Without Internet, U.S. Would Be a “Fascist State”

National Review Online ^ | August 11, 2005 | Byron York

[neverdem]

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August 11, 2005,

6:11 p.m.

Without Internet, U.S. Would Be a "Fascist State"

Crawford protester Cindy Sheehan talks with her blog supporters.

Cindy Sheehan, the woman whose soldier son was killed in Iraq and who is now camping by a road in Crawford, Texas demanding a meeting with President Bush, on Wednesday thanked a group of antiwar bloggers for supporting her, saying that without the Internet, America would be a "fascist state."

"This is something that can't be ignored," Sheehan said during a conference call with bloggers representing sites like democrats.com, codepink4peace.org, and crooksandliars.com. "They can't ignore us, and they can't put us down. Thank God for the Internet, or we wouldn't know anything, and we would already be a fascist state."

"Our government is run by one party, every level," Sheehan continued, "and the mainstream media is a propaganda tool for the government." Sheehan also called the 2004 presidential election "the election, quote-unquote, that happened in November."

The conference call was moderated by Democratic strategist Joe Trippi, who managed former Vermont governor Howard Dean's presidential campaign in 2003 and 2004. It was also organized by another Democratic strategist, Bob Fertik of democrats.com. (During the conference, Fertik said that for the purposes of the call, he was representing yet another website, the antiwar site afterdowningstreet.com.) Finally, Jodie Evans of the anti-war group Code Pink also took part in running the sometimes-chaotic call. Trippi has posted a recording of the call on his own website, joetrippi.com

Also taking part in the call was Illinois Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky, a frequent participant in progressive political conferences and anti-war events. Schakowsky took part in an unofficial Democratic hearing on the Downing Street Memo conducted last June in Washington. Sheehan testified at that hearing, giving a painful and moving account of seeing her son in his coffin.

On the call, Sheehan complained that she was suffering from a sore throat and a fever after being doused by thunderstorms. But she vowed to stay in Texas. There are only three things that would prompt her to leave, she said: "a good meeting with the president, the end of August, or I get arrested."

— Byron York, NR's White House correspondent, is the author of the book The Vast Left Wing Conspiracy: The Untold Story of How Democratic Operatives, Eccentric Billionaires, Liberal Activists, and Assorted Celebrities Tried to Bring Down a President -- and Why They'll Try Even Harder Next Time.

	http://www.nationalreview.com/york/york200508111811.asp

[mhking]

Cindy Sheehan is full of used food, and her family agrees with my sentiment.

[truth_seeker]

I listened for a few minutes.

Trippi is NOT impressive. Nor is the woman.

The MSM is clearly making a big deal about a rather small blip in the timeline of political life.

[Stopislamnow]

She's a tool.

Useful idiot is too soft a term.

[Atlas Sneezed]

I actually can't help but agree with her that the Internet is essential to our freedom.

Without it, I am convinced that Kerry would be in the White House.

[Darkwolf377]

What the hell is this, does she put out a press release every hour?

By this time tomorrow she'll have her book deal signed and the mini-series cast.

[King Prout]

she has a point... without the Internet, we would still be enslaved to the MSM-DNC MiniTru Cabal, Gore or Kerry would have been elected...

so, yes: thank GOD for the Internet

[dirtboy]

Sheehan also called the 2004 presidential election "the election, quote-unquote, that happened in November."

Oh, yeah, sure, she's only buying into the liberal viewpoints on the war. Nothing else.

[TommyDale]

Without the internet, Bill Clinton would have never been impeached. Without the internet, Al Gore wouldn't have anything to invent. Blah, blah, blah...

[oh8eleven]

Our government is run by one party, every level," Sheehan continued...
Yep, and that's exactly what "we the people" had in mind when we voted GOP for the last 10 years. Get over it you loser.

[tet68]

Thank God for the Internet, or we wouldn't know anything, and we would already be a fascist state."

If it wasn't for the Internet we'd be at the end of 8 years of President Gore, with 8 more of President H.R-Clinton to
follow and we WOULD be in a fascist state!

[King Prout]

ah! you beat me to it.

[Darkwolf377]

There are only three things that would prompt her to leave, she said: "a good meeting with the president, the end of August, or I get arrested."

And if she had a meeting with W it wouldn't be a "good" meeting, so she'd stay.

And there's no way she would say anything good about any such meeting, now that the details of her first meeting have been re-posted.

[dirtboy]

she has a point... without the Internet, we would still be enslaved to the MSM-DNC MiniTru Cabal, Gore or Kerry would have been elected...

What is interesting is how conservatives have used the internet as part of a process to effect political gains - whereas liberals have used the internet to hasten their political implosion.

[upchuck]

There are only three things that would prompt her to leave, she said: "a good meeting with the president, the end of August, or I get arrested."

a good meeting with the president - doubt it

the end of August - will definitely happen

or I get arrested - will hopefully happen

[BushisTheMan]

On the call, Sheehan complained that she was suffering from a sore throat and a fever after being doused by thunderstorms.

Love that Texas weather!

[Hornet19]

The woman is coming unhinged. I feel sorry for her family.

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Is it my imagination, or is she getting progressively loonier as each day passes?

[Adrastus]

yes, indeedy. Thank God for the internet. Otherwise we'd be carried away by the same emotional, "pity me, I'm a victim" non-sense that Sheehan represents instead of knowing the truth of current events. Work? Yes, and tedious, too. As a member of Mr Franklins fading republic I am obliged to do the work needed to be informed and enjoy the consequinces of knowing the truth. Specifically, being responsible for and to it.

Thanks, Ms Shehan, but no thanks. (Hope it wasn't too hot in Crawford today.)

[Owl558]

"Our government is run by one party, every level,"

Maybe if democrats actually had some ideas, avoided shrill, condescending, obviously over-the-top rhetoric, and stopped acting like little children...

Aww, who am I kidding? They need to keep it up and ensure a republican majority for years to come.

That's right guys, bemoaning our "fascist" state, hating Christians, and calling everyone who disagrees with you a stupid redneck is the way to regain the White House...