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Behind the Sheehan be-in
In the "DC Grist" column of the DC Examiner, on page 9. Is Abbie Hoffman at Crawford yet? And posted on the Metro bus stop shelters this am - big "war" protest on Aug 25, against the "occupation" of Iraq, Palestine, and (yes, folks; couldn't leave this out!) Israel. Cindy Sheehanâs vigil outside President Bushâs ranch in Texas â currently on hold while the slain soldierâs mother returns home to be with her ailing mom â had more than a few things in common with a 1960s-style sit-in: the simplicity of the anti-war message, the way it irked Republicans, the almost total lack of showering. But there was something less obvious tying it to the decade of love â the involvement of David Fenton, renowned â60s amateur photographer and now head of D.C.-based Fenton Communications. Despite the appearance that Sheehanâs success with the media was all good timing and amateur savvy, the fact is that Fenton and his shop were at work behind the scenes almost 24 hours a day, wrangling journalists, arranging interviews and prepping Sheehan with talking points and message strategy. The lefty shopâs fee was paid by True Majority, the very â60s-style advocacy group founded by former Ben & Jerryâs ice cream magnate Ben Cohen.Among the subjects of Fentonâs semi-famous photos were beat poet Allen Ginsberg, anti-war activist Abbie Hoffman and members of the Black Panthers. He was also there to shoot some of the storied Central Park be-ins. Retrospectives of his work recently went up in New York and San Francisco, accompanying his just-released book, âShots: An American Photographerâs Journal, 1967-72.â The agency continues to push the vigilâs vestiges while waiting for Sheehanâs return. Posted by: Bobby 2005-08-22 |
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