We need press contact people from several different areas across the nation to help put pressure on the mainstream media to tell the story of Oaxaca accurately.
December 5th, 2006 – mollie writes: Buenas companeros y companeras,
I’m writing to you from Massachusetts, where a number of us have formed a local group in solidarity with the struggling teachers and citizens of Oaxaca, which we are calling the Oaxacan Solidarity Network (we are aware there may be other grups with this title). We know that international media attention is fundamental and that more pressure must be put on the mainstream media to give accurate coverage of the struggle for Oaxaca.
We are currently drafting a series of press releases and letters to the editors of mainstream news sources, and are now looking for a larger network through whom to distribute our works. We understand that the most read/watch news networks are all local pieces of larger corporate conglomerates and hope that by localizing the message these editors and producers will make room for our voices. It would be ideal to have contacts from locations all across the US so that if the media wants to talk to people in different locations they can. (This will finally create an accurate portryal of the true size of this movement of international solidarity with the people of Oaxaca)
We would like media contacts to identify themselves as part of the “Oaxacan Solidarity Network,” which won’t mean consensus meetings, conference calls, nor missions statements, but rather would convey a unified message and analysis.
The point person for your area should be on the right side (rather the leftist side) of the issue. Meaning that they support the residents of Oaxaca’s right to organize for better wages & better living conditions, including but not limited to the removal of Ulises Ruiz and any other government official not operating within the best interest of the people. Secondly the point person should generally know what has been and is going on in Oaxaca and can give good sound bytes to the media.
Please email me at mollie11@riseup.net with your contact info (phone number included), or any questions if you are interested. Press releases will follow as well as possible form letters to be submitted to your local letters to the editor section of various newspapers. Please also feel free to add to the press pieces to be circulated by other Oaxacan Solidarity Network folks.
Western MA Oaxacan Solidarity Network
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source: http://nyc.indymedia.org/en/2006/12/80426.html