"This is the only sign you will read today not paid for by a corporation"

That's the tag-line used by someone known as The Freeway Blogger who's been posting signs on the freeways of Souther California for a while now. He/She has a message and is trying to get it out there. These days, "getting it out there" isn't as it sounds. Look around. There's messages everywhere, and almost all of them are trying to sell you something. A product, a person, an ideal. Someone also paid a lot of money to put that message in front of your eyes. Graffiti campaigns such as Obey Giant are founded on just that. So if you have something you want to say to a large number of people, what are your options? Buy some ad space.

Problem is, that shit is expensive and most average people can't do that. The result is that the average voice isn't heard by huge groups of people, which is probably the voice that should be heard the loudest. The freeway blogger says on the official site that:

"As a citizen of the United States of America, it's my duty to defend my country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. I do this because I love my country and the principles of freedom, fairness and equality it was founded on. I do this because I support our troops and do not want to see their lives wasted in a war built on lies. I do this, simply put, because I am all those things that the Limbaughs, Coulters, Hannitys and O'Reillys in this world say that I'm not: a Patriotic American."

And I think that holds a lot of weight. It's why Brent and I started Americaforsale and I'm sure it's why a lot of people do a lot of things. I love this country, and it's not very patriotic to sit by and watch something bad happen to something you love and not try to do something about it. That's how things get done. People do them. Not doing anything accomplishes nothing.

And that's what the folks at MoveOn.org were trying to do with their Bush in 30 seconds campaign, but they were willing to pay for it. They figured the only way to get their message out to a lot of people was to play the game fair and square. So they raised the money to run an ad during the super-bowl, where a lot of people would see it, and held a contest for someone to make the ad they would run. Outside of that it questions the president, the winning ad is not controversial...

Hold on a second. I can't believe I just typed that. Questioning the president is considered controversial. What is this world coming to? Theodore Roosevelt, a Republican said "To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." Could you imagine a Republican saying that today? And I don't want to see a bunch of stupid as "democrat this" and "dean that" comments because I'm not a Democrat and I don't support Dean. But I'm also not a Republican and I don't support Bush. Anyway, sorry about that mid rant rant, back to the original rant.

The ad is not "in your face" it doesn't bash anything, it just asks a simple question. A question some people don't want asked apparently since CBS has refused to air the ad. On one hand, it's their station and they can do whatever the hell they want with it. On the other hand, when you become a media giant, and you control what people see and don't, it becomes your responsibility to play on a level playing field, and blocking perspectives that don't benefit you isn't very fair. As Lessig points out, MoveOn is asking people to forward along this letter to try and convince CBS to air the ad:

Subject: The ad CBS will not air

Thanks.

Who knows if it will do any good, but at least they are trying. That's the point. You have to at least try. As the Freeway blogger says:

"I encourage everyone, whatever their political bent, to try it. Unless, of course, you have nothing to say."

Thanks Freeway Blogger. Thanks MoveOn. Thanks anyone else who has the guts to stand up for what they believe in, regardless of what that is.