Internet helps widen rift between the political left, right

[CShine]

Erica Anthony-Benavides is a junior at Trinity University in San Antonio, a member of Ladies in Physics and not very politically active. But because she signed a petition against the war in Iraq, a national conservative Internet site has declared her an enemy of America. "I don't know why they want to accuse us of treason. It's not fair. We haven't done anything. We've just said something that somebody doesn't like," said Anthony-Benavides, a native of Corpus Christi.

<snip>

Grass-roots political Internet sites have been springing up since the 2001 terrorist attacks. Those on the right vilify anyone who does not support President Bush and the Iraq war as communists and un-American, while those on the left use common curses to describe people on the right as fascists. The right organizes boycotts against musicians and actors who oppose the war. The left urges boycotts of conservative talk-show hosts such as Rush Limbaugh or actors such as Bruce Willis. Altogether, the Internet chatter is part of the partisan echo chamber of talk radio and political cable television shows that some experts believe has intensified the polarization of America's electorate.

Polls indicate American voters are at their most divided in a decade, with a partisan split on national security at its highest level since the late 1980s. A Pew Research Center poll conducted earlier this year also found the number of people who get presidential campaign news from the Internet grew from 9 percent in 2000 to 13 percent this year. The number of people getting campaign news from traditional sources such as television networks and newspapers has declined as much as 10 percent.

James Gimpel, a University of Maryland professor who studies political divisions in America, said a small percentage of the U.S. populace visits ideological Web sites. But he said they reinforce strong feelings for those on the left and right. "The people who tend to go to these sites are people whose views are pretty well entrenched," Gimpel said. "It's likely to enhance polarization. It's likely to enhance extremism. But it's not likely to create many converts."

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/2650296

[Lefta Dissenter]

1. This is just swell!

Now we can blame the internet instead of bush for dividing the country... and who invented the internet???? Of COURSE, it was Gore, which leads us back to........
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Clinton!!!

after all, isn't everything his fault??? :shrug: :D

[KoKo]

3. ROFL....this article is really silly. n/t

[NashVegas]

4. Disagree

It has some validity; before the internet, politically actives had little national/int'l methods of congregating. 12 years ago, if a politician did something to piss you off, unless you were already plugged into a group, chances are you just stewed on it. Now, you have a place to go get your opinions mirrored, affirmed; there's no denying the echo effect.

[Just Me]

15. True. The internet has been nothing short of a miracle for many.

Not only are we able to realize full expression and affirmation but we are also better able to join our voices and make a huge difference, together. The internet has given us a form of empowerment we have never had before.

:bounce:

[ilovenicepeople]

17. I hear that

the internet setback the NWO by 20 years (the last vestige of free speech)without these forums and the like I truly feel that all would be lost.(meaning LOGIC):scared: :hi: HOWDY!!!!

[peacetalksforall]

7. Your logic cannot be faulted. Right on.

It sure would be nice to know that there are converts. My anti-right wing feelings started with the assassination of Kennedy and I kept questioning my feelings and trying to learn, turning off, turning back on - because I love my country and I saw steady progress - as slooowwww as it was and the 60's and 70's were a truly revolutionary in concern for people - as long as it lasted! Nothing before the internet advanced my knowledge as quickly as the internet and helped confirm that I wasn't paranoid about the cooperation of the newspapers (stupidly, I still trusted the networks) that helped the cooperation of the military-corporate 'complex' help the bankers help the Republican Party in their fight against the little people and to profit from it.

[DenverDem]

2. The fascists started it under raygun.

Polarization of the American citizenry was a cynically calculated strategy of the radical wrong wing, begun by the "great excommunicator" raygun's goons led by the fornicator newt gengrich. Their tactics were planned to move the political discourse far to the right to provide cover for the screwing of The People that raygun's "Contract on America" achieved. This was the beginning of uncivil debate in Congress and deregulation of the media to do away with the Fairness Doctrine and pave the way for unbridled right wing demagogic propaganda on the radio that has stupidified America to such an extent that we are the most barbaric political culture in the history of the world, and most of us don't even realize it.

[Mel]

8. Ding ding ding DenverDem

has hit the nail on the head. The Media needs to stop blaming the internet and do their damn jobs! The media doesn't want to take responsibility so they scapegoat the internet sorry not buying it!

[peacetalksforall]

9. Under Baker Kissinger Gingrich the Federalsit Society types...

the LIE was perfected. There is nothing better than blatant, transparent lying to divide a nation - from the 'less government' lie to the awful truth that Republican Party was designing a government that was in our face and life - then there was the lie about the drug war - dumping drugs on the streets and then locking people up in new prisons that many people profited from and all the accompanying crime and destroyed lives. How long of a list can we make of the skillful lying strategy and the accompanying hypocrisy?

[salinen]

11. We may not be the most barbaric

political culture in the history of the world, but it looks as if the thugs are aiming for it.

[3 Cents and Change]

5. No ****?

Is this one of the biggest examples ever of a "no shit?" article or what?

[Mace]

6. I agree

With the age of the internet it makes it so easy for anybody to post what they really think about people anonymously and don't have to worry about being verbally or physically assaulted. It also seems to have lowered the attention span of most people that use the internet and therefore the content has turned to crap with mudslinging going on all the time.

[DBoon]

10. Boycott Bruce Willis

Why?

Who?

And would I ever want to see any of his films anyway?

[Dr Fate]

12. I tend to boycott bad movies...

I could care less if Bruce has an honest disagrement w/ me concerning politics- I just dont like his acting or movies.

[quinn94704]

13. Rift? I got your rift right here...

Def feel the 'split' in my family. I don't even talk with my parents about politics before or I will get too pissed off (my father donated $1000 to W last election, and is going to do so again this year as well. AAARGH!)

Is there a way to reach out beyond our own friends to get Bush-groupies to understand why he is such a threat to our country?

[rocktivity]

14. The mainstream media has a vested interest in the polarization meme

If they can perpetuate the illusion the the race will be close, it will make it that much easier for Bush to steal.

:headbang:
rocknation

[daleo]

16. The internet does allow people to pick and choose views

that affirm their own. And one should be on guard against being too closed minded. However, the mainstream media started the process with its slide to the right throughout the 80's and 90's. It is only natural that people seek relief against the barrage of propaganda.

I don't know what the deal is with the really hard right on the internet (e.g. free republic). They seem to mostly get their way in mainstream media, so I have never understood their vitriol, from that point of view. I suppose certain extreme personality types are attracted to those sorts of politics, and will feel marginalized no matter what the objective facts are.

[tom_paine]

18. No, the Busheviks using "Mein Kampf" style demonization has widened the

rift.

And I'm not sure it's possible to go back.

remember what it took to stop the Nazis last time...

[damnraddem]

19. A split is good:

we need to know who the maniacs of the right are. Otherwise, we might treat them like normal, intelligent, honest people. ;-)