Is this the guy?!
My name is Mike Stark. I am a law student at the University of Virginia, a marine, and a citizen journalist. Earlier today at a public event, I was attempting to ask Senator Allen a question about his sealed divorce record and his arrest in the 1970s, both of which are in the public domain. His people assaulted me, put me in a headlock, and wrestled me to the ground. Video footage is available here, from an NBC affiliate.
I demand that Senator Allen fire the staffers who beat up a constituent attempting to use his constitutional right to petition his government. I also want to know why Senator Allen would want his staffers to assault someone asking questions about matters of public record in the heat of a political campaign. Why are his divorce records sealed? Why was he arrested in the 1970s? And why did his campaign batter me when I asked him about these questions.
Yep, that is the guy. It's funny he pretty much pushed other activists out of the way to get the glory for himself, with regards to this "drill" on their part. He's also one of the more politically-motivated types involved.
Whereas some of the liberal bloggers just despise conservatives and want to fight what they see to be "hate speech," (from an ideological standpoint) Mike Stark and the Media Matters (David Brock, et. al) crowd view this as part of the war for them to win the political war. They view talk radio as one of the strong points of conservative/Republican success and they are determined to dismantle it (especially since competing with it via Air America, Jones Radio Network, etc... didn't work).
Reading through all these blogs and their plotting about the various strategies available to them it's a bit sickening. I don't know what depresses me more, to see how low they'll sink to win, or the fact that I have to acknowledge that they *do* enjoy the momentum for the moment, and it is feeding their efforts to knock down conservatism and any footholds it has in this country. I can see how motivated their people are, and I'm worried that there aren't enough people on "our" side with such motivation to fight back and hold the line.