G. Gordon Liddy, ex-FBI man, convicted Watergate burglar, and now rabid-reactionary AM talk- jock will make $500,000 on a calendar that glorifies weapons of destruction and exploits women, yet the Columbus Free Press can't raise $30,000 a year to fight sexism, racism, and the violence and the exploitation visited our communities and the environment. What's wrong with this picture?
Yes, the "G-Man," as Liddy is known to his testosterone fixated listeners of both sexes, has produced the "Stacked and Packed calendar" featuring soft-porn pictures of women fondling an array of high-powered weaponry. Liddy, who ran short last year, printed 23,000 copies of his 1996 rag. At $15 a hit, demand is strong and he expects another sell-out.
While Liddy included the women's measurements and "vital statistics" in last year's edition of "Stacked and Packed," buyers voiced loud disappointment that he neglected to provide data on the weaponry. The 1996 edition includes vital stats on both, which should make for higher caliber fantasies.
Bankrupt Morals, Full Checkbooks
While their philosophy and morals may be bankrupt, rack-and-file Republicans, crackpot conservative, and the Christian-right are willing to whip out their checkbooks for any kooky, hot- button wedge issue conservative come up with to drive their direct mail money machine. And they are spending it well, finding right-wing think-tanks that produce bogus and slanted studies, college courses that distort history, publications and television shows devoid of facts and overflowing with lies.
On the other hand, activist community coalitions, consumer advocates, Left/Green grassroots political action organizations, and publications -- like the Free Press -- are forced to operate on a shoestring, making up for a shortage of cash with an abundance of "heart." Well, heart don't feed the bulldog.
When 25 union and community activists held a noisy demonstration at Newt Gingrich's Columbus book signing, he told the press, "I wrote a book; all they have is some slogans." If we lose the Free Press that will be absolutely true. Gingrich got $15 a pop for his propaganda and conservatives lined up to throw their cash at him, some buying a dozen copies.
Save the Free Press
True grassroots organizations will never have the money to match the conservative bucks sucked up by right-wing organizations, but we can and should do much more. The fight for social and economic justice takes much more than money, but printers and the post office must be paid. While Republicans are busy passing laws to "de-fund the Left," and allowing unrestricted concentration of media ownership, an independent voice like the Free Press is needed now more than ever. However, it's not the government or conservatives killing the Freep.
Over the last 25 years the Free Press battled the reign of Nixon, Reagan and Bush. We exposed government lies and fought against the Vietnam War, the Iran/Contra War, the Gulf War, the war on drugs, on the environment, on gays, and freedom of speech. We cannot surrender now when the community needs us to fight the war on workers, the poor, the elderly, and the war on common sense.
For the last four months the independent voice of the Free Press has been sidelined. Our voice has been sidelined. Our voice has been silent as American troops are committed to Bosnia, federal workers have been locked out of their jobs in a history-making government shutdown, and the futures of health care, retirement security and the social safety net are being determined.
Now is the time for all progressives to come to the aid of their newspaper. Your support is needed to jump-start the Free Press. After 25 years of publication, we can't let the light go out on our watch.
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