NY Times Baffled by Opposition to Shamnesty

It's as if aliens landed from outer space and raised a ruckus. Showing how utterly clueless they are, the New York Times interviews opponents of the amnesty bill and are shocked that people would actually rise up and work to defeat the most disastrous piece of legislation to come along in decades.

But the legislation sparked a furious rebellion among many Republican and even some Democratic voters, who were linked by the Internet and encouraged by radio talk show hosts. Their outrage and activism surged to full force after Senator Jon Kyl, the Arizona Republican who was an author of the bill, suggested early this week that support for the measure seemed to be growing. The assault on lawmakers in Washington was relentless. In a crucial vote Thursday night, the bill’s supporters, including President Bush, fell short by 15 votes. While there is a possibility the legislation could be revived later this year, there was a glow of victory among opponents on Friday.

“Technologically enhanced grass-roots activism is what turned this around, people empowered by the Internet and talk radio,” said Colin A. Hanna, president of Let Freedom Ring, a conservative group.

Well, thank goodness for Internet activism and talk radio hosts. Without them, this horrific bill may well have passed. Perhaps now the mainstream media will look at such outlets more seriously, reather than dismissing them as some sort of fringe kooks.