[Peace-discuss] A divot in the astroturf

Mon Nov 19 23:00:02 CST 2007

The two groups are quite similar Democratic party fronts.  This author was talking about his experience as an official of AAEI.  --CGE

---- Original message ----
>Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:28:12 -0600
>From: "Morton K. Brussel" <brussel at uiuc.edu>  
>Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] A divot in the astroturf  
>To: "C. G. Estabrook" <galliher at uiuc.edu>
>Cc: Peace Discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
>
>Did I miss something? Was MoveOn.org mentioned in this piece? Why  
>not?  --mkb
>On Nov 19, 2007, at 10:17 PM, C. G. Estabrook wrote:
>
>> [Some of us in AWARE were seen as ungenerous when we objected last  
>> summer to the well-funded Democratic party front groups --  
>> MoveOn.org and Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, notably -- as  
>> astroturf (i.e., fake grass-roots) groups more interested in party  
>> advantage than ending the war. The following is the account of a  
>> Philadelphia-area legislative director for AAEI. --CGE]
>>
>> 	The anti-war phonies
>> 	By JOHN BRUHNS, Philadelphia Daily News
>>
>> I CAME HOME from Iraq in February 2004 and since then have fought  
>> tooth and nail for an end to the war.
>>
>> I did so because I believe the war is immoral and illegal. I  
>> aligned myself with some high-profile lobbying organizations who I  
>> believed would have the most significant impact on ending the war.  
>> In doing so, I detached myself from the people of this country who  
>> are honestly committed to ending the war.
>>
>> I traded my convictions for "special interest" groups who sometimes  
>> seem to be in place simply to smear those who disagree with their  
>> political agenda. But the agenda is not anti-war. The war is used  
>> by these organizations as ammunition against political foes -  
>> primarily Republicans. They are the enemy despite the fact that  
>> many Democrats vote the same way.
>>
>> It was very hard for me to go "off the reservation." I didn't want  
>> to face the fact that these anti-war groups had other aims.
>>
>> We watched as legislation that had no substantial impact on ending  
>> the war was debated. There ARE anti-war resolutions still floating  
>> out there that call for a real end to the war, but the groups I  
>> worked for wouldn't spend one dime to promote legislation  
>> considered out of the mainstream of the Democratic Party.
>>
>> Any genuine anti-war message was filtered through media consultants  
>> who provide politically correct "talking points" to veterans for  
>> them to carry out a phony message that is beneficial to the campaign.
>>
>> We threatened Republicans with "political extinction" if they  
>> didn't change their votes on Iraq. It was a partisan tactic that  
>> got us nowhere fast.
>>
>> When I worked with these organizations, I did nothing to actually  
>> stop the war. I only put on a good show that would catch the  
>> attention of the media. We focused on America's desire for  
>> entertainment rather than the core issue of ending the war.
>>
>> Our troops are still being killed on a daily basis and the main  
>> agenda of these well-financed anti-war groups, I think, is nothing  
>> short of the prolonged character assassination of all those who  
>> disagree with their message. In my eyes, it's just as bad as those  
>> who fight for a continuation of the war, and I'm no longer able to  
>> distinguish between the two sides.
>>
>> I was not honest when I walked away and pursued the "lone wolf"  
>> route. Instead I painted a rosy picture of my departure in order to  
>> preserve my credibility and longevity within the establishment.  
>> This confession is the only way to restore my integrity. So I can  
>> go on to continue to fight against the war in Iraq with a clear  
>> conscience.
>>
>> I didn't commit eight years of honorable military service to this  
>> country to be an indirect proxy of one political party. I saw the  
>> damage done to our country for most of the last seven years with  
>> the Republicans in control of the executive, legislative and  
>> judicial branches. There was no political balance whatsoever to  
>> keep our democracy pure. That's why we are so divided as a nation,  
>> and I'm not about to fight for the same partisan domination for the  
>> Democrats - even though that is my party affiliation.
>>
>> THE Democrats promised they would bring change if given a majority  
>> in Congress. It didn't happen, and I'm not going to be fooled  
>> again. There are many courageous Democrats who vote to end the war  
>> in Iraq. But there are many who do not.
>>
>> Republicans in Congress, for the most part, would follow George W.  
>> Bush to the gates of hell. And because of their unity, they are  
>> able to keep prevailing despite being in the minority of both  
>> houses of Congress.
>>
>> If any candidate wants my vote, they first and foremost need to  
>> convince me that they will end the war in Iraq.
>>
>> http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/28817
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