Astroturfing, Dead-Agenting and Bots…What DOES it All Mean?
Astroturfing is a word in English describing formal political, advertising, or public relations campaigns seeking to create the impression of being spontaneous “grassroots” behavior, hence the reference to the artificial grass, AstroTurf. Astroturfing is a form of propaganda whose techniques usually consist of a few people attempting to give the impression that mass numbers of enthusiasts advocate some specific cause.
Astroturfers attempt to orchestrate the actions of apparently diverse and geographically distributed individuals, by both overt (“outreach”, “awareness”, etc.) and covert (disinformation) means. Astroturfing may be undertaken by an individual pushing a personal agenda or highly organized professional groups with financial backing from large corporations, non-profits, or activist organizations.
Astroturfing has become quite common place in its use by various organizations, in particular from extreme Political Dominionist churches. They are orchestrated to be on the watch for internet bloggers and articles that they perceive “attack” their beliefs and/or leaders. In my case, I draw fire on all sides due to my exposure of their militant religious twisting of the Bible, their anointed Sarah, and all the admirable deeds revealed on the GOP lists I have posted about the adulterers, pedophiles, homosexuals and violent members in their God-fearing Club.
Here are a couple examples of astroturfers who are easily identifiable by the disjointed rhetoric, spelling and grammer use.
You librals spin so much you must get dizzy!
Say WHAT???
What these fine people know is when Jesus our Lord and Savvier, the only living son of the Lord returns he”ll be just like a samurai. He will lift up a mighty his sword unto the Lord ” a sword better than the ones in Kill Bill 2 , heck he”ll make the Hatrai Hanso swords look like pieces of turds. Jesus will dress like a ninja and use throwing stars to smite his enemas. He”ll jump out of the shadaws just like David Carradine, except he won”t do no preverted things like what he done — he’ll go thru a room of you librals like butter snapping your necks like toothpicks. Amen.
Posted 05:07 PM on 07/18/2009
She very aptly lays out the argument that a large percentage of these dominionist cult members are indeed factually challenged. This type of vitriolic regurgitation is classic from these folks and confirms the violent intolerance of all who are not the “chosen ones” such as they see themselves. I couldn’t have scripted a better example of exactly what we are talking about.
They consistently lack the ability to engage in intelligent debate, and always revert to playground dirt kicking and foot stomping. For those who see themselves as sanctimoniously superior and “chosen” – they sure expend a tremendous amount of anger toward the rest of us that they are certain will be “Left Behind”!
Example #2 in response to the “Open Letter to Sarah Palin” that I posted this morning…
alankvl // 3 hours ago What a joke. Anyone can pick and choose scriptures from the Bible and twist to get their agenda across or to bad-mouth another.
Interesting to note you said “(provided to me by an informed supporter in Los Angeles, California)…”.
And you call this “A MUST READ”. I beg to differ, but you did dupe me into reading your bias agenda laden garbage.
Oh, and was that a hint of fear that seemed to be coming across in this tirade… Interesting way to express it.
I couldn’t possibly post all the lovely comments…but thought I would use these most recent ones that are actually cleaner and kinder than some. I choose to excercise my right to click my delete option and not give them an audience.
Tomorrow? ”dead-agenting”. The Scientologists have perfected this tactic, and it is now being employed by the Political Dominionists as well.
Tags: astroturfing, Christians, God, GOP, Palin, Political Dominionism
July 19th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
Thanks, Leah. I am amazed at that first comment. The error being taught is profound. In case the commenter visits again, I offer the following, not to bad mouth or hate, as that one commenter indicated:
According to Rev. 14:14-16, the Son of man has a sharp sickle for the harvest. Verse 16 -And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. Rev. 19:21 -And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth….- By his word.
Christ does not touch the earth at the second coming.
I Thess. 4:16-17
-For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
-Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
And no, no ninja costume for Michael (Christ). I bet he will be wearing a vesture dipped in blood. Rev. 19:11-16. Thus, red apparel.
July 19th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Very enlightening. Thank you. Please keep us informed.
July 19th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
bushgirlsgone comment HAS to be a snark. “to smite his enemas” was my first clue. The references to “Kill Bill” movie and David Carradine while being compared to Jesus is an attempt at humor, Leah.
If I am wrong, God help us – but I think the enitre piece was a joke. ENEMAS! hahhah.
July 19th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
Lorelei…If only it were in jest. But there are too many written just like this with spelling and misuse of words and grammar to overlook them and I am not alone in receiving these. There is a reason we have learned to understand astroturfing, it is really that common. Some of these people come from a background of very poor education and a devotion to their church that is obsessive. I only picked 2 for examples, but there are far too many to count. This is far less sophisticated than the “dead-agenting” I will describe tomorrow that has been routinely used by Scientologists.
It does appear so ridiculous that our rational minds accept it as a joke…but the kind of joke that this is, is actually quite sad…
July 20th, 2009 at 10:38 am
Leah, thanks for all you are doing to get people to focus on what is important – not Sarah Palin’s thinning hair!! I agree 100% that these people are not to be taken as a joke. They are quite serious and because most are uneducated and take direction from their church leaders, it hard for those of us who are “normal” to believe that people can be so easily manipulated. I am reading Crazy for God by Frank Schaeffer, which is on your required reading list for those of us who want to be truly informed as to what is really going on with these “warriors”. Keep up the good work.