
I hope they are a success. Does anyone remember the song “Convoy”?
I’ll pass this on to my BiL...
Thanks for the update!
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