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posted by The Vidiot @ 5:07 PM Permalink

I just want to put a plug in for a printer on a letterpress listserv I belong to. His company is called Manifesto Press and they're in Massachusetts. He did a listserv faux pas this morning and posted and off-topic article on the recent FOIA proof that people were spied upon for their political views.

Well, what a flame war that started. Someone responded:

The answer to your questions is "Yes." For example, if you make threats on the life of the President, you will most certainly be investigated and could face serious trouble. Even freedom of speech has its limits.

Then he responded:

Is calling for the impeachment of Bush a threat? If you listen to Bill O'Reilly it is. The interesting part of the article is that the FBI had noted a group was handing out printed brochures calling for his impeachment. Any use of the FBI for political gain is easily a crime.

Then someone woman responded (and this is priceless)

find some local political party and get

involved. Or at least find some other way to grow up.

To which I responded:

Honestly, this board can get so out of hand. I would normally not venture into the fray here, but telling someone to "grow up" is inappropriate.

Yes, maybe he shouldn't be using a letterpress board to spout his political beliefs (I learned that myself the hard way), but at least he has a strong opinion, and is supporting that opinion with action, which is a great deal more than the majority of people in this country do. His activism, whether you agree with his political point of view or not, should be admired, not denigrated.

I wonder if you would've told Tom Paine to "grow up". He was a printer. He "postered". He had strong political beliefs and went around town talking about them to everyone he could. Childish? I think not.

Which led to much discussion as to how Tom Paine's postering was very different because he used words and didn't run from the police. (No, he didn't use images cause it was friggin' 1776 and he ran from the red coats for Pete's sake.)

Oy. Back and forth it went, with the righties using name calling as their weapon. Why is the right can only denigrate to win an argument? And the other frightening aspect of the whole flame war: This listserv, I suspect, is a decent cross section of white middle class. If they're still battling in Bush's defense, well, I can't begin to fathom how deep the well of ignorance runs in this country, especially its fly-over section.

Anyway, they guy's rabid and tiresome, just like me so if you need something pretty printed on a letterpress machine, I'd say use this guy and tell him the vidiot sent you. (His stuff looks pretty damn good as well.)