We ABSOLUTELY LOVE The Washington Post this morning for one very important reason:

(No, it was not written by Laura Sessions Stepp)

But not everyone loves the Post. At least eight of you were outside The Washington Post's 15th St. building last night protesting the paper for "taking money from war profiteers!"

The protest was organized by the DC Anti-War Network and they handed out flyers saying:

Washington Post editorials have supported U.S. attacks on Serbia, Afghanistan and Iraq as well as U.S.-backed attacks on Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. Its news reporting emphasizes government excuses for war and only belatedly and reluctantly exposes the lies and propaganda leading to those wars. It supports the Bush administrations war on terrorism and does little to expose the anti-Arab and Muslim agenda of government and private organizations that is inflaming bigotry in this country.

Washington Post reporters who truthfully report on controversial stories may be silenced. The NY Sun recently reported the Post rebuked Thomas Ricks for televised comments about U.S. military allegations about deceptive Israeli strategies in Lebanon. That is just one of many allegations by media watch dog groups like Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting and Palestine Media Watch.

Even as two-thirds of Americans now think the Iraq war was a mistake, based in part on lies, the Post supports the U.S. staying in Iraq. As we approach the August 31 U.S.-coerced deadline for the cessation of Iranian nuclear enrichment, Post editorials and Op Eds overwhelmingly support the possibility of a U.S. military attack on Iran. The free press is supposed to help guard the public against unjust and unnecessary wars, not provide propaganda cover for those wars!

Why does the Post support pro-war policies? Could it be that its top management has forgone objectivity and acquiesced to the economic and political agendas of corporate advertiser? Do the full page ads placed by military contractors and other private businesses supporting an aggressive foreign policy influence the Post’s editorial outlook?

WE DEMAND:

* The Washington Post stop running display advertisements from military contractors.

* The Washington Post run more articles about the anti-Iraq war sentiment shared by the great majority of Americans.

* The Washington Post discover and emphasize the administration’s false charges and lies excusing their drive for a military attack on Iran.

* The Washington Post widen the range of debate with more Op Eds by the broad spectrum of anti-war Americans.

* The Washington Post Board of Directors set aside one seat for a spokesperson for peace and non-interventionism.