PETE SANTILLI HI-JACKS TRUCKERS ORIGINAL FACEBOOK PAGE!!!! From the beginning, the Truckers Ride for the Constitution tapped into something deep within many Americans. The movement was inspired by the 2 Million Bikers to DC. It was founded by Ben Pam and Zeeda Andrews. Ben and Zeeda are not savvy political activists. They just knew that truckers were getting a raw deal. And as Zeeda said today, “…my hearts breaks for America.” Ben and Zeeda did some brainstorming. A movement was born. They created a Facebook page, “Truckers to Shut Down America,” and saw the numbers climb to astonishing heights – over 80 thousand followers within the first week. I remember speaking with Zeeda then, as I first heard of the patriot truckers on Glenn Beck’s radio show and as a journalist, I was inspired to write about their fledgling movement. When I first spoke with Zeeda, she made it clear that all people were invited to be a part of the trucker’s ride. She said, “…this is about the restoration of our Constitution,” she said. The group welcomes “all parties all races…” Giving more insight to the purpose of her organization, Andrews said that truckers “…can no longer remain silent to the UN-Constitutional regulations that are endangering the lives and livelihoods of many on the road…it is more that we can bear.” When I first spoke with Zeeda, she had already partnered with Pete Santilli. After midnight on early Tuesday morning, she explained to me that he initially reached out to her through Facebook. He offered to build the website, and he had her featured on his show. She had never heard of him before, but he seemed so sincere at the time. The website was created. Santilli became their official media spokesperson, and they brought in some others, as well. The idea became a movement quickly. They needed help. They trusted their supporters. I remember recommending that she set up a Twitter account. She was a bit reluctant, as she was unfamiliar with the popular social media site, but she gave it a shot. A supporter of the movement, Dena Lattanzi Fleming, was recruited to man the Twitter site. Earl Conlon was one of the guys who was to help with organizing the truckers for the trek to Washington, D.C. He was not a spokesperson. But Conlon was widely quoted as saying he wanted to arrest Congress and tie up traffic. Of course, his views mirror those of many Americans, but his words were quickly exploited by the media, who always sought to diminish the movement. Anyone paying attention can see that. As Ben Pam said to me at the time, “We do not intend to obstruct traffic or close down any roads,” he said. “We are not coming to arrest anyone.” But of course, why would the mainstream media listen to the founders of the movement? Conlon’s fiery words fit the narrative so much better. When I confronted Steve Nelson, who portrayed Conlon as a spokesperson, (although Nelson told me he only portrayed Conlon as an “organizer.’) Nelson said in part, “Squabbling over who the ‘official spokesperson’ is seems pretty silly to me. The designated organizer of the trucker trek to D.C. is arguably better suited to answer press questions than an online radio host who isn’t actually going to be in town.” There were problems from the beginning. People who clearly saw the movement as some kind of a threat started coming onto the Facebook page and bashing Zeeda and the supporters. The trolls would generally get people riled up, then report them if they dared to respond in kind. The Facebook page was unpublished. The Twitter account was suspended. They were mocked, vilified and marginalized. Ben and Zeeda created a new Facebook page, after the first one was unpublished. This time, Zeeda named it “Truckers Ride for the Constitution.” As of today, it has 223k supporters. But Zeeda can’t get on the page. Neither can Ben. Last night, I spoke with Ben. He said, “Pete Santilli has hijacked the movement.” This is crazy. I wonder if he is joking. I asked if he spoke with Zeeda. He said he did speak with Zeeda and she agrees. Over the weekend, while Zeeda was away, the official website changed. She cannot get on, and neither can Ben. They can no longer access Facebook. But there are plenty of posts about Pete Santilli on the Facebook page. The Ride for the Constitution website seems to be a big advertisement for Pete Santilli, as well as 21st Century Wire, which was founded by Patrick Henningsen, who wrote an article about the truckers for Russia Today. Ben said he still has the Ride For the Constitution – PA page on Facebook. Ben posted on it yesterday, “This page is the last page still under control of the founders. This page is the last stand.” Zeeda told me today, “Pete has hijacked this whole movement and exploiting me and the truckers for his personal gain.” Perhaps it is a misunderstanding. But perhaps not. On Facebook, Pete Santilli’s radio show is being advertised. Zeeda and Ben seem resigned. Their concept sparked a movement and nobody can take that away from them. I asked Ben today how he feels about the whole thing. He said, “My movement is over. We all did what we set out to do.” Zeeda started a new Facebook page. She still has Twitter. Ben said that he sat on the line for 45 minutes waiting to speak with Pete on his show. Then they hung up. Zeeda said that her calls go unanswered. She said, “He rolled out the red carpet and then jerked it out from under me.” Although Zeeda gave Santilli her trust, she said she “will overcome and come back stronger.” At the time of this writing, Pete Santilli has not responded to requests for comment. tavernkeepers/exclusive-founders-say-pete-santilli-hijacked-the-truckers-ride-for-the-constitution/
Posted on: Tue, 15 Oct 2013 16:31:47 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015