Using their own tools against them

A recent article on CommonDreams.org bemoans the lack of response to organized outdoor protest rallies.

"US Protests Shrink While Anti-War Sentiment Grows"
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/10/03/4295/

Of particular note is this closing statement:
"Largely absent from the actions are young people, who were the majority of Vietnam-era protesters — perhaps because they do not risk being drafted into the military or from a sense that they can express their opposition to the war on the Internet, rather than on the streets, Isserman said"

A lengthy discussion follows the entry.

What they seem to be missing is the enormous power of people to communicate and collaborate over the net. The "costs" involved in traveling to an outdoor protest can now be channeled into more effective "attacks" using the same methods that big business and the government have.
We have databases. If you want to keep an eye on what your congresscritter is doing, there are a multitude of organizations that are "tracking" how your critter votes. All of this on a daily basis.

A perfect example of this is the recent furor over the moveon.org ad. They got more publicity for free than would ever be possible with an outdoor rally. AND, they manage to raise almost $1 million in the process.

Now you can spend $25.00 and not get arrested or your head bashed in. (Never mind trying to find a public toilet. LOL)

Consider the following "ad" I have briefly sketched out.
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ATTENTION:
Mr. President and Members of Congress.
Be you Democrats, Republicans, Independents or, any other flavor of politician.


We the People ... Sent you a message at the election last November.
You ... Did not listen.

We the People ... Voted in the polls over the previous months.
You ... Have not listened.

We the People ... Have shown repeatedly that your approval rating stinks.
You ... Are still not listening.

We the People ... Must regretfully conclude that you have no intention of listening.
You ... Seem not to care what we desire.

THEREFORE:

We the People ... Who are the activists who volunteer our time to your campaigns.
We the People ... Who contribute freely of our talents to you.
We the People ... Who donate our MONEY to further your chosen profession.
We the People ... Are now forced to turn our time, resources and MONEY in another direction.

BECAUSE:

You ... Choose to disregard us. Choose to make light of our contributions.
You ... Have forgotten that we are the activists that vote in the primaries.
You ... Ignore the fact that we help promote Get Out The Vote campaigns.
You ... Take our MONEY and then do as you please.

BE IT RESOLVED:

We the People ... Will no longer give of our time, resources and MONEY to support you.
We the People ... Will turn you out at the next Primary or General Election.
We the People ... Are sick and tired of your actions or non-actions, as the case may be.

UNLESS:

You ... Show us that you are listening to us. Remember us? We the People?
You ... Do it decisively, without nuance, without dissembling.
You ... Stop putting your petty partisan politics in front of our desires.

YOU THINK ABOUT IT:

We the People ... Produced this ad. It took time. It took resources and talents. It takes MONEY to run it.
You .. Did NOT get any of that. Will you continue to "Not Get It?"

WE THE PEOPLE ... Have spoken. Are speaking again. Will continue to speak.
YOU ... Have a choice. 1: To listen. or 2: To not listen. Pick one.

STOP THE WAR IN IRAQ ... NOW.

WE THE PEOPLE ... Are Watching.
WE THE PEOPLE ... Will be back.

Audio clip - http://Citizens4.US/WTP.swf
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I would like to get a number of various people to speak the different lines. Along the same format that someone else has done here with an Obama speech.

1: Because I think my own voice stinks. (listen to the clip)
2: because I believe it would be more effective if there were a variety of voices.

It would also be possible to have various people speak the lines in front of their web cam and then weave them all into 1 good video with the proper software and expertise. (Which I do not have)

With some graphic dressing, I believe that such an "ad" could be effective as a full page newspaper ad. Yes, I know that MoveOn wound up paying over $100,000 for the NYT full page, but there are other papers and 1/4 and 1/2 page ads.

The point is that all the $25 could be pulled together over the net. The video and/or audio could be done over the net. So spending your 25-50 dollars while not having to sit on a crowded bus and risking your head sounds like a good deal to me.

Any thoughts?

that "hitting the streets" will be ignored.