Posted on 06/28/2004 1:47:12 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
AUSTIN -- Erica Anthony-Benavides is a junior at Trinity University in San Antonio, a member of Ladies in Physics and not very politically active. But because she signed a petition against the war in Iraq, a national conservative Internet site has declared her an enemy of America.
"I don't know why they want to accuse us of treason. It's not fair. We haven't done anything. We've just said something that somebody doesn't like," said Anthony-Benavides, a native of Corpus Christi.
Anthony-Benavides, 19, has been swept up in a new Internet war between the right and left in America that is trying to establish ideological purity for the nation.
Grass-roots political Internet sites have been springing up since the 2001 terrorist attacks. Those on the right vilify anyone who does not support President Bush and the Iraq war as communists and un-American, while those on the left use common curses to describe people on the right as fascists.
The right organizes boycotts against musicians and actors who oppose the war. The left urges boycotts of conservative talk-show hosts such as Rush Limbaugh or actors such as Bruce Willis.
Altogether, the Internet chatter is part of the partisan echo chamber of talk radio and political cable television shows that some experts believe has intensified the polarization of America's electorate.
Polls indicate American voters are at their most divided in a decade, with a partisan split on national security at its highest level since the late 1980s.
A Pew Research Center poll conducted earlier this year also found the number of people who get presidential campaign news from the Internet grew from 9 percent in 2000 to 13 percent this year. The number of people getting campaign news from traditional sources such as television networks and newspapers has declined as much as 10 percent.
James Gimpel, a University of Maryland professor who studies political divisions in America, said a small percentage of the U.S. populace visits ideological Web sites. But he said they reinforce strong feelings for those on the left and right.
"The people who tend to go to these sites are people whose views are pretty well entrenched," Gimpel said. "It's likely to enhance polarization. It's likely to enhance extremism. But it's not likely to create many converts."
The enemy list that included Anthony-Benavides received notoriety because of its connection to the beheading of U.S. businessman Nicholas Berg in Iraq.
Berg was a Bush supporter, but his father, Michael, like Anthony-Benavides, signed an anti-war petition for the International Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (A.N.S.W.E.R.) coalition.
A conservative known as "Doug from Upland" took the petition and turned it into a posting called "Here is the enemy" on FreeRepublic.com.
Doug from Upland told the Chronicle he had no idea who Berg was when he posted his enemies list. He said he wanted fellow subscribers to FreeRepublic to know the names of people who had signed on to what he described as a communist organization.
"That was my opinion. Here are the enemies of America," Doug said. "I called them enemies because I believe that while we are at war, they really are the enemies. They are hurting the morale of our troops."
Postings on the FreeRepublic site often urge readers to call the employers of liberals to report their anti-war sentiments.
Doug said he was motivated to post the enemies list because his son-in-law is in the Navy and one of the signers of the anti-war petition identified himself as being in the U.S. Coast Guard.
"That man had no right to have these feelings if he was in the military," Doug said.
Doug, who is 51 and lives in Upland, Calif., is in commercial real estate and was among those who questioned Bush during a Jan. 4, 2002, town hall meeting broadcast on C-SPAN. His photograph is posted on the FreeRepublic site, but he did not want to be interviewed using his last name because of concern that a liberal backlash would harm his business.
"They're foul-mouthed and vile and they call for violent behavior," Doug said.
Some liberal Web sites promote boycotts of conservatives, most particularly commentator Limbaugh. One Limbaugh boycott site is Take Back the Media, run by Michael Stinson, 51, who lives in an "undisclosed location."
"As far as I'm concerned, this is just voting with your buck," Stinson said.
Stinson posts contacts for Limbaugh's advertisers and urges liberals to call them to complain.
"Some people say we're trying to stifle Limbaugh's freedom of speech. We're not, but the Constitution does not guarantee 1,300 radio stations," Stinson said. "I'm not going to pay money to his advertisers for him to call me a Marxist and a traitor to my country."
The Internet battles have spawned at least one libel lawsuit that may test the future bounds of free speech.
A site called ProBush.com posted a list of politicians and entertainers who signed an anti-war petition and called them "traitors." The site describes it as a parody, but one of those on the list, former liberal Sen. Jim Abourezk, D-S.D., has sued for libel in federal court.
"Senator Abourezk has a pretty tough hide and can take as good as he gives," said his lawyer, Todd Epp of Sioux Falls, S.D., a University of Houston graduate. "It's also his concern that some people might be cowed by this. ... If you speak out and you're called a traitor, the social and legal ramifications of that can be harmful."
ProBush founder Michael Marino, 20, of West Point, Pa., said Abourezk's lawsuit is an assault on the First Amendment right of free speech.
"It would be most unfortunate if lawsuits could be used to silence the diverse voices of this 21st century medium," Marino said.
Marino's defense is supported by the Electronic Freedom Foundation, which has filed a brief in his case.
Another interesting item...
The article highlights Michael Stinson and his liberal site and also gives the DU link in the sidebar but Stinson fails to mention that he is heavily active at DU under the screenname Symbolman... pretty vile posts, too.
I have to laugh (not at you, please)...
There is THIS memo which was "accidently" posted to their own website (and quickly removed but never rebuked):
Accidental Houston Chronicle memo admits to tainting the news with political agenda
The timing, language and approach of the paper's editorials would, of course, be the decision of the Editorial Board. But I suggest that they could be built upon and informed by a news-feature package with an equally specific focus: Telling the story of rail here by examining the long term relationship of the two key players in the local transit wars -- Rep. Tom DeLay and former Mayor Bob Lanier. For better or worse, (mostly worse, I would argue) no two have had a more significant impact on transit decisions here.
Please let them know that you enjoy what they are doing. Every positive voice helps.
Fair enough, I suppose. Doug is an activist and I would
bet he has receive death threats or hateful calls, mail.Am I correct, Doug ???
Why was he suspended?
I do not know.
So it goes...it is a struggle as old as time....parasites are everywhere...in our Flora and fauna, sometimes in our bodies, and most certainly in our country....The struggle must continue....to the point that other measures may have to be implemented in order that our country not descend into a socialist hell hole where there is a shortage of everything....except misery.
Great points!
But that IS an interesting idea! [grin]
I don't think most (if any) FReepers engage in these kinds of tactics though. Very un-American and on a level that liberals would sink too.
Although, the Coast Guardsman is a different story. By stating that he was in the USCG on such a petition, he crossed a clear line.
As far as private/civilian employers though, calling them up over their employees' beliefs is over the line. I think that is probably a thing of the past though.
You might want to FReepmail Dio - who made an odd response to someone on another of those awesome "Gotta See This" threads. I'm not sure of what to make of it, but it indicated some problem regarding the mods. I hope I'm way wrong.Oh, yeah. I see what you mean. It sounds like she puts them on Breaking News and the Mods move them somewhere else ??
I went to her "In Forum" page, searched for "Mod" and here it is:
GOTTA SEE THIS-WarEndur.Freedom 6/27/4-Waziristan,Basra,Fallujah,Nablus,Mojave
Posted by Diogenesis to OneLoyalAmerican; All
On News/Activism 06/26/2004 8:53:51 PM CDT #23 of 94
Thank you, and so many, for your comments and support. These America-supportive threads
which are BREAKING NEWS (from today's news)
are simply not appreciated by some of the Moderators here, so this will probably
be the final GOTTA SEE THIS thread here at FRee Republic.
Get these pictures while you can. Stay safe, FReepers.
Oh. I see you already found it, too. :^)
bump
Yes, I have had my share of threats by phone, email, and snail mail in the past. I don't particularly want any of these gentle people with flowers in their hair as neighbors.
O.K. let's try it this way (I.E. bump)
"Postings on the FreeRepublic site often urge readers to call the employers of liberals to report their anti-war sentiments."
I never seen this.
The only thing that the internet has done to widen a "rift" is to point out to more people, and with greater clarity, the endemic treason and deceit of the left. In short, there is nothing new to the mix, it is just that it is more accessible to the masses.
I'd like to know too...he had some great insights into the technical and tactical aspects of the military. Plus, he found the coolest photos! ;)
regards,
I will. However, it is more than enjoyment. It is heartfelt gratitude and appreciation!!
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