Nobody who does this is on "my side," because I know how dishonest (as
well as damned lazy!) it is to pass off somebody else's letter, word-
for-word, as my own.

Those who do this are cynical political manipulators, and it is just
such politicians who have corrupted & destroyed democracy. I am very
sorry that you would sink to such a level--and speaking as somebody who
still has standards, I strongly resent your attempt to identify me with
your own lack of integrity: say "my side" if you must, but not "our
side." Leave me out of it!

----- Original Message -----
From: llevitt <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Saturday, January 18, 2003 12:25 pm
Subject: Re: [CHOMSKY] Astroturf: identical pro-Bush letters to the
editor

> "Our side" uses boilerplate to aid and facilitate letter-writing
> campaigns. So it's no coincidence, not untoward, and not to be
> sneered at that the right does the same. They are involved in
> their causes, no matter how wrongheaded we may think them, and
> disciplined.  ----- Original Message -----
>  From: Jonathan Julius Dobkin
>  To: [log in to unmask]
>  Sent: Friday, January 17, 2003 2:09 PM
>  Subject: [CHOMSKY] Astroturf: identical pro-Bush letters to the
> editor
>
>  Hey folks, here's a fun experiment you can try! Just put the
> following  line into Google's search window ("google it" as the
> kids say nowadays):
>
>  "genuine leadership" "Contrary to the class warfare rhetoric"
>
>  Now see all the virtually identical letters to the editor, in papers
>  across the country, supposedly from different people, hailing Bush's
>  economic plan for its benefits to the middle class. What an amazing
>  coincidence that they all independently wrote the same letter!
>
>  -Jay
>