Reply #8: In 1968 when 10,000 people...

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

...wanting an end to Vietnam gathered, it wasn't a town hall meeting, Bonnie, it was to send a highly visible, compelling message of dissent against the war. And while I agree that the internet can be used to do this to a degree, I do not accept that it currently serves as an effective substitute for mass public gatherings of protest, or provides the level of visibility that you suggest. I do think the internet has been used to great effect in permitting the kind of discourse we're having now, and as an organizing tool. I also think it was pivotal in the "get out the vote" movement that resulted in Kerry's officially unrecognized win over Bush in '04.

As to your statement "We don't gather in the streets because we don't have to" I would say, if we want any chance of getting our democracy back we DO have to.

I've spent much more than 5 minutes on DU and think it's a great way to share information and ideas, but I've felt that democracy has been dormant if not dead in this country since 2000. When the people no longer choose the president and other elected officials, for me, that's not democracy.