About

Welcome to Montana Netroots. Montana Netroots is a collaborative blog by Montana netroots activist from all parts of the political spectrum. The idea is to create an environment where ideas and topics can be shared and debated in an open manner. While it is likely that politics will always be a central issue in this type of forum, we hope to cover a broad range of topics. Discussion can be spirited but personal attacks are not OK.Over the last election cycle, we saw that several partisan blogs with relatively few posters dominated the entire sphere. While this is good in one sense, in another sense voices go unheard. These blogs are very important, but too often a few ‘loud’ commenters end up dominating the entire discussion. Too many important voices are drowned out when this happens. We hope to provide a place where folks can discuss the issues in an adult manner without fears of ‘personal attacks’.While politics will invariably be a central theme, we want to be open any topic that is important to Montana. Additionally, we hope to be open to a wide range of authors. We are inviting authors now, so please contact us if you want to take part.

PJFinn says it best in this post, so I’ll let him finish it up for:

Seriously though, this seemed to me like a great idea. And it is. A blog where you can simply speak your mind on issues and concerns regardless of what your position is, what part of the political spectrum you may come from. And readers can join in. Folks can agree or disagree, can take an idea farther or in a different direction or whatever. Yes indeed, it’s a good thing.

Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are central to a people’s democracy. The founding fathers knew this and provided for it when this country was founded. More and more though these core freedoms have been stifled. Mostly by the corporate take-over of the means of speech. Freedom of speech in theory applies to everybody. Practically though, most citizens haven’t had access to the press. They’ve had no practical avenues to voice their views. A freedom that can’t be exercised is no freedom at all. The internet has opened things up to where anyone who wants to can participate, and that’s a powerful thing. My great hope is that you, the reader of this and the other blogs will take full advantage of this. Add your voices to what you read here — your views and ideas are as valid and important as anybody else’s. Your participation is what makes this work. What I say means little in itself. But what you add to what I say, and what the next person adds to that, and the next and the next, well, that can change the world. We have the power, people.

So, I’ll echo Shane’s introduction and say welcome to Montana Netroots. Welcome to this crazy mixed-up stew we call democracy and freedom of speech. There are a lot of unique ingredients in something like this that give it an interesting flavor. Eat hearty folks, and don’t be afraid to add your own ingredients to the mix. I’m looking forward to what you have to say.