Bush Blackout on websites 1/20 ACTION ALERT WEBMASTERS

[helderheid]

Perhaps this should be pinned:

Make Your Voice Heard via Deafing Silence!

www.BushBlackOut.com

We are asking that people who protest the policies of the Bush Administration to replace their website with a Black page on January 20th and leave it up for 24 hours.

On January 20th, 2005, Millions of People around the World will protest the Inauguration of George W. Bush in one form or another. How will you make your voice heard? BushBlackOut.com is suggesting that you be heard through your silence by blacking out your website or blog for the day and displaying a short message of protest.

We have made some suggested images available that you can display in place of the normal content on your website Thursday, January 20th. Feel free to use any image or statement you find suitable for your protest, we just suggest that you make the background of your website Black and display a message of protest to show solidarity with other BushBlackOut protesters. You ask that save and place a copy of the image on your own site by right-clicking the image on this page and selecting Save-As, or link to the alternate images stored at Inkfrom.com. Here is an Example Page that you can copy the source from if needed.

Here is one example:


More here:
http://www.bushblackout.com/

[hangemhigh]

1. Holy shit!

I'm digesting this and so far, I think I may like it.

[oscar111]

2. Like gagging yourself in a debate: selfdefeating. GOP will love it.

this is a

BAD TACTIC

Your motive is fine, but we need the one mass media we have,.. internet... to be working 24/7.

Think Limbaugh would do a silent three hours if Kerry were being sworn in ?

New viewers will see your protest screen and think...

"sure wont waste download time on this site again. Wonder what they were all about? Such fools, wasting my time and then hoping i will come back for maybe the same later ".

Folks, most of us wait for sites to download.

BAD TACTICS LIST
1. web blackout
2. blocking rush hour traffic
3. suffragettes in 1900 england, pouring glue in home mailboxes

I have given hundreds of sites one visit to evaluate them. If i had seen a blacked-out site, i would have tossed them for sure. People dont have time to give sites two chances. There are thousands of LW sites to evaluate.

[helderheid]

3. You don't think this is working???

This is carrying one mother of a message!!!

[Amaryllis]

49. But to whom? If the progressive sites gag themselves, what point will that

prove?

[hangemhigh]

4. I see this differently...

as part of a general strike....

on edit: and I still think it's profundly powerful.

[oscar111]

6. It would be like gagging yourself on the day of a strike. Weakening ur

ability to persuade fencesitters.

While the GOP talks on, winning another day's crop of converts.

[me b zola]

44. I tend to agree with you

eom

[HeeBGBz]

9. Maybe if you have a site on politics, its self-defeating

I just happen to have a very popular music site that is non-political.

If I do this, it will be noticed.

However, it may be the end of my site's popularity and I will be more of a pariah than I already am. Sounds like fun. I'll think about it.

[rumpel]

19. agree

[johnaries]

26. I agree. I think a better tactic would be making the home page a

"protest" page, with a link to the site's main home page.

[marions ghost]

36. Yes --webmasters could put this at the top of their Home Page for one day

but leave the rest of the site intact. I agree with those who say a total blackout defeats our purpose.

[Amaryllis]

50. that makes a whole lot more sense!

[AmerDem]

45. I agree with ya.

Why would anyone want to tape their own mouth shut?

[understandinglife]

5. Inverse, please. We need every website that we can mobilize...

...to push the message: "Bush Owns It: Let's Purge It"

DO NOT STOP THE FLOW OF INFORMATION; EXPAND THE FLOW.

EXPAND THE MESSAGE --

BUSH IS EVIL; HE MUST BE PROSECUTED AND EVICTED.

Thank you.

"When Did Bush Know?"

[helderheid]

7. "when did Bush know"

and "What are they hiding" would be excellent messages. Hell throw in a link to DU.

[understandinglife]

12. And, a link to velvetrevolution.us !!! Go for it!! ;-) (n/t)

[helderheid]

13. hell yeah

Do whatever you want on the page so long as it protests Bush - link to pdamerica.com, here, velvetrevolution, thankyoupatriot, etc!

[BrklynLiberal]

8. I think that a protest message would be a great idea for the home pages

but I do not think that "shutting down communication" for 24 hours is a good idea.
I believe that seeing this huge protest message when you get to any site is enough of a protest.
I do not think that closing down the roads of communication would be in anyone's best interest. It would be playing right into their hands.

edited for clarity

[ebayfool]

17. That's a much better idea. I don't think progressive sites ...

shutting up while the farce is being sworn in is right. There should be an uproar, instead.

[Wilms]

10. Perhaps just a page that you click (or get re-direct) to get to homepage

[helderheid]

11. that works

[garybeck]

14. should include an upside-down american flag

sign of distress

[helderheid]

15. that may be the only message needed.

[helderheid]

16. kick before bed

nighty night

[garybeck]

18. if it were my choice, i'd just do the upside down flag

and leave it at that

[MadisonProgressive]

31. That would be perfect

A huge upside down flag for 2 seconds, then redirect to the homepage. Under the flag, the line:

"Democracy, R.I.P."

[RevCheesehead]

20. Are you kidding me? I'm gonna need DU on that day!

Seriously, I can't agree with this protest.

How about the front page all black, w/two-faced shrub, and the caption "the 2nd fraudulent presidency for the two faces of *" instead?

besides, what will we do? Watch TV? :puke:

[fooj]

24. Don't worry, Rev! We'll all hang tough...

Something tells me there will be many disgusted Americans on Jan 20th! Hell- it helps me to know that I'm not alone! That asshole has got some HEAVY Karma!

[bobweaver]

21. I'm considering THIS for my main page on that day, what do yall think?

http://fireworksland.com/indextemp.html

[fooj]

22. Well...we could really piss 'em off-

Imagine 55 million (+) screen savers with a picture of Kerry appearing and behaving presidential...or JOHN KERRY in BIG, BOLD BLOCK LETTERS with an American Flag as a backdrop! Whatever the choice, make sure it is all the same to show our solidarity and resolve. Have I completely lost it?

[bobweaver]

23. That's a good idea... need to find a pic of Kerry doing some charity work

[Karenca]

25. bobweaver...It's wonderful.

I have chills.

[bobweaver]

27. Thanks, but I just added Kerry... here's the final edit: (Photo)

[Karenca]

28. I didn't think it could get

any better.
You just topped yourself.
I love it. :)

[sepia_steel]

35. Absolutely love it. n/t

[helderheid]

47. That says it all

[Amaryllis]

51. Now THAT is a powerful statement. Made me really sad seeing the

photo of Kerry. :( HE should be getting inaugurated.

[Vinca]

29. Our primary news source is the web . . . bad idea.

MSM will not cover the demonstrations and I want to know what's going on. Maybe a blackout during the swearing in, but 24 hours would cut us off from access to honestly reported news.

[Amaryllis]

52. Exactly. Only place to see the protests.

[MNBiker]

30. This is stupid....Here is why

Do you recall radio stations that change programing do stupid things like 48 hours of polka music. Do we shut off our radio for 48 hours. No we try other stations.

Here is why it's stupid. No commerce wed site will be doing this.Only the left will participate. That means the left will be shut down for a day. Who wants to see that?

Every protest idea is not a good idea. I hope the DU isn't shutting down for a day.

[roenyc]

33. better idea

somebody hack freeper site!! get busy.

[roenyc]

32. That is just so cool!!

we arent closing this site are we?

[MadisonProgressive]

34. Now, this would be a good idea if..

we could hack that homepage on CNN.COM, MSNBC.COM, FOXNEWS.COM, etc.

[KaliTracy]

38. big fines if you get caught. n/t

[MadisonProgressive]

40. I certainly wouldn't and couldn't do it.

But there are people that would. I don't want to put any ideas in their heads though.:evilgrin:

[helderheid]

48. somebody did that once

talking about the Kucinich campaign - I think they hacked CBS. Don't know who did that and though I wouldn't condone it, it did make me smile really big. :)

[KaliTracy]

37. how about a simple graphic (this was quickly thought up

the text could be changed.

This could be posted on a website -- with the image Linked to you own favorited "information" site regarding Election Problems.

[KaliTracy]

39. I support Not buying anything on that day -- but I do NOT support

supressing information -- and the Internet is a huge information source.

I think something that Protests the inauguration, and gives people information would be much more effective.

Once they realize that they can censor you -- they will -- they've already effectively gagged the media -- do not gag yourself.

[texpatriot2004]

41. Bad Idea, that day we will need our sites more than ever. n/t

[KansDem]

42. Why not just set the background to black, but carry on as usual?

I don't know that much about websites and HTML but if the background were set to black, then the message would still be out there without blacking out essential information and analysis.

I suppose there could be problems with placing black text on a black background, but is there an easy way of changing the text to some other, brighter color, like yellow or even white, without having to do too much HTML editing?

Several years ago with the GOP Congress was passing Internet censorship legislation, several sites that posted "adult material" or thought they would be direly affected by this legislation successfully performed this tactic in protest.

Just a thought...

[L. Coyote]

43. Why silence yourself? Why punish school children seeking information?

A pop-up window with a message could accomplish the same.

[coffeenap]

46. ABSOLUTELY NOT!!

If while I have to stay home watching the heroic efforts of my fellow progressives I can't get any news from sources I trust--I will EXPLODE!!!! We need these sites--they are all there is to depend on!!