So GOP has "grassroots" and we Dems have "moveon.org" and "liberal

[applegrove]

blogospheres". Why do we let them characterize our base as something other than grassroots. If Liberal blogs are leading the call for more information or action on Karl Rove - why doesn't the MSM call it "grassroots"? That is what it is - isn't it?

I mean the Right has grassroots movement that is led by church elders and the vatican and wedgied issues coordinated by the GOP. That is less grassroots than us.

We are individuals voluntarily showing up to political events & sites (and not having politics imposed upon us when you go to church - say) and participating.

Nothing could be purer "grassroots" than that!

[jody]

1. The GOP needs a lot of grass to produce all the BS they generate.

:hi:

[unschooler]

2. Very well said, applegrove!

"Grassroots" is an old liberal term that has been co-opted by the religious right.

[elperromagico]

3. Hell, we let them redefine "liberal."

"Liberal" has for most of history meant progress, openness, imagination, strength, et cetera ad infinitum.

In America at least, "liberal" has come to be defined as timid, flip-flopping, tax-hiking, et cetera ad infinitum.

This has happened because conservatives have stolen the word from us, twisted it beyond all recognition, and handed the withered husk back to us.

I'm sorry to say that it has happened at least partially because some of us would rather try to be identical to our ideological opposites than make any attempt to define our own identity.

[TahitiNut]

4. Liberals have "grassroots" - Neocons have "astroturf"

The corporate, maufactured, plastic imitation of 'grassroots.'

[myrna minx]

5. The GOP has astroturf...

http://dailykos.com/story/2004/8/17/17029/2550

[applegrove]

6. Interesting. I never knew about astroturf being used to describe

phony letters to the editor from some GOP paid writer.

I still think we should write the MSM and ask them to call MoveOn.Org and Liberal Bloggers as "grassroots" since the term has real meaning in those instances - as opposed to people who have been preached politics at the church pulpit.

Maybe one for the activist corps. I'll post this there.

[ClassWarrior]

7. Don't let their language games frustrate you - that's part of their goal.

Instead, learn to play language games BETTER than them.

After all, we're smarter - not to mention righter (hey, we can make 'em up too!).

NGU.

[applegrove]

8. I passed on my complaint to the Activist DUers. Hopefully they will

like the idea of contacting MSM & complaining. Not fair that we liberals get described according to the technology of how we voluntarily participate as opposed to the spark & character of the movement which is individual, voluntary, involves a huge commitment of time and is therefore "grassroots".

[sendero]

9. They are better..

.... at using language to paint a negative picture of us than we are of them.

Dean is good at turning that around and Reid also. Pelosi, Conyers and Boxer have their moments.

We have more to work with than they ever will. We just need to learn how to do it. Hillary gets an honorable mention for "Alfred E. Newman", which pisses the GOP off because it is so damn correct it hurts.