BuzzFlash Celebrates Its
Sixth Anniversary of Countering Ignorance with Truth
A BUZZFLASH EDITORIAL
Six years ago, several months before the Al Gore victory in the 2000 presidential election (remember he won by more than 540,000 votes nationally and won if every vote had been counted in Florida), BuzzFlash.com was launched on the Internet.
We were, from the beginning, committed to being a pro-democracy news and commentary site, with an emphasis on hard hitting, irreverent advocacy for the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and inclusive government.
We have grown from 34 visitor sessions a day in May of 2000 to 5 million readers a month in 2006.
From the start, we have been a community of readers -- who come from the United States and around the world -- who are the BuzzFlash nation. We are a meritocracy, posting contributions from average citizens and noted experts alike. Every piece of writing sent to us is considered for posting based on its value, not who wrote it.
In the same vein, we have created the BuzzFlash Progressive Marketplace to finance the enormous growth of BuzzFlash. Our goal was to create a site free of third party advertising, open to all, regardless of income (in short, no subscription fees: BuzzFlash is free). We also wanted to provide an economic boost to progressive books, music and movies. That is because we can only have a thriving marketplace of ideas if we have a thriving progressive marketplace of writers, musicians and films.
We wanted to be free of third party advertising, because it is just such advertising that contributes to the compromising of the mainstream media into a public relations outlet for large corporations and the Republican Party those corporations support with campaign contributions. For six years, we have succeeded in this goal. We are reader supported through the purchase of premiums that keep a vibrant progressive culture alive -- and through donations.
We also chose not to become a tax-deductible organization because we did not want to have to pull our punches -- and anyone who reads BuzzFlash knows that we have more than lived up to that goal.
After six years, we look back at the wrenching nightmare of the Bush Politburo, beginning with the theft of the 2000 election --engineered by Nino "The Fixer" Scalia -- and we recall the daily eloquence and emotional pleas of our readers for the restoration of a just, honest and Constitutional, law-abiding government.
BuzzFlash was not created, as some think, as an anti-Bush site. We would have been here if Al Gore had rightfully moved into the White House. We would have, no doubt, been simultaneously defending Gore from the barbarian attacks of the right wing -- and prodding him to breakaway from the DLC at the same time.
But time and history have changed all that. We understand Al and Tipper Gore are regular readers of BuzzFlash -- and Gore has gone through a personal and political transformation that has turned him into a change agent and a mensch. So, there would be less need now to be the conscience of Al Gore were he to rightfully assume the Presidency in 2008, because he has become the conscience of the Democratic Party.
No matter what happens politically, BuzzFlash isn't going to do anything but grow over our next six years. We have expanded our coverage and BuzzFlash Internet Network in so many ways. These include our affiliated sites, such as http://www.gophypocrites.com, http://www.wingsofjustice.com/honorees.html, and http://www.lastchancedemocracycafe.com. And we've grown in so many other ways that we can't list them all at this time.
There is much, much more to come, we can assure you. Just keep reading and you will see. As the technology of the Internet changes, we plan on riding the wave.
The only thing that could put out the BuzzFlash light is if the "big boys" get a Congressional law passed that would silence the pro-democracy forces of the Internet by turning it into a profiteering hijacking that would only allow "big players" to pay fees for getting to your computer screen. It would be like extinguishing the torch on the Statue of Liberty.
Everyday at BuzzFlash, we feel reaffirmed by the powerful citizen voices represented in our "mailbag" and reader commentaries.
Tom Paine is alive and revitalizing democracy on the Internet.
BuzzFlash is proud to have been a leader in the hi-tech battle for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for six years.
We would send everyone a piece of anniversary cake, but it would be quite messy coming through the mail.
So, suffice it to say, BuzzFlash salutes its readers, because you are the reason we are here.
To you, we say: "Happy Sixth Anniversary. Thank You for Being An Active Member of the BuzzFlash Community."
A BUZZFLASH EDITORIAL