Grassroots action thrives online

United Press International, a sister news organization of the Washington Times ^ | August 18, 2004 | Gene Koprowski

[solicitor77]

CHICAGO, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- As the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court last summer prepared their opinions for the case of Lawrence, et al. vs. Texas, gay activists around the country rapidly readied their online response.

"We didn't know whether we would celebrate, protest, or celebrate and protest," said Robin Tyler, executive director of the Equality Campaign, a homosexual rights organization, at dontamend.com."So we had three sets of postings ready," he told United Press International. "The second it came out, we distributed our talking points by e-mail and online postings."

Based on Internet talking points, which touted a ruling on June 26, 2003, that struck down an anti-sodomy law, homosexual activists took to the streets, around the country, seemingly spontaneously.

"From Fairbanks, Alaska, to the East Coast of the United States, the coverage said that gay activists poured out into the streets," Tyler said. "No one in the media thought to ask how it was organized."

The Internet continues to transform grassroots politics, giving small, often home-office-based activists the ability to get their messages out, just like high-priced lobbyists and publicists on K Street in Washington, D.C., and on Madison Avenue in New York City.

[solicitor77]

This article outs the gay groups...and their online organization prior to Lawrence v. Texas.

[proxy_user]

Many of them are very well educated, and highly skilled writers.

Yikes! No wonder they have so much influence....

[wbill]

"From Fairbanks, Alaska, to the East Coast of the United States, the coverage said that gay activists poured out into the streets," Tyler said. "No one in the media thought to ask how it was organized."

I must've missed it. I live in an area with a fairly large gay population, as well. I've never been to Fairbanks, AK, but I imagine if it's anything like the small Northern towns I grew up in, I don't see a gay population, period. Never mind one that would take to the streets en masse.

'Fraid that I need to call 'BS' here.

[Conservative4Ever]

...and add to that lots of discretionary income.

Red