In America, crazy is a pre-existing condition

[Petra]

A disturbing read: Rick Perlstein -- Birthers, Health Care Hecklers and the Rise of Right-Wing Rage


Love that last line:

Good thing our leaders weren't so cowardly in 1964, or we would never have passed a civil rights bill -- because of complaints over the provisions in it that would enslave whites.

[MonCapitan2002]

This is why I find the idea that the media is liberal to be complete hogwash. If anything, it has a conservative bent.

[yguy]

Liberals are right to be vigilant about manufactured outrage

[Dingfod]

Case in point.

[Watser?]

Manufactured outrage indeed. Expect more rent-a-riots now they have been proven to be so effective.

Here's the next one:

An internal memo obtained recently by Greenpeace USA details polluting interests’ plans to launch a nationwide astroturf campaign attacking climate legislation at public events scheduled throughout the final weeks of recess before the Senate returns to debate the issue in September.

The email memo (download a PDF copy), which appears to come from the desk of American Petroleum Institute president Jack Gerard, asks API’s member companies to recruit employees, retirees, vendors and contractors to attend “Energy Citizen” rallies in key Congressional districts nationwide in the closing weeks of the August recess. The campaign plan places a special focus on 21 states picked by API for having “a significant industry presence” or “assets on the ground.”

Taking a page from the playbook of astroturf campaigners currently crashing health care town hall events across the country, API hopes to similarly sully productive communications between Congress members and their actual constituents at public events scheduled for the coming weeks. Gerard states that API is ready to bus in company members and provide logistical support, and reveals that API has retained “a highly experienced events management company that has produced successful rallies for presidential campaigns, corporations and interest groups.”

Kevin Grandia: Oil Lobby's 'Energy Citizens' Astroturf Campaign Exposed

[Ari]

Really everyone should be vigilant about manufactured outrage since it's being manufactured to help politicians and lobbyists. Unfortunately it's easy to play the people against themselves.