Why can't we as Liberals get our Crap together like the RW and get the

[xultar]

media to listen to us?

Why can't we get all 40k DUers together to write the media and get them to change something for us for a change?

DU, is it possible? Can we possibly get together on 1 issue and write and write and write until we get some ACTION on something?

Discuss...

[bryant69]

1. yeah

But the problem is getting everybody to agree on the issue.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[shockingelk]

3. How about this issue

"Bush is the $6 Trillion Dollar Man" http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0405.html

I didn't hear about it on O'Franken. None of the popular blogs mentioned it. First mention I saw was an evening NYTimes article.

I don't know what's so hard about taking Kerry's lead.

[sangha]

24. What do you think of this one?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1352644

[shockingelk]

30. Won't make any progress

Everybody who can understand the PNAC thing and be disturbed by it does not have Bush's vote.

But "Bush, the $6 Trillion Dollar Budget Bustin' Man" can strike a chord with EVERY^ONE!

[sangh0]

37. Then you missed the point

I wasn't calling for a campaign against the PNAC. I was calling for an attempt to inject into the campaign the question "Do you think we should establish a permanent military presence in Iraq?"

But "Bush, the $6 Trillion Dollar Budget Bustin' Man" can strike a chord with EVERY^ONE!

It was also a call to focus on an issue of concern to progressives (iw. the occupation of Iraq) in a way that would appeal to ALL Americans, and NOT simply a call to bash Bush* specifically, though that is certainly not unwelcome.

[molly]

2. I think I'll turn it on - he loved Barbara Olson

it's amazing and wonderful to see all these "enablers" facing reality.

[goforit]

4. Well, No. Cause many elected DEMS have hands in Corporate pockets.

I'm a DEM and have been pretty ticked at the
"Rah-Rah Bush" Dems that sit in our SENATE and House of REPs!

I must say though, If these US Corporations keep playing
politics and pushing their weight around then, like Spain and
France, We too may turn into a SOCIALIST country just by the sheer
masses of US citizens galvanizing against the powers that be.

[calimary]

48. TELL THEM HOW YOU FEEL! HERE'S HOW:

(FROM DUer bigtree – 3/2004) Use the responses to strike back at the attacks, here and elsewhere.

“MEET THE PRESS”: [e-mail]

MSNBC-Phone: [phone]

Opinions: mailto:[e-mail]

News: mailto:[e-mail]

Letters to the Editor: mailto:[e-mail]

MSNBC on the Internet
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052
________________________________________________________________

CNN- (404) 827 – 1500

CNN TV: http://www.cnn.com/feedback/cnntv /

CNN.com: http://www.cnn.com/feedback/dotcom /

Thanks to xultar for these:
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
_________________________________________________________________

MORE:
<[e-mail] > Newsweek
<[e-mail] > Keith Olbermann
<mailto:[e-mail] > Washington Post
<[e-mail] > MSNBC Main
<[e-mail] > Chris Matthews

And don’t forget the lovely and charming Brit Hume at the Pox Network…

[e-mail]

888-369-4762

[e-mail]

Readers' Representative Office: http://www.latimes.com/services/site/la-comment-readersrep.story

Los Angeles Times
202 W. 1st St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
[phone]

The Times Orange County
1375 Sunflower Avenue
Costa Mesa, CA 92626-1697
[phone]

Los Angeles Times
Valley Edition
20000 Prairie Street
Chatsworth, CA 91311
[phone]
Los Angeles Times
Ventura County Edition
93 S. Chestnut Street
Ventura, CA 93001
[phone]
_________________________________________________________________

New York Times:

PAUL KRUGMAN! [e-mail]

To Write The Publisher or President: http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/infoservdirectory.html#o

Letters to the Editor: http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/infoservdirectory.html#a

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
E-mail to [e-mail] .

OP-ED/EDITORIAL
For information on Op-Ed submissions, call [phone] or send article to [e-mail]" target="_blank">[e-mail] . To write to the editorial page editor, send to [e-mail] .

NEWS DEPARTMENT
To send comments and suggestions (about news coverage only) or to report errors that call for correction, e-mail [e-mail] or leave a message at 1-888-NYT-NEWS.
The Editors
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

The Newsroom
[e-mail] ; [e-mail]
[e-mail] ; [e-mail]
[e-mail] ; [e-mail]
[e-mail] ; [e-mail]

PUBLIC EDITOR
To reach Daniel Okrent, who represents the readers, e-mail [e-mail] or call [phone].

TO WRITE THE PUBLISHER OR PRESIDENT

Arthur Sulzberger Jr., Chairman & Publisher:
[e-mail] .

Janet L. Robinson, President & General Manager:
[e-mail] .
_________________________________________________________________

USA Today:

Letters to the Editor: http://www.usatoday.com/marketing/feedback/feedback-online.aspx?type=1...

USA TODAY / USATODAY.com
7950 Jones Branch Drive
McLean, VA 22108-0605
_________________________________________________________________

Washington Post:

How can I contact Washington Post writers?: http://washingtonpost.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/washingtonpost.cfg/php/endu... *&p_li=

How do I submit a letter to the editor?: http://washingtonpost.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/washingtonpost.cfg/php/endu... *&p_li=

How do I submit an Op-Ed piece?
http://washingtonpost.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/washingtonpost.cfg/php/endu... *&p_li=

How do I contact the Ombudsman?: http://washingtonpost.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/washingtonpost.cfg/php/endu... *&p_li=

The Washington Post
1150 15th Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20071
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
__________________________________________________________________

More:

National Newspapers: http://newslink.org/--news.html

Television by state: http://newslink.org/stattele.html

Radio by State: http://newslink.org/statradi.html

Networks-

Radio: http://newslink.org/netr.html

Television: http://newslink.org/nett.html

(CBS) 60 Minutes:

ADDRESS:
60 Minutes
524 West 57th St.
New York, NY 10019

PHONE: [phone]

TRANSCRIPTS: 1-800-777-TEXT

VIDEOTAPES: 1-800-848-3256

CBS “60 Minutes” email info:

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/60minutes/main3415.shtml - go to the bottom of the page and click on "feedback" and you're in.

***********ALSO NOTE: www.takebackthemedia.com – for the most comprehensive, extensive list of media contacts. ****************************************
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States
301 7th Street, SW
Room 5125
Washington, DC 20407

Washington Office*
Tel: [phone]
Fax It is vital to get these criminals under oath.
: [phone]

email: [e-mail]
AL FELZENBERG, DEPUTY FOR COMMUNICATIONS National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States

Office: 202-401-1725 Cell: 202-236-4878 Fax: [phone]"

[e-mail]

And don't forget your reps in Congress:

www.senate.gov

http://www.house.gov/writerep/
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And finally , PLEASE NOTE MY SIG LINE – TO CALL YOUR REPS, TOLL FREE!!!

[Lorien]

49. Thanks Calimary!

:hi:

[Bluzmann57]

5. For one thing

They all seem to be united behind bush, for better or worse, and here in Democratic Underground, a lot of folks still support one candidate or another and still are fussing about "conspiracies" and such. One issue I think we can all agree on is all the lies that bushco told about Iraq. I think we all agree on that and maybe that's the big issue that we should all mobilize around. Just a thought. And I'm not altogether sure that the mainstream media would take us seriously. They might just label us as crackpots and go on to another story, like how wonderful bush is. edited- damn I have to learn how to type!

[bpilgrim]

6. we BECAME the 'media' ;-)

psst... pass the word ;->

http://GlobalFreePress.com

peace

[Catfight]

7. You start by getting cards...like AARP

Listen to our elders, they know their shit. Plus they vote like it's a religion, it's fact, most young adults don't vote. They say they will, but they won't trouble with waiting in line and having a voice. They believe that only old people have the time to do that, not realizing that your company or whomever you work for MUST allow you time to vote, and if it's a hassle, vote absentee.

So the media isn't going to waste their time on a bunch of people who complain but won't actually take action. So you know when it's cool that Urban Outfitters sells a T-shirt that tells the truth, "Voting is for Old People," confirms what the repug machine wants to accomplish, turning kids off to voting. It's brilliant actually, like Bush getting minorities to vote for him while he robs them of money, he gives them $300 back in a form of a tax check and increases payroll tax...brilliant. The democrats are the touchy feely party...if we took one fraction of that bombastic energy of theirs we'd move mountains. And we can move mountains, one stone at a time. But we have to do it together.

[kera]

8. I used to host a TV talk show

very successful I have always tried to understand the reason for such a success, million of people to stop whatever they were doing to watch it,
I found out that it is because the very simple language used as well as the basic issues covered that deal with basic concerns

no high level analysis no intellectualism, you get to connect emotionally to masses who usually get lost when the talk calls for high level cognizance.

May be that why Rush and other right wing appeal to this kind of audience , would Rush be starting to cover the water composition or how insects reproduce, .......

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ikojo]

13. They are afraid of being labeled as "troops haters"

There has been a big lie spread about the antiwar movement from the 60s that says people spit on soldiers returning from Viet Nam and called them baby killers. I have read that it is a lie concocted out of whole clothe to turn people against the antiwar movement.

Dems don't want to be associated with that image.

[Kanary]

41. We weren't afraid last year, when there were huge rallies and marches

But now that Kerry can't speak up against the war, it's no longer "OK" to march and rally.

That ought to cause some thought.

Kanary

[arewethereyet]

10. we'll need a vision first and a leader who can articulate it

and then you won't require any writting.

[Lorien]

11. Someone here posted a conversation

they had with a local news reporter. The reporter said that RW issues get more coverage because rightwingers write letters to television stations far, far more often than liberals do. They are organized and take action, it's that simple. He said that if the station received TEN or more letters on a given topic, then it was considered "hot" and newsworthy.

Now, I know a lot of people here will say "well, the right wing owns the media, so why bother", but what does the right wing love for than *? MONEY via ratings! Besides, what HARM would it do any of us to spend a little less time writing posts on DU and take that time to write a few letters every month to the media?

Here's my suggestion; willing DUers sign on to devote just an hour a week to writing 300 word or less letters on two topics. We assign four DUers to come up with two topics, plus talking points and references, every month. Leader A would post his or her topics on a Monday morning thread ("why do Bush and Cheney insist on testifying together"? and "what happened to the Valerie Plame story"? for instance) complete with links and talking points, along with media addresses. Each member would then post his or her letters (to inspire others) then send them to a local news source, a National paper and network TV news outlet, a cable TV news outlet, NPR, Time and Newsweek. The goal would be to send ten letters or more to each news source. Your thoughts?

[NJCher]

12. I'm game

I'll help someone coordinate.


Cher

[Lorien]

14. We'll need a "club" name

"The mememakers club" "the anti-fencesitters society" " the DU media hounds" hell, I don't know-I've been having to be creative all day, and I'm sucked dry!

[NJCher]

32. I like "DU Media Hounds"

Cher

[NMDemDist2]

15. great idea, as Gov Rendell said when he was here in AZ

ORGANIZE ORGANIZE ORGANIZE Being mad isn't enough and in order to educate our neighbors we need to get the media coverage. You set the posts, I'll write the letters (but it will hard to know if they get printed as I don't get the paper hehe)

[Lorien]

19. Who are our best research gatherers on DU?

Will Pitt always has a lot of information, it would be nice to see him calling our members to action. And whatever happened to Eloriel? I haven't seen her around in a while...she was terrific at researching the issues.

[Sparkly]

22. I'll help

however I can!

[Lorien]

35. Well, that makes four of us

out of 40,000. Any more volunteers?

[Q]

16. The media doesn't 'agree' with the RWing...

...they are owned by the RWing.

- Follow the money trail...from the RWing ideologues who own the media corporations to the journalists who are told what to write...or get work elsewhere.

[Lorien]

17. Whoa

this thread is dying a quick death! Maybe we answered the poster's question? C'mon, DU-we're better than that! Your ideas, please?

[leesa]

18. The media is owned by the corporatists, they could care less what you

write. They get what they want from the ethically challenged GOP and they have no need for anything alse.

[Lorien]

20. So the answer is to do nothing?

They get what they want from viewers and advertisers. If the viewers let the advertisers and the media know they aren't buying and want a change-well, money IS the bottom line for those bottom feeders, isn't it?

[calimary]

50. If the media thinks only folks with pro-bush feelings need to be catered

to, then the answer so far HAS INDEED been to do nothing. THe poster above (post 11, by Jen6) is correct. The Flushes, Vanitys, Ralph Reeds, Jerry Fowl-wells, Pat Robertsons and Roves of the Dark Side are VERY adept at massing large machineries of freeper-types and ditto-heads to write in and be VERY vocal. And it works. I saw this effect at work again and again and again when I was on the air. Again and again and again. It's for real. We need to contact our media. Contact our reps.

It takes SO LITTLE TIME. SO LITTLE EFFORT. AND SO LITTLE MONEY. IN SOME WAYS, IT'S FREE. NOTE MY SIG LINE. NOTE THESE OTHER CONTACT DETAILS THAT OTHER DUers HAVE CONTRIBUTED! AND PLEASE USE ONE. OR TWO. OR MORE. BUT AT LEAST ONE. Please forgive me - I know I've posted this before, but it bears repeating. Just like the gnawing drumbeat of repetition from the Bad Guys...

(FROM DUer bigtree – 3/2004) Use the responses to strike back at the attacks, here and elsewhere.

“MEET THE PRESS”: [e-mail]

MSNBC-Phone: [phone]

Opinions: mailto:[e-mail]

News: mailto:[e-mail]

Letters to the Editor: mailto:[e-mail]

MSNBC on the Internet
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052
________________________________________________________________

CNN- (404) 827 – 1500

CNN TV: http://www.cnn.com/feedback/cnntv /

CNN.com: http://www.cnn.com/feedback/dotcom /

Thanks to xultar for these:
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
_________________________________________________________________

MORE:
<[e-mail] > Newsweek
<[e-mail] > Keith Olbermann
<mailto:[e-mail] > Washington Post
<[e-mail] > MSNBC Main
<[e-mail] > Chris Matthews

And don’t forget the lovely and charming Brit Hume at the Pox Network…

[e-mail]

888-369-4762

[e-mail]

Readers' Representative Office: http://www.latimes.com/services/site/la-comment-readersrep.story

Los Angeles Times
202 W. 1st St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
[phone]

The Times Orange County
1375 Sunflower Avenue
Costa Mesa, CA 92626-1697
[phone]

Los Angeles Times
Valley Edition
20000 Prairie Street
Chatsworth, CA 91311
[phone]
Los Angeles Times
Ventura County Edition
93 S. Chestnut Street
Ventura, CA 93001
[phone]
_________________________________________________________________

New York Times:

PAUL KRUGMAN! [e-mail]

To Write The Publisher or President: http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/infoservdirectory.html#o

Letters to the Editor: http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/infoservdirectory.html#a

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
E-mail to [e-mail] .

OP-ED/EDITORIAL
For information on Op-Ed submissions, call [phone] or send article to [e-mail]" target="_blank">[e-mail] . To write to the editorial page editor, send to [e-mail] .

NEWS DEPARTMENT
To send comments and suggestions (about news coverage only) or to report errors that call for correction, e-mail [e-mail] or leave a message at 1-888-NYT-NEWS.
The Editors
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

The Newsroom
[e-mail] ; [e-mail]
[e-mail] ; [e-mail]
[e-mail] ; [e-mail]
[e-mail] ; [e-mail]

PUBLIC EDITOR
To reach Daniel Okrent, who represents the readers, e-mail [e-mail] or call [phone].

TO WRITE THE PUBLISHER OR PRESIDENT

Arthur Sulzberger Jr., Chairman & Publisher:
[e-mail] .

Janet L. Robinson, President & General Manager:
[e-mail] .
_________________________________________________________________

USA Today:

Letters to the Editor: http://www.usatoday.com/marketing/feedback/feedback-online.aspx?type=1...

USA TODAY / USATODAY.com
7950 Jones Branch Drive
McLean, VA 22108-0605
_________________________________________________________________

Washington Post:

How can I contact Washington Post writers?: http://washingtonpost.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/washingtonpost.cfg/php/endu... *&p_li=

How do I submit a letter to the editor?: http://washingtonpost.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/washingtonpost.cfg/php/endu... *&p_li=

How do I submit an Op-Ed piece?
http://washingtonpost.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/washingtonpost.cfg/php/endu... *&p_li=

How do I contact the Ombudsman?: http://washingtonpost.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/washingtonpost.cfg/php/endu... *&p_li=

The Washington Post
1150 15th Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20071
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
__________________________________________________________________

More:

National Newspapers: http://newslink.org/--news.html

Television by state: http://newslink.org/stattele.html

Radio by State: http://newslink.org/statradi.html

Networks-

Radio: http://newslink.org/netr.html

Television: http://newslink.org/nett.html

(CBS) 60 Minutes:

ADDRESS:
60 Minutes
524 West 57th St.
New York, NY 10019

PHONE: [phone]

TRANSCRIPTS: 1-800-777-TEXT

VIDEOTAPES: 1-800-848-3256

CBS “60 Minutes” email info:

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/60minutes/main3415.shtml - go to the bottom of the page and click on "feedback" and you're in.

***********ALSO NOTE: www.takebackthemedia.com – for the most comprehensive, extensive list of media contacts. ****************************************
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States
301 7th Street, SW
Room 5125
Washington, DC 20407

Washington Office*
Tel: [phone]
Fax It is vital to get these criminals under oath.
: [phone]

email: [e-mail]
AL FELZENBERG, DEPUTY FOR COMMUNICATIONS National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States

Office: 202-401-1725 Cell: 202-236-4878 Fax: [phone]"

[e-mail]

And don't forget your reps in Congress:

www.senate.gov

http://www.house.gov/writerep/
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And finally , PLEASE NOTE MY SIG LINE – TO CALL YOUR REPS, TOLL FREE!!!

[durutti]

21. Money.

Period.

[FDRrocks]

23. Fractioning on the left.

The left typically tends to be too fractioned to take decisive action. We all have our own opinions, and they vary greatly from person to person. We may agree on one thing, but disagree on how to address it.

The bitch thing is a nice microscopic example of it.

[LoZoccolo]

25. The fear factor.

When they piss off far-right people, those people think it's part of a communist plot or some sort of conspiracy and get really raging and say all sorts of scary stuff.

When they piss us off, we just think they suck at news because they tell people what they want to hear to get ratings but come back because where else are we going to get our news.

[Katarina]

26. Good luck!

Today skinner has started 8 topics about the word bitch...8 topics....with at least 100 replies in each (much more I am sure). The manpower is there (or should I say person power so as not to offend) but it will never happen because no matter what anyone says...we are still a divided party. If the word bitch sets so many people off there is no telling what will be next.

[LoneStarLiberal]

27. Because We're Liberals

We have our own issues to grind and we don't play well with others unless they want to make their issues and our issues of equal importance, which most do not want to do.

Conservatives bandwagon and work against the common enemy even if it means foregoing their pet issues...that's what they do. We fight amongst ourselves and consider anyone who abandons their issue advocacy a "sell-out."

That's conservatives vs. liberals in a nutshell, and that's why they can get together and beat us and we have to fight harder to get together than we do to beat them!

[Paragon]

28. Does the right wing look like it has its act together lately?

They're imploding, and the smart conservatives and media outlets are finally jumping ship. Be patient.

[Triple H]

29. Because we're arguing over a stupid word...

instead of focusing on bigger, larger problems at the moment, such as all the deaths in Iraq in the last couple of days and the religious-right pharmacists taking away women's rights to prescription drugs. :grr: :grr: :grr:

[JohnOneillsMemory]

63. Right on! Priorities like life and death, not word etiquette. n/t

[DeepModem Mom]

31. Please email or call, even if not part of an organized effort...

when you see, or read, biased reporting. I think it can have an effect in some instances, with some media, and it's worth the small effort it takes. Also, email or call when the media do valuable stories, as the print press often does (check LBN any day for stories that shed light on the Bush administration and on important issues)and as television such as "Sixty Minutes" and "Nightline" sometimes do.

[NJCher]

33. I think we should organize

And send out alerts by email because if we have threads on it, the Freepers will just copy them and send them to the media we are assailing that particular day.


Cher

[Lorien]

39. Good point

maybe we could give DUers in good standing access to a forum like the gallery, where a password is needed? (Nedd to ask Skinner about this).

[Lorien]

55. Hmmm,,, I've been thinking about this for a while

I wonder if having the Freepers send our threads to the media is a bad thing? A lot of the most important issues out there are getting vitually NO air time or notice, if the Freepers join in, at least maybe we'll have a dialog going about it.

Besides, we won't be using form letters, like they do. We'll encourage our members to write with their own voices. But I do see your point; for certain subjects, a more private way of circulating information might be best.

[symbolman]

34. Because we treat each other

with too much respect - we don't tell people that we're not going to save the whales today (even tho we want to) but that they have to shut the hell up and help us save OURSELVES from these --

[NewJeffCT]

36. It took the RW years to get their act together

in the late 1970s, NOBODY took the Religious Reich seriously. And, they knew it. However, they started going out and electing Religious Reichers to local school boards & town councils... that graduated to state legislatures... and, now we have George W. Bush as President and Senators like Rick (In)Santorum and Sam Brownback in the pocket of the Religious Reich and they effectively control the party.

[Christ was Socialist]

38. ...

Whats odd is truely spirtual people have no intrest in power. My anger is at those people of the 3 faiths that let there elected officials prostitute the faith. The dems can unite the left, provided they take a stance. With all the dems voting for the war, it reminded me of what the reichstag did, giving hitler authority to make a police state. I'm not juxtaposing the two in a denigrating manner, but just stating the fact i wish the party had conviction. Thats what i loved about Howard Dean, even though he wasn't as left as I would like. I personally know that the dems can never take away the Workers world party and socialist worker parties votes, or in certain cases the greens. Thats the thing about the left, we think for ourselves and are diverse. Our main problem is what plagued us in the 60's left labor is bleary and enervated at the moment. The repubs are geniuses, The corporate war party has manged to play on the ignorance and amarulence of 50 million people. Only in America are the workers opposed to the left.

[jobycom]

40. Remember the peace protests? Neocons OWN the media

We had millions around the world marching against the invasion, and the media barely covered it until near the end, and even then minimized the numbers.

NBC is owned by GE, whose head campaigned with Bush in 2000. FOX-- you know. CNN is run by conservatives. The NYTimes and Washington Post hire people like Cece Connally and Kathleen Seelye even after catching them in lies, yet fire other writers for more minor transgressions.

The media won't listen. They don't want to, they don't have to.

The next MoveOn protest needs to encircle CNN and the NYTimes. Shut them down if they won't do their duty.

[Kanary]

42. Why? Because it's ever so much more fun to come here and attack

There are so many more thrills involved in trashing each other than in trying to effect change.

We can't even agree not to insult women, how can we expect women to keep doing the work of the party?

There have been plea after plea to respect each other. Those pleas fall on deaf ears.

It's our choice....... trash each other, or work for change.

Kanary

[Lorien]

43. Personally, I choose the latter

but I am curious; why does the term "bitch" warrant eight or nine threads with hundreds of posts each, yet only four people on this thread concerning activism and the liberation of our Nation from RW extremists have volunteered to do something about it? We spend hours posting, why not direct some more of that energy towards our media and representation? Why the resistance? I understand the pessimism, but doing nothing gets us exactly that: Nothing.

[Kanary]

44. That's exactly right.

Hours posting, mostly insults hurled at each other.

I don't even TRY to get support for anything here... I work on my own for issues. Which is why we aren't capable of making much progress..

If I post an issue that badly needs support and letters and calls, will you respond? I'll do it if there are a few people willing to kick it and respond, and be respectful.

Otherwise, it's not worth the effort, and not worth the grief of being attacked.

Kanary

[Lorien]

46. Yes, I will

See post #11

[sangh0]

51. Would you respond to others?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1352644

[Lorien]

54. A great topic

for the "DU media Hounds" (working name only-if you have a better idea, please post it (see post #11).Would you be interested in helping us organize a team of activists that would meet weekly?

[sangh0]

65. Yes, I'd be interested

PM me

[Lorien]

69. Check your inbox

:hi:

[K8-EEE]

45. I Think The Voting Machines Should Be THE ISSUE!!!

WHAT THE HELL IS THE RATIONALE FOR THEM TO NOT ALLOW PAPER TRAILS OR RECOUNTS UNLESS THEY ARE ACTIVELY PLANNING TO STEAL THE ELECTION...AGAIN? CAN WE AGREE ON THIS PLEASE, AND ORGANIZE ACCORDINGLY?

[calimary]

53. It's simply this: IF THEY THINK WE DON'T CARE...

THEY WON'T, EITHER.

Bank on it.

[Lorien]

56. Exactly!!

If they think their ratings or profits are in dangers, changes WILL be made. Money is their God, after all!

[amazona]

47. it's about money

Wingnuts don't have their crap together any better than we do, in fact, many wingnuts are extremely loosely wrapped to put it mildly. However, if a few rich corporations control virtually all of the information being put out there, it does us little good to blame ourselves for not being heard. We're being shouted down. They say that the Top 400 families have more wealth than the bottom 90 million families in the U.S. So we can put all our pennies together and all our letters to the editor together and do our best but, in the end, if we are not heard, it is not cause for self-blame. It is not because we don't have our crap together. It is because we are in a class war and the other side by definition has most of the chips.

Seriously. I know some activist wingnuts well and they don't have anything "together" -- they are as crazy as Rush Limbaugh in a Denny's parking lot.

How many millions came out and marched to protest the declaration of war on Iraq? How many dozens came out and marched in support of the war? It is not our fault that we are not being heard. We're doing our part. With all our weaknesses and mis-steps, we are pulling together, we are speaking up, we are taking action.

It's just that, in a capitalist society, in the end it's the Golden Rule -- he who has the gold makes the rules. And I'm not sure what we can do about that.

[Lorien]

52. Nothing ventured, nothing gained

sure, they've got the gold, but we have the truth, we have "righteousness", and we have the numbers to make ourselves heard! Time and time again, I've heard news people say that they just receive more input and commentary from the Right than they do from the Left. The Right is lockstep, the left has traditionally been disorganized. Just because it's been our tradition doesn't make it written in stone. We MUST evolve or die, and NOW is the time!

[NJCher]

57. yes, this is the very least we can do

I say we just start DU Media Hounds and get it going. Once we are a success and have some impact, others will join in.

Jen, I liked your suggestion about a private forum. Instead of asking skinner, though, couldn't we just get a yahoogroup and admit only those we know from here?


Cher

[Lorien]

60. Damn the torpedos-full speed ahead!

Yes, we should JUST DO IT. I've never set up any sort of website,or discussion group (I've only owned a computer for two years). Do you have experience in this area, or are there any other volunteers? I suppose it wouldn't hurt to ask Skinner, either...

On edit; I've contacted Skinner on this. Let's see what he has to say.:bounce:

[Lorien]

73. Check your inbox

We might have gotten some additional support!

On edit; I'm having trouble with the PM function. Let me know if you haven't recieved anything.

[ACK]

58. Even when we get our own radio shows

We still spend half of our time bashing this or that show.

We love the circular firing squads too much at this time in our history to actually come together with a singular voice.

Sorry.

[xultar]

61. Absolutely! When we finally get a voice we trash it! n/t

[noonwitch]

59. Evil is usually more organized than good.

Especially when the evil side has more money.

[xultar]

62. True, money is the root of all evil n/t

[Nederland]

64. Because there aren't 40k DUers

You can't just look at the number of people that have registered here and assume they will all "get together" about anything.

[xultar]

66. You're right, my mistake...n/t

[gpandas]

67. crap together

first we have to learn to lie convincingly

[pacifictiger]

68. the difference is they have

cultivated a compliant, narrow wavelength, brainwashed, readymade audience that is ready to soak up any info they are spoonfed. We are too independent thinking and encompass too many divergent thoughts for the lazy media to deal with.

[Aquarian_Conspirator]

70. The rite-wing doesn't have the media on their side because of...

letter writing. They have them on their side because the corporate media is *inherently* right wing. After all, it is the *corporate* media. Liberal groups can, and often do, keep enough pressure on the corporate media to keep them from becoming to obvious, but your letters aren't going to win them over more then a fat tax cut and media deregulation. We just have to make alternatives. Air America, Pacifica, and each of us spreading info through Blogg networks, are a good start. We need to put more work and ideas into new media, though.

[Lorien]

71. Letters DO make a difference

especially in local media. The media wasn't ALWAYS right wing; as John Dean said recently "investigative journalism turned off after 2000". There actually WAS a somewhat liberal media during and right after the Watergate era. I'm not asking for a return to liberal media, just fair and unbiased media. We are making alternatives to the corporate news, but that isn't enough; it simply won't reach the unconverted at this point. We must do EVERYTHING in our power THIS YEAR to shape the issues. We simply won't get a second chance.

Spread your info through your Blogg,that's great, but please don't discourage other forms of activism. It's time for each of us to lead, follow, or get out of the way!

[xultar]

72. Well Said! n/t

[LDB]

74. You are absolutely right

Letters -- on paper especially give you a powerful voice when speaking directly to the "media".

The worst phrases one can utter include, "it's too much trouble", or "it doesn't make a difference."

If many people speak forcefully, briefly, and politely in print then the "someone" who receives these will take notice.

Email and US Mail can be used by the few to persuade the many -- The Republicans have been doing it correctly and very effectively for a very long time.

With 40,000 DU'ers there ought to be more than these few responses to this thread and the good idea for organization that Jen6 and the other initial folks who've offered their help are putting together.

Remember -- silence implies consent.

Jen6 and friends:
I'll help however I may also.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

75. because all the dems need to do is keep giving bush all the rope he wants

and handing the repukes a bigger shovel

[Lorien]

76. Hmmm...sounds like Nader's plan

I'm NOT interested in another Nader/Dem flame war, but it seems to me that the ones with the shovel have been burying us with this scheme.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

77. i am NOT a nader cheerleader ...i am against nader run as everyone else

[Lorien]

80. I didn't say that you were; you obviously support

Kucinich, but your sentiment was pretty much identical to the reasoning Nader used to justify the "good" in a Bush* win; things would be SO bad under Bush* that America would see the error in voting for such a regime, and they would turn to the Greens as their salvation ("give him enough rope" etc.)I truly do wish he had been correct; things are even worse than I, and many others, expected they would be, but I don't see a mass exodus away from the GOP yet. We MUST give America a much needed push in whatever way we can. Blog, talk, march, write...just do it, and soon!

[LDB]

78. every other time in history

that any population said something about the "powers that be" like -- "let them go they'll hang themselves eventually." It was seen vividly that such a population ended up either subjugated, conquered, or destroyed.

Remember the old addage:

"They came for the intellectuals and I did nothing, they came for the communists and I did nothing, they came for the Jews and I did nothing, then they came for me and there was no one to do anything."

With respect -- doing nothing is not a good course of action -- it's exactly what the RNC is depending on us doing.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

79. oh i know that...and i agree

[LDB]

81. So -- is this now just a rhetorical question from yesterday?

because it certainly seems that the collective attention span out there has been exceeded.

This is actually an extremely important topic which deserves and requires far more attention than it is getting.

Chatting on line with like-minded people is a good, important and useful pastime for information exchange, but without any real effort at actions of any sort outside of cyberspace rhetoric, it's just so much hot-cyber-air.

C'mon folks -- think about this -- then take a look at Condi Rice on TV this morning and decide whether taking the time for a letter or two is worth having her bosses continue their version of that "happy experiment" the French experienced in 1792: Dictatorship in the name of Freedom; remember? Robespierre, Marat, Madame guilotuine, et. al.

Of course, afterwards Napolean tried to take over the world in the name of "Liberty, Equality, Brotherhood".

Then there was that little annoying thing, um, the Third Reich and their pleasant philosophy of peace: "Arbeit macht frei"

Then the Soviet Union, "liberating" people all over the place.

Repression of the truth in any form sounds all too familiar -- the best defense against it is using your voice. Where it will be heard and heeded.

[rman]

82. here's why (serious)

Framing the issues
UC Berkeley professor George Lakoff tells how conservatives use language to dominate politics
http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2003/10/27_lakoff.shtml

<snip>
How does language influence the terms of political debate?

Language always comes with what is called "framing." Every word is defined relative to a conceptual framework. If you have something like "revolt," that implies a population that is being ruled unfairly, or assumes it is being ruled unfairly, and that they are throwing off their rulers, which would be considered a good thing. That's a frame.
<snip>

Why do conservatives appear to be so much better at framing?

Because they've put billions of dollars into it. Over the last 30 years their think tanks have made a heavy investment in ideas and in language. In 1970, Lewis Powell wrote a fateful memo to the National Chamber of Commerce saying that all of our best students are becoming anti-business because of the Vietnam War, and that we needed to do something about it. Powell's agenda included getting wealthy conservatives to set up professorships, setting up institutes on and off campus where intellectuals would write books from a conservative business perspective, and setting up think tanks. He outlined the whole thing in 1970. They set up the Heritage Foundation in 1973, and the Manhattan Institute after that.
<snip>
(much more)

[Lorien]

83. Interesting (and useful) article

Thanks for posting this!