Web star leaves both light, heat (Seattle Times - Andy Stephenson)

[merh]

Friday, July 15, 2005 - Page updated at 12:00 AM
Web star leaves both light, heat

By Danny Westneat
Seattle Times staff columnist

In the world of old media, the death last week of Seattle's Andy Stephenson went mostly unnoticed.

But type his name into an Internet search engine, and it's like a wake for an internationally known political figure. Shrines honor him at 20 Web sites, including one from New Zealand. Some dub him a saint fighting for democracy.

"Those who can see will notice the light he cast," reads a memorial at www.TakeBackTheMedia.com. "Those who understand true power in the universe will feel his strength."

On other sites, though, Stephenson is denounced as a con man who faked cancer to scam money. There are hundreds of postings, debating his credibility, his history, even the validity of his health records.

(snip)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002382738_danny15.html

:loveya: Andy :loveya:

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Thanks for posting this.

[merh]

2. I love this writer's comment in the article:

May the cruel, sad story of his death somehow be the beginnings of an Internet peace.

:hug:

[Tamarin]

3. Self Delete

[Tamarin]

4. Self Delete

[Catherine Vincent]

8. You still have time to edit the first one.

When I first read it I was wondering what Ken Mehlman had to do with Andy.:-)

[XemaSab]

5. I like how they basically come right out

and say freepers=@$$#*^&$.

""We need to start pushing a story about how Andy Stephenson faked his own death for insurance reasons," someone wrote on the conservative site www.FreeRepublic.com."

Poor Andy.

[supernova]

6. It's a nice, concise article

If you don't spend a lot of time online, this is a good intro to the whole sordid tale and he did mention Andy's real passion above all, verified voting.

RIP, Andy. :hug:

[Catherine Vincent]

7. Nominated!

For Andy!

:loveya: Andy Stephenson :loveya:

And a :hug: for Merh!

[merh]

9. (((smack + wave))))

blowing you a kiss, cat! :hug:
Thanks :blush:

[meganmonkey]

10. ...

:grouphug:

[LisaM]

11. Good article, BUT......

he didn't need to throw in that it was "wrong" that Bush stole the election. Well, I guess it's technically correct because Bush stole TWO elections, but someone needs to send him the "What Went Wrong in Ohio" report.

[bloom]

18. Over 32,400 hits on google for "Andy Stephenson".

As far his comment...

People assume they know. Didn't seem necessary for the article.

[stevedeshazer]

23. Yes, it appears most kneejerk posters here haven't read the whole article

The writer says Andy was wrong. Come on, guys, READ IT!

[meganmonkey]

24. Maybe we did read it and didn't dwell on that one sentence

:shrug:

I can't speak for everyone else...

[stevedeshazer]

27. Fair enough, but it just struck me as odd.

It seems that an article written on the occasion of his memorial didn't need to have such a reference buried near the end. It bugged me and tended to negate the positive.

I'm just worried about those who would rewrite history within what amounts to a less-than-complimentary eulogy.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

25. Very strange article

Goes both ways, and doesn't seem like the writer especially liked his subject.

This isn't any kind of laudatory tribute.

[Kelvin Mace]

41. True,

it is more a news story than a lauditory story.

The writer didn't care for Andy's style, but he condemns the freepers and supports the fights against paperless voting.

Not bad as the MSM goes.

[merh]

47. Thank you.

That is how I read the article. :thumbsup:

[merh]

26. I read the article and don't see what you see.

But on the issue that consumed him, he was right. As he said incessantly, we'll rue electronic voting if we don't keep a paper backup of the votes.

Stephenson's friends, angry at the way he was maligned, will honor him at 2 p.m. tomorrow at Seattle's Town Hall.

May the cruel, sad story of his death somehow be the beginnings of an Internet peace.

:shrug:

[stevedeshazer]

28. I have no problem with that part.

I should have said that the majority of the article was positive. I just didn't see the need to toss that into the mix just before his memorial service.

[merh]

30. Toss what into the mix?

That Andy was a human being, that Andy was ill, that he was maligned during his illness and has succumbed to the cancer, but through it all he was consistent in his stance that our votes were precious and should be protected?

What am I missing?

[stevedeshazer]

40. This sentence:

"He was too rude to public officials and just wrong that Bush stole the election."

I don't agree. That's all.

[merh]

44. So a reporter tosses in his personal opinion. What is new about

that? Even with his personal comments and doubts, he concludes that Andy was right and his passions legitimate.

We can't expect everyone to love all of us. :shrug:
I know I have lots of folks that ain't too crazy about me, but if my point is valid, they will agree with them (generally).

Andy was not running for Mr. Congeniality - he was fighting for fair and honest elections.

:hug:

Feel free to send him an email and let him know that you thought that comment was cheap shot - remind him of the who, what and when of journalism. We want the facts, not their opinions. :pals:

[stevedeshazer]

45. I'm NOT criticizing Andy, or you.

I don't understand your beef. The reporter said he thought Andy was wrong. I don't. Period.

:shrug:

[merh]

46. I'm not saying you are criticizing either of us.

I am saying the article has more good comments than that one bad comment. If you don't like what the writer had to say, let him know. We should be able to let the press know when we believe that they have let their opinions interfere with the facts. The reporter said he thought Andy was right about elections. The reporter doesn't believe the election was stolen. Two different conclusions and issues.

Peace :hug:

[stevedeshazer]

49. And same to you, friend

:pals:

[qnr]

54. I think it was the "knee-jerk posters" comment :) n/t

[merh]

56. Yeah, that kinda got to me!

:hi:

[AlwaysQuestion]

65. You're right on the mark!

Rude to public officials? By whose standards? And wrong about Bush? Who's he kidding? It is most unfortunate for me that I didn't know too much about Mr. Stephenson but from what I've read here, it sounds like he was a caring, dedicated man who probably didn't give a whit about politicians and bureaucrats but was more concerned that the American people get to cast a vote which can't be highjacked. Hell, who among us here can argue with that?

[vince3]

37. I just sent the author an email...

I told him he had written a nice piece about Andy Stephenson, but asked him how he knew Never-elected didn't lose in 2004.

[bitchkitty]

38. Yea, I didn't like that either.

But 3/4 of a cake, while not a whole cake, is better than no cake!

"I interviewed Stephenson last winter. His passion hit you in the face. He was too rude to public officials and just wrong that Bush stole the election."

Too rude to public officials - is there such a thing as being too rude to public officials? At least the ones who aid and abet election fraud.

[Kelvin Mace]

39. Yet another reporter blinded to the truth by

bending over backwards to be "objective".

[Robbie Michaels]

12. I Wonder If...

Steve will refute this story?

[merh]

20. Why do I get this vision?

[savannahana]

13. 7th nomination

:hug: thank you, merh :hug:

:grouphug: :patriot: :loveya: Andy :loveya: :patriot: :grouphug:

[merh]

51. ~

:hug:

[BeHereNow]

14. Nominated!

That was wonderful to read.
Brought tears to my eyes...

BHN:cry:

[merh]

57. (((BHN)))

:hug:

[ronnykmarshall]

15. Freepers be damned to hell.

I'd personally like the ring the neck of that asshole that wrote that Andy faked his death.

Low life piles of shit.

[NeoConsSuck]

59. I can only hope..

that on my tombstone, they will be able to inscribe:


Here lies NeoConsSuck

HE UPSET THE FREEPERS


Then I would be able to die in peace, knowing my life had purpose and meaning. LOL!!

[Moosepoop]

16. Just got nominated again!

:)

[Peace Patriot]

17. Nominated! Thanks for this very important post!

The answer to the stink in Washington DC is restoring our right to vote, by throwing Bushite electronic voting machine companies--Diebold, ES&S and brethren--out of the election business NOW--or, at the least, achieving some measure of election transparency with paper ballot backups, no secret programming code and strict auditing. The only place where we can get that done is in state/local jurisdictions, where the authority over election systems still resides, and where ordinary people still have some say. See the DU Forum "2004 Election Results and Discussion" for information and action ideas:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=203http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=203

[merh]

19. Thank you - do you want to link this article in that forum.

:shrug: It deserves thread of its own at ER&D, don't you think?

:pals:

[enigmatic]

21. Thanks for this

And I'll be sending good vibes to all of you in Seattle tomorrow:)

[StaggerLee]

22. Very nice

Miss ya. Ya champion of democracy you.

:hug:

[bluestateguy]

29. The dark side of me wants revenge

Like trying to interfere with the next freeper who seeks needed medical care, or picketing the funeral of the next freeper that dies.

But that's just dark impulses talking to me. I would never actually do such a thing, because morally and intellectually it would be wrong, even if impulsively it would feel good to do it.

[Kelvin Mace]

42. The difference between

us an the freeps is that we recognize our dark impusles and are ashamed of them. They, on the other hand, are proud of them.

[loudsue]

31. What about this article do you guys think is NICE for Andy??

This part:

"I interviewed Stephenson last winter. His passion hit you in the face. He was too rude to public officials and just wrong that Bush stole the election."

:shrug: He's saying Andy was "too rude" and "just wrong"? The guy is FULL OF SHIT!!!!

REPUBLICANS are "too rude"....and they tried to KILL Andy! And succeeded, by the way!

And BUSH STOLE THE DAMNED ELECTION!!!

This article pisses me off royally.

:kick::kick::kick:

[merh]

32. Just because this man doesn't believe the election was stolen

doesn't mean that the article is bad for Andy. The reporter does make this statement.

But on the issue that consumed him, he was right. As he said incessantly, we'll rue electronic voting if we don't keep a paper backup of the votes.

Have you not realized that we have yet to convince everyone that the election was stolen? And now that Andy has been silenced, we are minus one of our most passionate advocates, as this reporter notes. Heck, the guy may not like Andy personally, but he respected his efforts and said he was right.

[loudsue]

33. I see your point, Merh...

but people who didn't know Andy are going to read the entire article, and, in my opinion, dismiss Andy's work because the author paints him as "rude", and a tinfoilhatter "just wrong". We here at DU know that Andy was right (about a whole helluva lot of things), but other people reading about him in this article aren't necessarily going to come away with such a positive impression.

[merh]

35. This is just one person, one writer, who has concluded that

Andy was right, even though he didn't like all of Andy's personlity traits. I see no reference to tin foil hats, just to passion and determination. I read that he believes Andy was right. :hug:

Other perspectives:
http://markcrispinmiller.blogspot.com/2005/07/andy-stephenson.html

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0507/S00132.htm

http://donkeytale.dailykos.com/story/2005/7/8/211417/6127

http://www.democrats.com/node/5312
http://www.democrats.com/blogcall7

http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00001588.htm
http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00001418.htm

http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/0528/050713_news_andy.php

http://forum.truthout.org/blog/story/2005/7/8/8128/40692

http://blog.pdamerica.org/?p=167

http://www.opednews.com/hartmann_050105_save_andy.htm
http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_elizabet_050714_the_stalking_of_andy.htm

http://web.takebackthemedia.com/geeklog/public_html/article.php?story=20050710101148975

http://www.horsesass.org/index.php?p=820

http://homepage.mac.com/benburch/Andy/

http://www.brainshrub.com/andy-rip

http://seattle.indymedia.org/en/2005/07/247026.shtml

[Arianrhod]

58. And I see your point, but am not sure I lean in your direction there.

I hated that line, too. But I've read the article several times, and while the absolutist nature of his dismissal is definitely damaging, I don't think it's mortally so.

I wrote a letter to Westneat pointing out the inaccuracy of his statement.

[Kelvin Mace]

43. Deep breath

He touched a nerve.

That part jumped out at me too.

I stepped back, set my emotions (quote raw) aside and re-read.

Pretty balanced. He differed on a matter of opinion and style, but the article was complimentary in the whole, except for Andy's tormentors. They got called as they are.

[loudsue]

52. I know, David. You & Merh are right, but it does jump out at someone

who really loved Andy. :loveya:

I just feel protective: if Andy was here, he'd set people straight.

It's still hard for me to even see his picture, which has been made into sig lines for many of his followers here. :cry:

Even though I can't go to his service tomorrow, since I have work (finally! ), I just can't seem to get past the fact that he's gone. It feels like he's still here; like he's still with us. Ya know what I mean?

:kick::kick::kick:

[merh]

55. LOL - if Andy were here, he would say

damned straight in their faces - what is ruder, a citizen demanding honest elections or the public official denying them or worse, helping in the theft of our votes?

I know exactly what you mean about it being like he is still here with us because he is, he won't let us forget his efforts and now our mission, to ensure that our faith in our system is protected by ensuring honest, open elections -- VOTER VERIFIED PAPER BALLOTS!!!

:loveya: :loveya: :patriot: ANDY :patriot: :loveya: :loveya:

It will be okay loudsue :hug:

[merh]

64. ~

:hug:

[BamaBecky]

34. What time is it in Seattle right now?

Bama

[merh]

36. I believe it is just after 2:00 p.m.

n/t

[BamaBecky]

48. Thanks Merh.........

Appreciate it.......

[brainshrub]

50. RIP Andy.

[RFKHumphreyObama]

53. Rest in peace Andy

Thank you for your efforts to make this world a fairer, more accountable and better place:yourock: :loveya:

[EFerrari]

60. Remember, guys, that "rude" has been redefined.

It's rude to be against the war. It's rude to disagree with the pResident. It's rude to want your voted counted. It's rude to want propagandists to obey court orders.

I guess my manners pretty much s#ck. :shrug:

[merh]

63. LOL

Mine too! :shrug:

:hug:

[symbolman]

61. Hey, that guy stole my copy for his headline..

Oh well, I meant every word of it, came straight from the heart, things like that seem to spread --

Don't forget that Evil is a "fad" and only temporary - Gandi said it the best, tho I can't recall his exact words at 5am..

But what he meant was that Truth and Love wil ALWAYS trump Evil, in the end, despite the crap raining down on us all the BEST will rise and conquer it..

GOtta put the fire to the metal to get the GOLD out :)

I'm glad the guy realised what a treasure Andy was/is.. now he has to watch as the people who take up the torch play HELL with those who would try to cheat us.

It's one thing to be a peaceable guy, but at the same time if someone really messes with me, my vengeance will be "swift and assured"..

I've sent word to Congress about these bastards that hurt Andy so much, and I'd like to see them frogmarched, each and every one associated - and don't think it can't happen.. all it takes is the right lawyer, and we know plenty or know others who know plenty..

But I'm not giving away the game plan, part of being "swift and assured" is to be calm and focused..

Andy is the Patron Saint of Election Fraud in my mind, movers and shakers of the best kind..

Rest in Peace Andy, and we'll see you in the next world, and don't be late :) (Jimi Hendrix)

[merh]

62. calm and focused

:hug:

[nicknameless]

66. Hi, symbolman,

You wrote:
"Andy is the Patron Saint of Election Fraud in my mind, movers and shakers of the best kind.."

Maybe: the Patron Saint of Honest, Transparent Elections?

...maybe just how I read it. :hug:

[nicknameless]

67. Thanks for posting this, merh

Any acknowledgment of our dear friend's heroic works plus acknowledgment of the viciousness and insanity of his assailants is appreciated by me.
:hug: