Brad Friedman (VelvetRevolution.us ("VR"), certifiable nut-case.
Brad is a freelance writer, investigative blogger, software designer and all around trouble maker. He broke the story of the "White House Website Scrubbing" and the "Tom Feeney/Clint Curtis/Yang Enterprises Vote Rigging Scandal" among other stories, and has been closely following the story of "Grand Theft America" since Election Day at his site, The BRAD BLOG, which can be read at BradBlog.com.
Brad is also helping to keep the mainstream media's feet to the fire on both his blog and his new radio show, The Brad Show at
http://www.BradShow.com.
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VelvetRevolution.us ("VR") is a network of more than 120 progressive organizations reaching millions of people demanding progressive change through our VR Media, Electoral Reform, Conflict Resolution and Youth Revolution Campaigns.
he tactics and the power of the Democrats and progressives in this country have not been sufficient to check the actions of a corrupt Republican agenda. The left has not VR is a citizen's brigade that will use every available legal and peaceful means to depose the a corrupt agenda, no matter where it is found (currently, the so-called "neo-conservatives" are leading the way in this regard!) from the corridors of power.
been able to develop the necessary tactics to win this battle for the heart of America, despite the fact that there are many fine progressive organizations with many members. The leadership of the Democrat Party has generally engaged in a pattern of appeasement, and few organizations have had the clout or backbone to go toe to toe with the right. In many major battles recently, the Democrats have rolled over, and the result is a frightening world of perpetual war and civil strife, both literally and figuratively, led by a President who is blind and indifferent to the destruction he sows.
VR is putting together one of the most massive coalitions of progressive, democratic and religious organizations ever joined in the United States to stand up against a corrupt Anti-American agenda in D.C. We are bringing together such groups, supporting their efforts, and mobilizing our own. A list of just some of the groups that we are working with is on the front page of our website, www.velvetrevolution.us, and it is growing each day.
We will have a 24/7/365 war room mentality - instead of waiting for elections and campaigns - to respond quickly and effectively to lies and self-serving political propaganda.
We will employ economic boycotts against companies and states that oppose the freedom of the people.
VR's first campaign targeted electoral reform. It is our belief that the past three national elections have been tampered with and are most likely aberrations of the American Voters intentions. The evidence mounts, and yet there is a disappointing lack of widespread action. VR has changed this by becoming a leader in election reform with many successes and many more to come.
VR has built a massive mobilization effort to demand that the nine major voting machine companies (which happen to largely and undemocratically be supporters of just one major political party) make their machinery transparent, verifiable, tamper-proof and providing auditable ballots.
We are also supporting litigation and legislation to require election transparency, and we are one of the first major organizations to support a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right of all citizens to vote.
* We are demanding that the media do its job rather than merely reporting what the elite power structure wants us to hear, and we will create and support independent media.
* We are opposing the war in Iraq and support peaceful dialogue and policies of peace.
* We are supporting freedom in the broad sense of the word, and especially individual freedom.
* We are opposing religious based rationales for governmental action and we support secularism.
* We are galvanizing and mobilizing young people to join this revolution.
Tens of millions of Americans have made it very clear recently that they want a government that is tolerant, honest and respectful.
VR and co-founder Brad Friedman of The BRAD BLOG worked closely with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. in his articles for Rolling Stone outlining how American elections have been manipulated and we enabled him to contact several of our whistleblowers. These articles help to force the important issue of Election Integrity into the national mainstream and resulted in RFK Jr. and his partner Mike Papantonio filing qui tam (fraud) litigation against voting machine companies in federal court.
Media Propaganda Campaign
* VR initiated the Truth in Media campaign to demand that the press report real news, and we insisted that every TV affiliate in the country institute policies against the use of prepackaged government news and paid government journalists.
* VR sent letters to approx 1000 TV stations and networks nationwide informing them that the use of such propaganda was illegal and improper, and that we would be watching and holding them accountable. We demanded that they institute policies against such propaganda. Every one of the dozens of TV stations that responded, except Fox stations, promised not to use such pieces.
The Baker/Carter Election Commission
* VR launched a campaign to fight against the stacking of the Baker/Carter Commission on election reform and helped expose the scam - the commission was created by Republican operatives to call for disenfranchising ""Photo ID" restrictions at the polls and was dominated by GOP and voting machine interests.
* VR protested, and sent over 70,000 emails to the Commission and its members demanding James A. Baker step down from the commission. Several members withdrew, helping to discredit the ""Photo ID" movement, and ensuring that the final report was taken with the large grain of salt it was due.
Out of Iraq Campaign
* In June 2005, VR launched an Out of Iraq campaign to focus attention on the criminal nature of the Iraq war.
* This campaign has used ads in major and minor newspapers, actions to Congress, Camp Democracy on the Mall in September 2006, and many other activities to continue the pressure to bring an end to Iraq War.
The Impeachmobile
* In December 2005, VR built a 14x8 foot double-sided billboard with Impeach Bush signs on both sides.
* On dozens of occasions, VR has driven this mobile billboard around the Capitol, the White House, The Mall, and at numerous events to bring impeachment to everyone's attention to help raise awareness of this issue and courage at the grassroots level.
1/7/07: VR Supports The Right Of Felons To Vote, And Congress Should Too