Counter-lnaugural Coalition for a People's Agenda
2111 Florida Avenue, N.W.  Washington, DC 20008   (202) 234-2000
                                              January 20, 1989

  Meg Greenfield
  Editorial Page Editor
  The Washington Post
  1150 15th St., NW
  Washington DC, 20071

  Dear Editor,

  We were very perplexed by the lack of an article in Ehe Post   covering the counter-inaugural banc~I~~et for the homeless we sponsored January 18th outside Union Station.

  The story was re,oorted by all.~the networks, all the local TV stations, the  Washingtc>n Times, and most of the rMjor newspapers across the country, with the exce~t~tion of that other monument to ruling class points of view, the New York Times. This goes a long way taward explaining why the Post and Times are considered the nation's most influential papers. The Times, by the way, did carry a story in its international edition.

  But of course, they're not our hometown paper.

  The coverage you did provide seemed unbiased and honest. We were pleased that you reported in the Style section that George Bush Jr. said he thought fhis was  such a great country because he could eat his $1500 dinner inside while people  outside were free to complain about being hungry. It's too bad he didn't tell
that to the,oolice. they ordered people off fhe plaza a few short minutes after the permit expired, same of the  telling demonstrators that their First Amendment right to peacable assembly was "suspended at eight o'clock."

  The kinder, gentler crowd fhat attended fhe inaugural parade seemed decidedly " hostile to sane menibers of our coalition. A woman wearing a pro-choice button was physically assaulted by people in the crowd. One of our more outspoken organizers reported that the total number of times he had been called a
"communist" in his entire life was only a fraction of the number that day.

  The Counter-Inaugural Coalition for a People's Agenda fed well over a thousand  people outside Union Station at less than half of total cost of one official inaugural dinner. Some people may call that communism, but we call it good commom sense, a quality that was tragically lacking in the wasteful extravaganza of the king's...er, president's coronation.

  You'll have to forgive my confusion. I keep thinking that when they said  "George to George," they meant George III to George Bush.

                                              Sincerely,


                                              Michael Hasty
                                      Spokesperson
                                      Counter-Inaugural Coalition
                                      for a People's Agenda

  cc>> See attached
       1.000 SpARKs OF DISSENT   INAUGURATE A PEOPLE'S AGENDA