We ARE the Media! - Democratic Underground

NanceGreggs

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Thu Sep-07-06 11:42 PM
Original message

We ARE the Media!

A Letter of Thanks,
from Nancy Greggs

Ever since I joined the DemocraticUnderground family, I have been impressed, time and again, with my fellow members’ ability not only to disseminate the news, accurately and in a timely fashion, but to put the wheels of true democracy in action and keep them moving.

Over the past few days, the reaction to ABC’s upcoming “Path to 9/11” has not only confirmed my initial assessment, but taken it to another level entirely.

IMHO (as we say around here), DU has run like a well-oiled machine, and puts to shame every cable and network newscast in the country.

Our On-The-Scene staff knows no peer. Posts have appeared within moments of breaking news; statements issued by ABC, Disney, Scholastic, et al, were made available, complete with attribution and links, literally within seconds of being released to the public.

Our Fact-Checkers posted the appropriate contacts – phone numbers, fax numbers, email addresses – with lightening speed, as well as pertinent historical information, such as Disney’s press releases when they declined to distribute “Fahrenheit 9/11”, as well as corporate relationships between ABC/Disney and their related companies.

Our In-the-Field personnel have checked in from around the country and beyond on a regular basis – “THIS just in from Ohio.” “Late-breaking developments in NYC” – with details on local aspects of what was being done, for or against the cause, and by whom.

Our Security Forces (a.k.a the Mods) have stepped in when arguments on the topic became heated but unproductive, and have gently but firmly reminded the over-zealous that conjecture and surmise do not equal facts.

Our Creative Department deserves singling out; threads were started at a staggering rate, as DUers came up with sensible and imaginative ideas as to who to contact, where and when, in order to make our voices heard. “Don’t forget Scholastic.” “Contact your local ABC affiliate.” “Call your district school board.”

Legal Affairs has kept us abreast of the litigation possibilities with respect to the FEC, the FCC, and probable grounds for lawsuits by Clinton and others, as well as the legal ramifications of every step taken by the major players in the story.

And I would be remiss if I did not mention our crack Comedy Relief team, who have managed to keep spirits high, and the activist sensibility focused through wit and humour, throughout every hour of every day.

Do we actually have such Departments and Teams? Of course not. But that is, as they say, the beauty part. Everyone has instinctively identified their strong points, found their niche, and applied their individual talents to contribute to an on-line news station that surpasses anything available in any other media.

So many people have contributed their talent and their time, and have done so not for recognition or reward, but out of a sense of patriotism and good citizenship. Defending democracy and changing the country for the better far outweighs all other rewards, and I honestly believe that my fellow DUers have done just that with their efforts.

When they hand out the Emmys next spring, no matter who walks off with the prize for Best News Program, we will all know the announced winner was just a pathetic also-ran compared to the Best News Program around – DU!

Our illustrious and industrious Admins may not get the Red Carpet treatment (which, on a happier note, will save them from being asked by Joan Rivers, “So EarlG, WHO are you wearing to tonight’s gala?”), but that in no way diminishes the fact they are the producers of the kind of news programming that the Big Guys just dream about.

So Congratulations, DemocraticUnderground! You guys are the ABSOLUTE BEST!

And now that I have said my piece – EVERYBODY BACK TO WORK!