Web Letters: Online Activists Keep the Pressure on Obama

How do those tires feel? First Scarlett Johansson has to get "Goodyear" removed from her Versace, and now, with his vote to approve the FISA Bill (that Bush has probably already signed with a pen given to him by Dick Cheney and donated to Cheney by some very grateful telecom felons), every single one of his Facebook e-mail pals are feeling the crushing weight of the "Not-So-Straight-Talk Express" as it cruises right over them on its way to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

The Democratic Party's "presumptive" (uh...I think the words "Denver," "suspended" and "Superdelegates" are going to begin to appear in the same paragraphs in not-so-future online commentary) presidential nominee has been able, thus far, to convince all those Dorothys out there in cyber-space to ignore The Man Behind the Curtain. However, some are beginning to awake from their poppy-induced slumber.

The Obama campaign, since its inception, has demonstrated a canny ability to harness the power of the Internet to raise a ton of money (proving once and for all that the presidency is bought, not earned) and shade his positions on the issues. His Mybarackobama "vent" page is only the latest gimmick to make his supporters feel important. But as they are finding out, there's a world of difference between feeling important and being important.

Having taken their votes for granted (and why wouldn't he?) and making them feel as though their concerns have been addressed by ignoring them, Obama is proving that the Internet is only the latest and greatest marketing tool of the twenty-first century.

The best way to agitate for real change is from the outside, not from within.

Daniel Todd Vuic

San Francisco, CA

I think the grassroots organizing efforts of this protest group is impressive, but I think progressives need to proceed with caution so we do not divide our vote and help John McCain get elected as our next President.

The Republicans are looking for any opportunity to twist the words of Obama and then sell this distortion to the mainstream press as a "contradiction" to piss off the progressive base and hopefully divide it.

Many progressives are falling for this Republican tactic hook, line and sinker, and it is now time to wake up as a progressive community and not engage in actions that undermine our interest in ending Republican control of the White House.

We should study the words of Barack Obama and then ask ourselves what John McCain would say about the same issue? Would McCain welcome this grassroots activism or dismiss it? Would McCain continue FISA abuse or end it?

Metteyya Brahmana

Santa Cruz, CA

Yes, Obama responded to his in-house critics, in a well-written letter. And between all the lines, a message: You have nowhere else to go.

R.H. Weber

Geneva, Switzerland