This past weekend, I attended the Right Online 2009 Conference, sponsored by Americans For Prosperity. This year, the city of Pittsburgh played the charming host for this conference. I have to give props to Erik Telford for his dedication in building this conference.Additional kudos go to AFP for sponsoring a bus from Philly to Pittsburgh. There is nothing like a road trip with 45 of your fellow un American patriots!
Pittsburgh was the perfect venue to underscore the peril faced by hard working, tax paying Americans. This is a city forged by steel and coal industries, the same industries that the Obama and Al Gore environmentalists are working to bankrupt.
If you want to learn more about conservative issues, glean new ways to use social media or network with movers and shakers in the conservative movement; Right Online is the conference to attend. The agenda was packed with outstanding lectures from experts in the conservative grass root movement. For those just stepping into the online world, there were lectures that reviewed the basics of blogging and social media. To quote Melissa Clouthier, winner of the 2009 Al Gore Award for Online Excellence - it's all about information pollination.
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photo by John Hawkins. More photos can be found HERE. Video can be found HEREAs tech oriented as this conference was, I found myself using pen and paper to record my notes. Note to self - power cords are essential items to pack!
Let me share a few lessons I took away from this conference:
1. There is no such thing as privacy on the web. You think your group email is private? I suggest you check out how this administration recently added email addresses without permission. Think before you post online.
2. Net Neutrality - HR 3485 is getting little coverage, but has stunning implications by allowing the government to get involved with online activity. This bill will stifle innovation and eliminate all choice by consumer. This is the elephant in the room that no one is talking about - net neutrality is about the government controlling the internet, not the public. Just like our healthcare scheme.
3. Wikinomics - kudos to Aaron Marks for sharing 'peer production' ideas. Essentially this means masses of people collaborating openly towards a common goal. I've already bought the book and am developing my own 'wikinomics'.
4. You are never too old or too young to engage in online media. I met a few participants that seemed overwhelmed by the tech topics that laced every conversation. My one suggestion for improvement of this conference would be to have more defined beginner courses that have a hands on component. Additionally, I'd like to see lectures on effectively communicating your message via a blog post or social media site.
5. I was blown away by the documentary - Not Evil, Just Wrong. I first encountered the creators of this film, Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer, at their booth at CPAC. I came away with the impression that this film would be equivalent to the fluffy polar bear campaign environmentalists have used to push their global warming agenda. That particular campaign is big on fluff and low on fact, definitely not my cup of tea. I prefer to dwell on statistical data, ice core sampling, and satellite temperature information. During the conference, I took in screening of this documentary and was astounded to discover the producers had put a human face on implications of misguided environmentalism. Stats alone cannot make such a compelling argument, yet when combined with a human face, it brings the environmental issue and the hypocrisy surrounding it into crystal clear clarity. It is a must see movie to gain wider knowledge of the environmental debate. Hey, why not host a premier of the movie on October 18! Interested? Click HERE for more details. FYI - I am hosting a premier party.
6. It was a pleasure to meet Tabitha Hale, Sarah Pepple, John Hawkins, Aaron Marks, Katie Favazza, Melissa Clouthier, Elizabeth Terrell, Ethan Demme, Steve Eggleson, Colleen O'Boyle
You never can tell who will show up at an event like this. I caught an 11 year old paid GOP hack speaking at a rally sponsored by AFP:
Trailer for 'Not Evil, Just Wrong'
Rachel Campos speaking at Right Online:
Erick Erickson's provocative statement: "We need a Coup of the Political Party"
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