Yesterday I noticed that a post by Dan about Sarah Palin had been visited by what appears to be an “astroturfer”. For those who do not know what “astroturfing” is, Ace of Spades posted about this curious ‘phenomenon’ which has recently been found on conservative blogs and elsewhere on the Net:
Astroturfing is the dishonest PR technique of inserting PR messages straight from the PR shop out into the public, but in the guise of “concerns” of “real citizens” who are “independent” and have “no relationship” whatsoever to the PR campaign. It tries to disguise itself as a “grassroots” phenomenon — but it’s artificial and inorganic. Hence, “Astroturf.”
The particular “astroturfer” who commented on Dan’s post calls themself “Rebecca Burt” and claims to be someone who “was not completely decided on my vote until I really started to look into what [Palin] has done and what she stands for”. For an a self-proclaimed “Christian and pastor’s wife” I must say that “Burt” is certainly lacking in the fundamental virtue of charity, something Vince P also noticed. What did “Burt” use as the basis for her objections to Palin? Why, every scurrilous lie and rumor floated about by Obama supporters since John McCain announced his Veep pick a couple of weeks ago. I took the time yesterday to rebut most of the inane charges “Burt” raised to slander Palin, but alas thus far ‘she’ has chosen to remain silent in response. Perhaps this post will elicit further comment from this troll visitor. Somehow I doubt it though, given that she apparently doesn’t stray far from the exact same script of talking points, as can be seen on quite a number of blogs.
I would like to make one more point to “Burt” and other astroturfers: we welcome an open and honest debate at Gay Patriot so there is no need to lie about who you are and why you oppose McCain-Palin or the GOP in general. True “concerned conservative Christians” (especially “pastor’s wives”) have no need for such deception. The use of such tactics betrays an inherent weakness in character and that the user lacks the courage of their convictions. As Jim Malone via Sean Connery warned, “the Lord hates a coward”.
— John (Average Gay Joe)
I’m sure we’ve had many astroturfers. Classic examples include posts beginning:
– “I used to love John McCain when he was a real maverick. But now that Bushco Bushitler McCheneyBurton blah blah blah blather…”
– “I’ve always been a proud lifelong Republican. But now that McSame Bushco Bushitler McCheneyBurton blah blah blah blather…”
And so on. Other examples – people posing to be ultra hard-luck cases on health insurance, to advocate for universal health insurance; people posing to be ultra hard-luck military cases, to advocate for an end to the Iraq war; the list goes on. Detection methods are always about what you outlined: Invariably the person repeats irresponsible and hackneyed Left talking points, showing none of the virtues that a person of their alleged biography would normally possess in abundance.
From Ace, the Magician’s script for astroturfers:
1. The Pledge: I’m a conservative/I’m a Christian/I’m a conservative Christian.
2. The Turn: My heart is with you guys, really… but I have these concerns…
3. The Prestige: I hear all these great things about Obama and/or did you hear this horrible stuff about Palin?
So, the guy who is supposed to bring change tp Washington is telling people to lie and misrepresent themselves on his behalf.
I’ve found these tactics by the left to be standard op procedures. There is a win at all costs attitude. Same with ACORN, registering bogus “voters”. They feel it is ok to do whatever for their people to get elected, because they are defeating “evil”. I just read for example who the candidate is that has run the most NEGATIVE ADS. Who would you guess?
http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/09/obamas_run_more_negative_ads.php
Negative ads
Obama 77%
McCain 56%
not even close. Shouldn’t the press be throwing a fit. No, because they view Baracks negative ads as righteous, the thing to do when fighting evil.
silly girls. you can sit there and think monotheism is reality. but in the end you are mistaken. so get of your dead asses and realise that a billion years is a long time.
AND Janeane Garofalo wants to jail all Republicans “They have become a party of small minded, very petty, mean… unrestrained id. The unrestrained id.”
John, when reading some of these comments, then caught in our spam file, I wondered the same thing.
The e-mails all seemed so cookie cutter.
capitalism without social responsibility is fascism. when not rewarding increases in productivity to the workers but to the shareholders, that is where the mistake was made.
#3: “silly girls. you can sit there and think monotheism is reality. but in the end you are mistaken. so get of your dead asses and realise that a billion years is a long time.”
So, just hypothetically michael, what if in the end us Christians are not mistaken? Any idea what happens to you in that particular scenario? You’re right. A billion years is a long time. Eternity is even longer.
#6: “capitalism without social responsibility is fascism”
What a load. michael, if you don’t think a corporation is socially responsible, then you are free to decline to buy that company’s products, refuse to work for that company, refuse to invest in that company and encourage others to do the same. You don’t have the first idea what “fascism” means, in fact, I’m shocked you spelled it correctly.
oh yes, and that is how the current situation became
you are such a fricken dolt
your silence is golden
Hey, quit trying to demean the real astroturf by linking it to some funked-up, easy to catch but unethical PR stunt played by incredibly uncreative people building some fake mojo via grassroot swellings. Astroturf deserves better from all of us. (Did Sen Bentsen really coin the term?)
BTW, michael, I’m new here on gaypatriot, I’m an independent who is politically unaligned, I’m not gay but gay curious, and I would have voted for JohnKerry but I think VdaK would have hunted me down and shot me like a coon.
But, michael, seriously, you need to use smaller words and less of them… or you’ll just keep hurting yourself. It isn’t pretty.
And your silence concedes my point.
japan injects 14 billion, now that’s reassuring.
Sean A – looks like our pro-Nazi-style euthanasia/eugenics buddy never heard that real capitalism, i.e., the free enterprise system that raises living standards and creates jobs and lets poor people actually get ahead in life, ***is*** social responsibility.
Why? It’s a drive-by piece. “Burt” is long gone. They don’t want to discuss or debate because they can’t. They pop in, unload a pile of BS and hit the trail.
My guess is that michael didn’t catch on to the concept that you’re not supposed to stick around and try defending the indefensible.
Fascism is what Barry advocates.. did you hear his little 2 min ad? At the end.. his call for unity and social responsiblity.
That’s fascism.
Fascism is: Worship of State Power.
Laissez-faire capitalism never is fascism. While calls for “unity” and “social responsibility”, as something opposed to laissez-faire capitalism, are usually code for fascism.
Taking a company’s profits “for the greater good” is fascism and Communism.
Disarming the poplulace is fascism.
Dictating what radio shows people listen to is fascism.
Michael, you have no idea how idiotic you sound, because, after all, you are an idiot of stupendous proportion. Words have meaning. Fascism has nothing to do with corporations’ “social responsibility”. Fascism has nothing to do with corporations controlling government. Fascism is when government controls corporations and represses opposition — EXACTLY what Obama, the Democrats and you advocate.
As a lifelong liberal pot-smoking Democrat atheist environmentalist Marxist pedophile, I was really hoping that Barack Obama would bring change to Washington. Sadly, I think he represents everything that is wrong with Washington… from his smashmouth politics and dishonest lies about John McCain to his use of taxpayer dollars to enrich his friends through earmarks and kickbacks. I think we had enough lying and corruption under Chimpy Shrub McHitler, don’t you?
your nuts to let corporations anywheres near your democracy. but then, you’ll rant and rave about the glories of privatising profits until such time it becomes convenient to socialise the losses.
Yes, I’ve been getting them too, but most comments on my blog go into the moderation queue, and these are depressingly transparent. The liberals have been trying this nonsense for years, and it never has worked. You know, the “I’m a WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam, and Iraqi veteran, and I’m smoking dope in a bong and marching for peace and flowers!” nonsense.
your nuts to let corporations anywheres near your democracy. but then, you’ll rant and rave about the glories of privatising profits until such time it becomes convenient to socialise the losses.
So how is the Soviet Union doing these days, michael? After all, they followed the proscription that you and the Obamamessiah set for the economy: socialize everything, allow nothing private, pay everyone equal amounts regardless of what they do or how well they do it.
screw you, i’m a big a capitalist as anyone. where we apparently part is: i believe my workers deserve the fruits of their labor.
Ah, but you don’t, michael; you and Obama specifically state that you are going to take away the fruits of the labor of those whose skills, education, and performance make their labor more valuable, and then give it to those who lack those skills, passed up that education, and choose not to perform.
Both you and Obama support the idea that workers should be paid the same regardless of their skills, education, and performance; that’s why you demand that doctors, for instance, who go through years of training and hardship should be punished with higher taxes and their money taken and given to high-school dropouts who choose not to work.
Who is Michigan-Matt in no. 13? Is it the hyphen? I recall a Michigan Matt who was a gay man raising adopted children who had been involved in Republican Party activities for a long time.
There’s only one hysterical bleeding gash on this blog, mikey and it’s you.
If you truly did, you wouldn’t be a liberal.
“Taking a company’s profits”
Here, let me fix that for you.
“Stealing a company’s profits”
There, that’s much better. As for Michael, I think replying is a waste. He obviously needs to take his meds.
84 year old woman with no sense of irony says old people should be put to death so they don’t waste society’s resources. Friend of yours, mikey?
“thanks!!! but no thanks. if i want to lie to americans, i will.” pigpalin 2008
So is astroturning similar to something like creating propoganda films and then putting them on news shows as if they were news reports?
And by the way, if gaypatriot.net welcomes open and honest debate, then the site operators would remove posts that simply in engage in name-calling that has nothing to do with open and honest debate.