Today the
Washington Post declared that the "Angry Left" was:
Loud, crass and instantaneous.
And to make the point clear, carefully selected comments, culled without context from the progressive blogsphere were included...and thus the readers of the Washington Post were introduced to the world of online activism.
I'd like to present another side of the "Angry Left." The side that the Washington Post wasn't interested in presenting to its readers:
Welcome activists and friends!
This week's action diary has some very important items for you! I wanted to let you know that we have a success story related to one of last week's items though...just so you know your actions are actually working!! Last week's action was to tell the World Bank to speed up debt relief to poorer countries. Well, they did exactly that! Why? Well, because SO many people sent letters to pressure them to do exactly that! Action is a beautiful thing...and it gets beautiful results sometimes:)
What's this? Anger channeled into taking action? The Post didn't mention that...
What else did they forget to mention? How about something on how the lefties hate the
troops?
CHEERS to accomplishing the mission. A couple weeks ago---after reading a heartfelt letter by the Buxton, Maine father of a member of the 172nd Mountain Co., currently serving in Iraq---C&J asked Kossacks for a $5 donation to help that unit pay the (outrageous) $5-per-hour fee for internet access. Yesterday we sent a package stuffed with checks and cash and money orders to the author of that letter, Richard Deister...
To drive the point home, they could have mentioned this rage:
In the next couple of weeks a new site will be launched called Bake Sales for Body Armor, it is a not-for-profit site that will be dedicated to rasing money to buy body armor for the less fortunate men and women of our Armed Forces that cannot afford to buy it on their own. This not-for-profit is being endorsed by Bring It On! because we feel it is a disgrace that our own government cannot properly equip our brave men and women of the Armed Forces.
And what about our military after they come home? These efforts weren't mentioned:
What a stunning span of days the past week and half has been for the exploration of combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD]. A veritable `perfect storm' of events lined up to push the plight of our returning veterans squarely into the forefront of national debate and discussion. The increased visibility is definitely welcomed, and long overdue.
We all have a role to play, and I think our efforts are beginning to pay off.
And what about concerns about health and science?
In scientific as in foreign policy, the administration continues to break new ground. First the Bush EPA ignored its own advisory panel on soot standards, prompting a rare public rebuke from the scientists involved.
Now, the Children's Health Protection Advisory Committee of the EPA has publicly, and loudly, condemned the EPA's proposed interim goal for levels of perchlorates in drinking water.
Or perhaps they could have followed up on the "Godless Liberals" meme with this:
To summarize: progressive Christians are pushing back against politicized conservatives attempting to take over our denominations. We're working to undo their dominance in the corporate media. We're challenging their abuse of tax exemptions for churches. We've been working to bring gays and lesbians, among other minorities, to full inclusion in the church. We've also made alliances with Planned Parenthood. All that's left is to start (or build up) an institute aimed at helping families, and pretty much all the bases are covered. Oh, and help get out the message that atheist/secularist does not equal demonic. We'll work on that.
Maybe there could even have been some focus on strategies for 2006, like the ones found here:
Yesterday, Markos revisits issues that have been central to our discussions here on political strategy - how do Democrats win in 2006? How do Democrats motivate the base? How do Democrats seize the initiative and brand the GOP while energizing the base?
Those are just a few of the many, many faces of the "Angry Left." But you'd never know it from reading the Washington Post.
And finally, perhaps they could have spent a few moments wondering why...why are we so angry? I'd direct them here:
this diary is dedicated to all who suffer because of war and other disasters
we honor courage in all its forms
Now if only the media could look at us in all of our forms.