Difference between revisions of "Protest Warrior"

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'''Protest Warrior''' is an Austin, Texas-based group formed in reaction to protests against the US [[invasion of Iraq]] in 2003. The group's slogan is "''Fighting the left... doing it right''."
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'''Protest Warrior''' is an Austin, Texas-based group formed in March 2003 in reaction to protests against the 2003 U.S.-led [[invasion of Iraq]].  
  
Initially formed in San Francisco in March 2003 by [[Alan Lipton]] and [[Kfir Alfia]], Protest Warrior was registered as a Limited Liability Company (LLC) in Texas in July 2003.  
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ProtestWarrior.com is "a website created to help arm the liberty-loving silent majority with ammo -- ammo that strikes at the intellectual solar plexus of the Left. ... Encouraged by our successful crashing of the February 16th [2003] [http://www.protestwarrior.com/videos/crashing_the_protests.php San Francisco anti-war protest], we decided it was time for the Left to put down their megaphones, peel off their bumper stickers, and listen to the people who believe in the core values of this country. It's time to start making a little noise," its website [http://www.protestwarrior.com/ states].
  
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The group's slogan currently [http://www.protestwarrior.com/ reads] ''Fighting the left... doing it right''. In December 2003, the slogan [http://web.archive.org/web/20041009143803/www.rocknrev.com/pw/protestwarrior.html read] ''Doin' whats Right, Fightin' whats Left'' [sic].
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Initially formed in San Francisco in March 2003 by Alan Lipton and Kfir Alfia, Protest Warrior was registered as a Limited Liability Company (LLC) in Texas in July 2003.
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The most recent Protest Warrior [http://www.protestwarrior.com/ announcement] dates from December 16, 2006. The most recent Protest Warrior HQ [http://hq.protestwarrior.com/ announcement] dates from August 15, 2005.
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----
 
==Ideology==
 
==Ideology==
 
Protest Warrior believes that [[left-wing]] politics and [[statism]] constitute a threat to the future of freedom and individualism, and that the left's ideas if taken to the extreme can lead to [[totalitarian]] [[police state|police states]]. Seeing '[[liberal]]s' (in the United States usage of the term) as morally bankrupt and needing to be confronted head on, they feel that the voices of the left "are heard disproportionately, demoralizing our troops, and emboldening dictators around the world."
 
Protest Warrior believes that [[left-wing]] politics and [[statism]] constitute a threat to the future of freedom and individualism, and that the left's ideas if taken to the extreme can lead to [[totalitarian]] [[police state|police states]]. Seeing '[[liberal]]s' (in the United States usage of the term) as morally bankrupt and needing to be confronted head on, they feel that the voices of the left "are heard disproportionately, demoralizing our troops, and emboldening dictators around the world."
  
 
The stated purpose of the Protest Warriors is to provide an alternative ideological viewpoint to that of left-wing anti-war protesters and organizers.
 
The stated purpose of the Protest Warriors is to provide an alternative ideological viewpoint to that of left-wing anti-war protesters and organizers.
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[Note: Source unidentified.]
  
 
==Methodology==
 
==Methodology==
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Those who conflict with the Protest Warriors generally see them as acting in a provoking or aggressive manner towards protestors, and that the Protest Warrior signs are offensive. Many feel that the Protest Warriors are deliberately confrontational and hostile to antagonize the otherwise peaceful protestors. Some see the Protest Warriors' criticism of [[Islam]] as bigoted.  Others feel that the Protest Warriors, by choosing groups likely to be agitated by their rhetoric as targets, are causing the very problem they intend to demonstrate.
 
Those who conflict with the Protest Warriors generally see them as acting in a provoking or aggressive manner towards protestors, and that the Protest Warrior signs are offensive. Many feel that the Protest Warriors are deliberately confrontational and hostile to antagonize the otherwise peaceful protestors. Some see the Protest Warriors' criticism of [[Islam]] as bigoted.  Others feel that the Protest Warriors, by choosing groups likely to be agitated by their rhetoric as targets, are causing the very problem they intend to demonstrate.
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[Note: Source unidentified.]
  
 
==Mission Statement==
 
==Mission Statement==
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==Website==
 
==Website==
The group maintains a [[website]] as an organizing and information hub. The website is often zealous and confrontational. Although the Protest Warriors have been influenced by the [[right-wing]] website [[Free Republic]], slogans such as "Saddam only killed his own people.. it was none of our business" and "Communism has only killed 100 million people... let's give it another chance" clearly set them apart in both style and attitude.  
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===Domain Name===
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The domain PROTESTWARRIOR.COM was [http://www.whois.ws/whois-com/ip-address/protestwarrior.com/ created] February 21, 2003, less than one week following the San Francisco counterprotest.
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The [http://www.whois.ws/domain_information-com/protestwarrior.com/ domain contact] is Siliconvalleyheadhunter.com, Kfir Alfia.
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===Use===
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PW maintains a [[website]] as an organizing and information hub. The website is often zealous and confrontational. Although the Protest Warriors have been influenced by the [[right-wing]] website [[Free Republic]], slogans such as "Saddam only killed his own people.. it was none of our business" and "Communism has only killed 100 million people... let's give it another chance" clearly set them apart in both style and attitude.  
  
 
A motto from the website states:
 
A motto from the website states:
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The active forums of Protest Warrior have a large selection of topics for discussion; the group prides itself on permitting people of any ideology to join in on the discussions, provided that they do not threaten the perceived moral and intellectual integrity of the Protest Warrior founders. However, it is often alleged that comments are deleted and users are banned from the site based on the opinions which are expressed. While some participants claim that such opinions are unfounded, offering as evidence the fact that members of many differing ideologies frequently post there, they fail to recognize that the range of allowable difference is minimal, that self-selection for ineffectual or mockable individuals is rampant, and that ProtestWarrior critics such as RocknRev's claims can be independently verified through exhaustive use of www.archive.org to compare the claims of site critics to those of site founders. [Surprisingly, said critics seem unaware of this resource.]
 
The active forums of Protest Warrior have a large selection of topics for discussion; the group prides itself on permitting people of any ideology to join in on the discussions, provided that they do not threaten the perceived moral and intellectual integrity of the Protest Warrior founders. However, it is often alleged that comments are deleted and users are banned from the site based on the opinions which are expressed. While some participants claim that such opinions are unfounded, offering as evidence the fact that members of many differing ideologies frequently post there, they fail to recognize that the range of allowable difference is minimal, that self-selection for ineffectual or mockable individuals is rampant, and that ProtestWarrior critics such as RocknRev's claims can be independently verified through exhaustive use of www.archive.org to compare the claims of site critics to those of site founders. [Surprisingly, said critics seem unaware of this resource.]
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[Note: Source unidentified.]
  
 
==Chapters/Leaders/Affiliates==
 
==Chapters/Leaders/Affiliates==
 
Also see [http://hq.protestwarrior.com/?page=chapters/list_chapters.php List of Chapters].
 
Also see [http://hq.protestwarrior.com/?page=chapters/list_chapters.php List of Chapters].
  
*[[Alan Davidson]] (West Coast) (a.k.a. Alan Lipton?)
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*Kfir Alfia
*[[Tom Paladino]] (New York)
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*Alan Davidson (a.k.a. Alan Lipton)
*[[Jason Taylor]] (Dallas) [http://hq.protestwarrior.com/?page=/featured/Dallas/flagpole_hill.php]
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*Gil Knobrin [http://andiamnotlyingforreal.blogspot.com/2005/01/protest-warriors-got-their-war-on.html]
*[[Steven Thunander]] (University of Wisconsin)
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*Tom Paladino (New York)
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*Jason Taylor (Dallas) [http://hq.protestwarrior.com/?page=/featured/Dallas/flagpole_hill.php]
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*Steven Thunander (University of Wisconsin)
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===Alan Lipton===
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Alan R. Lipton and his "childhood friend" Kfir Alfia co-founded Protest Warrior in March 2003. [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5699723/site/newsweek/]
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Lipton also goes by the name Alan Davidson, as Davidson is referenced as a co-founder with Alfia [http://www.pbs.org/weta/washingtonweek/voices/200310/1028antiwar.html here], [http://www.openfire.us/blog/archives/2004/03/1783.php here], [http://www.amconmag.com/2004_09_13/feature.html here], [http://www.enterstageright.com/archive/articles/0403/month.htm here], and [http://www.johnnypnews.com/eaglestrike.htm here].
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The PW [http://www.protestwarrior.com/faq.php photo] at the bottom of this page shows Alan as "Alan Lipton". The [http://www.openfire.us/blog/archives/2004/03/1783.php same] PW photo posted here shows Alan as "Alan Davidson".
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Lipton "was a political science major who is now a graduate from the USC film school. He currently lives in L.A. pursuing a career in film," the Protest Warrior website states. [http://www.protestwarrior.com/faq.php]
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===Kfir Alfia===
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"Kfir graduated with two degrees, computer engineering and film production and was recently working for a startup in Silicon Valley designing networking chips. He currently lives in Austin and works on Personal Maestro, a business started by Kfir and his brother," the Protest Warrior website states. [http://www.protestwarrior.com/faq.php]
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According to the ''Wikipedia'':
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:"Alfia's family moved to Dallas from [[Israel]] when he was two years old. He attended Hebrew school at Akiba Academy and proceeded to J.J. Pearce High School before attending the University of Texas at Austin. As a teen, he read many [[libertarian]] texts by writers such as Friedrich Hayek and Ayn Rand, as well as conservative publications such as [[National Review]]. He was a fan of talk radio and he was a published source at Contumacy.Org ([http://contumacy.org/ web]) as well as the ''Austin Review''." [http://www.dallasobserver.com/2004-09-09/news/the-right-s-stuff/2]
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==Donations==
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The PW [https://www.protestwarrior.com/donate/donations.php donations page] links to PayPal.
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Checks can also be mailed to:<br>
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ProtestWarrior<br>
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8816 Honeysuckle Tr. [http://austin.housealmanac.com/home-133032.htm]<br>
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Austin, TX 78759<br>
  
 
==Contact details==
 
==Contact details==
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Alan Lipton alan AT protestwarrior.com <br>
 
Alan Lipton alan AT protestwarrior.com <br>
  
==Related SourceWatch Resources==
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==Resources and articles==
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===Related SourceWatch articles===
 
*[[Gathering of Eagles]]
 
*[[Gathering of Eagles]]
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*[[Islamofascism]]
 
*[[Leo Pusateri]]
 
*[[Leo Pusateri]]
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*[[Peace Vigil in Crawford, Texas]]
 
*[[Walter Reed Army Medical Center protests]]
 
*[[Walter Reed Army Medical Center protests]]
  
==External Links==
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===External links===
===By / From Protest Warrior===
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====By / From Protest Warrior====
*Kfir Alfia, [http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2001/11/14/Opinion/The-Firing.Line.nov.14th.2001-505082.shtml Opinion: "Thanks for the tip,"] ''The Daily Texan'' Online, November 14, 2001.
 
 
*Kfir Alfia, [http://frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=7249 "Saddamized in San Francisco,"] [http://www.contumacy.org/19saddamized.html www.Contumacy.org] (''[[FrontPageMag.com]]''), April 14, 2003. ''Contumacy'' is a "campus journal of politics and culture at the University of Texas at Austin."
 
*Kfir Alfia, [http://frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=7249 "Saddamized in San Francisco,"] [http://www.contumacy.org/19saddamized.html www.Contumacy.org] (''[[FrontPageMag.com]]''), April 14, 2003. ''Contumacy'' is a "campus journal of politics and culture at the University of Texas at Austin."
 
*Kfir Alfia and Alan Davidson, [http://www.archive.org/details/Operation_Wolverines "Operation Wolverines,"] Internet Archives, 2004.
 
*Kfir Alfia and Alan Davidson, [http://www.archive.org/details/Operation_Wolverines "Operation Wolverines,"] Internet Archives, 2004.
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*Kfir Alfia, ''Protest Warrior'' (Hardcover), Sentinel, June 26, 2007, ISBN-10: 1595230378 / ISBN-13: 978-1595230379.
 
*Kfir Alfia, ''Protest Warrior'' (Hardcover), Sentinel, June 26, 2007, ISBN-10: 1595230378 / ISBN-13: 978-1595230379.
  
===About Protest Warrior===
 
 
====Background====
 
====Background====
 
* [http://www.protestwarrior.com/misc/public/media_resources/ProtestWarrior_Press_Kit.pdf Protest Warrior Press Kit].
 
* [http://www.protestwarrior.com/misc/public/media_resources/ProtestWarrior_Press_Kit.pdf Protest Warrior Press Kit].
*[http://www.protestwarrior.com/images/misc/israel/html/kfir_israel01.html Images: Kfir Alfia's trip to Israel (26 pages)]; [http://www.protestwarrior.com/images/misc/israel/html/kfir_israel03.html Kfir Alfia in his "mom's apartment in Tel Aviv" (page 3)]; [http://www.protestwarrior.com/images/misc/israel/html/kfir_israel12.html "Welcome to Zion, the last refuge of civilization in the Middle East" (page 12)]; [http://www.protestwarrior.com/images/misc/israel/html/kfir_israel26.html "Trade this for 'peace'? Never" (page 26)], Protest Warrior.com.
 
 
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protest_Warrior Protest Warrior]; [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Protest_Warrior Talk:Protest Warrior]; and [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Protest_Warrior&action=history history/edits] in the ''Wikipedia''.
 
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protest_Warrior Protest Warrior]; [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Protest_Warrior Talk:Protest Warrior]; and [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Protest_Warrior&action=history history/edits] in the ''Wikipedia''.
 
*[http://www.biocrawler.com/encyclopedia/Talk:Protest_Warrior/Archive_3 Talk:Protest Warrior/Archive 3], Biocrawler.com.
 
*[http://www.biocrawler.com/encyclopedia/Talk:Protest_Warrior/Archive_3 Talk:Protest Warrior/Archive 3], Biocrawler.com.
*[http://www.rocknrev.com/pw/protestwarrior.html Protest Warrior Exposed!] (inactive link).
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*[http://web.archive.org/web/20041009143803/www.rocknrev.com/pw/protestwarrior.html "Protest Warrior Exposed!"] ''rocknrev.com'' (cache file), September 29, 2004.
 
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20041013193651/http://www.rocknrev.com/pw/protestwarrior2.html "Protest Warrior Exposed Again,"] ''rocknrev.com'' (cache file; other working links [http://web.archive.org/web/20041205200258/http://www.rocknrev.com/pw/protestwarrior2.html here], [http://web.archive.org/web/20050206002036/http://www.rocknrev.com/pw/protestwarrior2.html here], and [http://web.archive.org/web/20051027173207/http://www.rocknrev.com/pw/protestwarrior2.html here]), October 13, 2004. Note: not all internal links work.
 
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20041013193651/http://www.rocknrev.com/pw/protestwarrior2.html "Protest Warrior Exposed Again,"] ''rocknrev.com'' (cache file; other working links [http://web.archive.org/web/20041205200258/http://www.rocknrev.com/pw/protestwarrior2.html here], [http://web.archive.org/web/20050206002036/http://www.rocknrev.com/pw/protestwarrior2.html here], and [http://web.archive.org/web/20051027173207/http://www.rocknrev.com/pw/protestwarrior2.html here]), October 13, 2004. Note: not all internal links work.
  
====2003====
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====[[Protest Warrior/Articles & Commentary|External articles about Protest Warrior]]====
*[http://www.theamericanmind.com/mt-test/archives/013231.html "Interview with Protest Warrior,"] ''The American Mind'', March 21, 2003.
 
*Kerry M. Kerstetter, [http://www.taxguru.net/2003/03/anti-protestors-i-was-impressed-with.html "Anti-Protestors,"] ''Arkansas Tax Guru'', March 21, 2003.
 
*[http://forums.spacebattles.com/archive/index.php/t-48648.html "Protest Warriors Crash S.F Peace Rally,"] Spacebattles.com Forum, April 18, 2003.
 
*Torog (poster), [http://boards.marihemp.com/boards/thd1x54269.shtml "My DC Chapter Rally/Protest Warrior 'Infiltration' After-Rally Report (October 24, 2003),"] D.C. Chapter Free Republic (posted on Marihemp Boards), October 26, 2003.
 
*Chris Jolma, [http://www.washingtontimes.com/culture/20031117-092208-4242r.htm "Protest Warriors New movement,"] ''Washington Times'', November 18, 2003.
 
*John S. Pappas, [http://www.johnnypnews.com/On%20the%20Warpath%20with%20the%20Protest%20Warriors.htm "On the Warpath with the Protest Warriors,"] JohnnyPNews.com, November 23, 2003.
 
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20040803073551/http://forum.protestwarrior.com/viewtopic.php?t=9052 "Pictures guaranteed to terrify liberals,"] Protest Warrior Forum (cache file; also [http://web.archive.org/web/20050113005808/http://forum.protestwarrior.com/viewtopic.php?t=9052 here]), December 17, 2003: Alan: "Chris was kind enough to loan us some weapons to take back with us, so thanks to him ProtestWarrior HQ is now heavily armed. So to all the leftists that want to completely disarm the populace, all we have to say is come get some."
 
 
 
====2004====
 
*John S. Pappas, [http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1063007/posts "Where are Freepers at regarding Protest Warriors,"] Free Republic, January 22, 2004.
 
*Jeff Swanson, [http://www.openfire.us/blog/archives/2004/03/1783.php "On the Warpath with the Protest Warriors,"] ''Open Fire'' Blog, March 22, 2004.
 
*presidentbowen, [http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-gop/1107650/posts "1,000 groups to protest RNC Convention (Action Needed!),"] Free Republic, March 29, 2004.
 
*Todd, [http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1148613/posts "Bay Area Counter-Protest A Huge Success,"] Patriot Warrior (Free Republic), June 6, 2004: "The San Francisco Voice For Israel gathered in conjuction with the Protest Warriors and a few freepers."
 
*FalconAZ2003 (Chapter Leader - Gilbert, AZ ProtestWarriors), [http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1152686/posts "FR/ProtestWarrior Alliance - What say we make it official?"] [[Free Republic]], June 13, 2004.
 
*Anonymous, [http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2004/06/13/16852801.php "The connection between Protest Warriors and FreeRepublic,"] IndyBay, June 13, 2004.
 
*Todd, [http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1163864/posts "AfterActionReport-Operation Peace, Love, & Granola,"] Free Republic, July 1, 2004: "The army of good included some Protest Warriors, some freepers, and some Pro-Israel supporters."
 
*[http://www.protestwarrior.com/newsletters/07_07_04.php Newsletter], Protest Warrior, July 7, 2004.
 
*Bryan Henderson, [http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1170760/posts "PROTEST WARRIORS: OPERATION TIGER CLAW (Debriefing),"] Protest Warrior HQ (Free Republic), July 13, 2004.
 
*paradocs, [http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/7/17/15819/3898 "Wingnuts try to jam Patricia Kneisler's vigil,"] ''Daily Kos'', July 17, 2004.
 
*paradocs, [http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/7/18/114734/149 "Wingnuts at Patricia Kneisler's vigil, part 2,"] ''Daily Kos'', July 18, 2004.
 
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20040803072925/http://forum.protestwarrior.com/viewtopic.php?t=24341&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=45 "Should I bring a helmet and kneepads to the RNC rally?"] Protest Warrior Forum (cache file), July 18, 2004.
 
*Sara Kugler, [http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1173718/posts "Conservatives to Protest Anti-GOP Protest", Associated Press (Free Republic), July 18, 2004.
 
*William LaJeuness, [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,126035,00.html "Protesing the Protesters,"] Fox News, July 19, 2004.
 
*CNT, [http://nyc.indymedia.org/newswire/display/97626/index.php "Brown shirt thugs to Protest Anti-GOP Protest,"] NYC Indymedia, July 19, 2004.
 
*[http://rncwatch.typepad.com/rncwatch/2004/07/brownshirts_on_.html "Brownshirts on Parade,"] RNCWatch, July 21, 2004.
 
*Lee Duigon, [http://www.chalcedon.edu/articles/article.php?ArticleID=583 "Protesting the Protesters: 'Protest Warriors' Confront the Left,"] [[Chalcedon Foundation]], August 1, 2004.
 
*Michael Hastings,  [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5699723/site/newsweek "Partisan Protesters. A slick, young, conservative group prepares for an ideological rumble at the Republican convention,"] ''Newsweek''/MSNBC, August 13, 2004.
 
*Ben Fulton,  [http://www.slweekly.com/editorial/2004/fult_2004-08-19.cfm "Right and ''Right'',"] ''Salt Lake City Weekly'', August 19, 2004.
 
*Steve Miller, [http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20040822-121855-7777r.htm "Counterculture protests are big business,"] ''Washington Times'', August 22, 2004: "Even the Protest Warriors, a conservative anti-protest protest group — which is really rebelling — is leasing loft space a few blocks from Madison Square Garden for its headquarters as it tries to disrupt the disrupters, and never mind the pricey New York real estate costs."
 
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20040823091508/http://nyc.indymedia.org/newswire/display/102260/index.php "ProtestWarrior has been HACKED,"] NYC IndyMedia (cache file), August 22, 2004.
 
*Steve Miller, [http://washingtontimes.com/national/20040824-115347-4386r.htm "Protest Warriors fuel rage on left,"] ''Washington Times'', August 24, 2004.
 
*[http://www.theamericanmind.com/2004/08/30/protesting-the-protesters/ "Protesting the Protesters,"] ''The American Mind'', August 30, 2004.
 
*Tennessee FR Members, [http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1202799/posts "Nashville Leftists Freeped Again (Protest Warriors Rule!),"] Free Republic, August 30, 2004.
 
 
 
*Ray D., [http://www.medienkritik.typepad.com/blog/2004/08/medienkritik_di.html "NYC: Medienkritik Disturbs the "Peace" Again (Part 1). Ray D. Goes Undercover in the Big Apple,"] David's Medienkritik, August 30, 2004.
 
*Ray D., [http://medienkritik.typepad.com/blog/2004/08/nyc_medienkriti.html "NYC: Medienkritik Disturbs the "Peace" Again (Part 2),"] David's Medienkritik, August 31, 2004.
 
*Jeff Dufour, [http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:lwUy1HsUvP0J:www.hillnews.com/news/083104/protest.aspx+Kfir,+%22Protest+Warrior%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=219&gl=us "'Hailstorm of truth' fired by anti-antis,"] ''The Hill'' (cache file), August 31, 2004.
 
*Jacob Laksin, [http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=14901 "Protesting the 'Right' Way,"] ''FrontPageMag.com'', September 2, 2004.
 
*Robert Wilonsky, [http://www.houstonpress.com/2004-09-09/news/clash-course/ "Clash Course. Warriors of the right take their battle against the left to the streets of New York,"] ''Houston Press'', September 9, 2004; [http://www.dallasobserver.com/2004-09-09/news/the-right-s-stuff/full "The Right's Stuff. A Texas-based band of conservative warriors tackles the left on its own turf--the street,"] ''Dallas Observer'', September 9, 2004.
 
*Will Franklin, [http://www.stp.uh.edu/vol70/16/news/news2.html "Sarcasm a weapon for these Warriors. Despite 'uneventful' demonstration Sunday, protesters say they're getting a message out,"] ''The Daily Cougar'' (official student newspaper University of Houston), September 14, 2004.
 
*Michelle Goldberg, [http://archive.salon.com/ent/feature/2004/09/15/hollyweird/index_np.html "Flicks for the far right. At the inaugural American Film Renaissance festival, conservative film-makers take feeble aim at Hollyweird - and their arch-nemesis, Michael Moore,"] ''Salon'' ([http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections2004/salon/0,14779,1306145,00.html ''Guardian Unlimited'' (UK)]), September 15, 2004: "In many ways, they are the distillate of the Bush-era right: paragons of smugness who confuse martial iconography with physical courage. They are hot to do battle with America's foes -- not by actually fighting them abroad but by patrolling the borders of acceptable rhetoric here at home."
 
*Rob Kemp, [http://www.mtv.com/chooseorlose/headlines/news.jhtml?id=1490667 "Conservative 'Protest Warriors' Take On The Left At RNC March,"] MTV.com, September 21, 2004.
 
*GUN FAN, [http://seattle.indymedia.org/en/2004/09/242330.shtml "Protest Warriors Connectable to the CIA,"] Seattle IndyMedia Center, September 27, 2004. re [[Josiah Hagen]]; broken NYC IndyMedia link can be accessed [http://web.archive.org/web/20041225061931/http://nyc.indymedia.org/newswire/display/124183/index.php here].
 
*Scott McConnell, [http://www.amconmag.com/2004_09_13/feature.html "Conventional Wisdom. Without the peaceful street protests, the Republican Convention would have been less democratic,"] ''The American Conservative'', September 27, 2004.
 
*Jennifer Jackson, [http://www.stp.uh.edu/vol70/33/opinion/oped2.html Op-Ed: "Courage has strange meanings in Canada,"] ''The Daily Cougar'' Online (official student newspaper University of Houston), October 7, 2004.
 
*[http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1241709/posts "Joint Operation: Protest Warrior/Free Republic, Oct. 24, 2004 (Martinsville Speedway),"] Protest Warrior (Free Republic), October 11, 2004.
 
*Jamie Glazov, [http://www.frontpagemagazine.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=15920 "Liberty Rising,"] ''FrontPageMag.com'', November 11, 2004.
 
*Stephania, [http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2004/11/25/17071611.php "Code Pink Hayward Speaker Event Invaded,"] IndyBay, November 25, 2004. re [[Lee Kaplan]] / [[Defending America for Knowledge and Action]]/[[DAFKA]], and Protest Warrior
 
*Dallas Mom for Peace, [http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:qr8dH4dD81sJ:www.ntimc.org/newswire.php%3Fstory_id%3D1619%26results_offset%3D10%26comment_order%3Ddesc%26save_prefs%3Dtrue+Kfir,+%22Protest+Warrior%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=190&gl=us "PROTESTING the Protest Warriors,"] North Texas Independent Media Center (cache file), December 14, 2004.
 
 
 
====2005====
 
*Robert MacMillan, [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24488-2005Jan20.html?sub=AR "Protesting the Protesters. Small Band of Conservatives Comes to Town to Answer Anti-Bush Groups,"] ''Washington Post'', January 20, 2005.
 
*[http://forum.fearbush.com/index.php?showtopic=9908&pid=143074&mode=threaded&show=&st=& "'Operation: Electronic Pwnage.', More like 'Operation: Spam',"] FearBush.com Forum, January 29, 2005. Note: Protest Warrior link does not work.
 
*Heather Wilhelm, [http://www.affdoublethink.com/archives/2005/02/14/undercover_prot.php "Undercover Protester,"] AFF Double Think, February 14, 2005.
 
*Smash, [http://www.indepundit.com/archive2/2005/02/patriots_picnic_1.html "Patriots' Picnic,"] ''The Indepundit'', February 24, 2005.
 
*Scott and Jerry, [http://indymedia.us/en/2005/03/5268.shtml "Protest "Warriors" or Protest Losers?"], ''Turning the Tide'', Central Texas Anti-Racist Action, March 2, 2005.
 
*anarchist heart, [http://dc.indymedia.org/newswire/display/118894/index.php "rough draft of ProtestWarrior article,"] D.C. IndyMedia, March 3, 2005.
 
*Mark A. Rose, [http://markarose.com/archives/2005/03/protest_warrior.html "Today's Lebanon Democrat column: 'Sticking it to liberal leftists',"] ''Right Minded'', March 7, 2005.
 
*[http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1362445/posts "PROTEST MARCH, 19th March, 'GLOBAL DAY',"] Protest Warrior (Free Republic), March 12, 2005.
 
*Dawn, [http://swfwithattitude.blogspot.com/2005/04/protest-warrior-hq-announcement.html "Protest Warrior HQ Announcement,"] ''ConservaChick'' Blogspot, April 30, 2005.
 
*HackThisSite.org, [http://indymedia.us/es/2005/05/6869.shtml "Right Wing Hackers Target IndyMedia,"] IndyMedia.us, May 2, 2005.
 
*Asher Price, [http://www.statesman.com/metrostate/content/metro/stories/07/14hackers.html "Austin group complains of hack attack. Online political warriors savage opposition Web sites,"] ''Austin American-Statesman'', July 14, 2005.
 
*Timothy Dwyer, [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/24/AR2005092401518.html "Smaller but Spirited Crowd Protests Antiwar March. More Than 200 Say They Represent Majority,"] ''Washington Post'', September 25, 2005. re [[Move America Forward]], [[RightMarch.com]] and Protest Warrior
 
*[http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/10/12/85529.shtml "Liberty Film Festival Opens in L.A.,"] ''[[NewsMax]]'', October 12, 2005.
 
*Mitch, [http://www.shotinthedark.info/archives/006664.html "Above the rules?"] ''Shot in the Dark'', October 24, 2005.
 
*Jesse Walker, [http://www.reason.com/news/show/34116.html "Hollywood Squares. Lessons from a conservative film festival,"] ''Reason'' Online, October 26, 2005: "The worst case of elevating political sympathies over competent filmmaking—indeed, the worst movie of the festival—was 'Entering Zion', a travelogue by the Dallas-based filmmakers Kfir Alfia and Alan Lipton."
 
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20051231155539/http://www.rocknrev.com/pw/pwned.html "Protest Warriors Get PWNED! By Their Own,"] ''rocnrev.com'' (cache file), December 31, 2005. Note: photos do not open.
 
 
 
====2006====
 
*Christopher Hayes, [http://www.chrishayes.org/articles/but-can-he-hack-prison/ "But Can He Hack Prison?"] ChrisHayes.org, 2006.
 
*Gen. JC Christian, [http://patriotboy.blogspot.com/2006_01_15_archive.html#113730632889198034 "Scenes from the Renaissance,"] ''Jesus General'' Blogspot, January 15, 2006: "Kfir Alfia donates two dollars to the Wounded Warrior Project in honor of those who sacrificed their limbs so he could market his Protest Warrior line of merchandise."
 
*[http://freerepublic.info/focus/f-news/1588932/posts "Operation Yellow Ribbon II,"] Protest Warrior (Free Republic), March 2, 2006.
 
*Smash, [http://freerepublic.info/focus/f-news/1596371/posts "San Diego FReep of Code Pink, 3/18/06 from 12 to 4 pm, At Balboa Park,"] ''The Indepundit'' (Free Republic), March 14, 2006.
 
*[http://freerepublic.info/focus/f-news/1598522/posts "Join Protest Warrior's Operation Yellow Ribbon Sat. and Sun, Mar 18-19 in Times Square,"] Free Republic, March 17, 2006.
 
*[http://freerepublic.info/focus/f-news/1603190/posts "OPERATION INFINITE FREEP: Louisville Leftists Lose Another One-3/18/06,"] Free Republic, March 25, 2006.
 
*T M P, [http://freerepublic.info/focus/f-bloggers/1620325/posts "Protest Warriors sleeping with the enemy?"] Protest Warrior Forums (Free Republic), April 24, 2006.
 
*[[Brendan Steinhauser]], [http://www.freedomworks.org/informed/issues_template.php?issue_id=2588 "Net Brutality… Literally. FreedomWorks crashes press event: check out the great photos!"] [[FreedomWorks]], May 18, 2006: "A free market coalition led by FreedomWorks and Protest Warrior crashed the press conference held today by Rep. [[Ed Markey]] (D-MA), [[MoveOn.org]] and musician Moby."
 
*[http://freerepublic.info/focus/f-news/1651507/posts "Wikipedia's article of Protest Warrior is up for deletion,"] Free Republic, June 18, 2006.
 
*firebrand, [http://freerepublic.info/focus/f-news/1663814/posts "NYC Protest of the Times: After-Action Report,"] Free Republic, July 11, 2006.
 
*[[Steven Thunander|'Thunder90']], [http://www.fightingtheleft.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2&sid=66f9d2eaea8f34af5ac6506b71ccefc9 General Topic], ''Fighting the Left'' Forum, October 11, 2006: "Kfir and Alan are restructuring the organization so it is ready for the 2008 election season and the possible need to counter lefties if war against [[Iran]] and/or [[North Korea]] breaks out."
 
*[[Kristinn Taylor]], [http://freerepublic.info/focus/f-news/1681038/posts "D.C. Chapter & Protest Warrior to Defend White House From ANSWER March Saturday 8/12/06,"] Free Republic, August 10, 2006.
 
*[http://www.headheritage.co.uk/headtohead/u_know/topic/37418/flat/ "Some good news,"] ''Head To Head'' (UK) U-Know! Forum, November 13, 2006.
 
*Silent-Shadow, [http://www.hackthissite.org/news/view/354 "Founder of HackThisSite sent to do time...,"] HackThisSite.org, December 10, 2006.
 
 
 
====2007====
 
*Scroff (George Markunas), [http://www.anywhichway.net/article.php/20070130041058533 "RIP Protest Warrior,"] ''Any Which Way'', January 30, 2007.
 
  
[[category:organizations]]
+
[[category:war/peace]][[category:propaganda]][[category:war in Iraq]][[category:politics (U.S.)]][[category:political dirty tricks]]

Latest revision as of 16:00, 8 May 2009

Protest Warrior is an Austin, Texas-based group formed in March 2003 in reaction to protests against the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

ProtestWarrior.com is "a website created to help arm the liberty-loving silent majority with ammo -- ammo that strikes at the intellectual solar plexus of the Left. ... Encouraged by our successful crashing of the February 16th [2003] San Francisco anti-war protest, we decided it was time for the Left to put down their megaphones, peel off their bumper stickers, and listen to the people who believe in the core values of this country. It's time to start making a little noise," its website states.

The group's slogan currently reads Fighting the left... doing it right. In December 2003, the slogan read Doin' whats Right, Fightin' whats Left [sic].

Initially formed in San Francisco in March 2003 by Alan Lipton and Kfir Alfia, Protest Warrior was registered as a Limited Liability Company (LLC) in Texas in July 2003.

The most recent Protest Warrior announcement dates from December 16, 2006. The most recent Protest Warrior HQ announcement dates from August 15, 2005.


Ideology

Protest Warrior believes that left-wing politics and statism constitute a threat to the future of freedom and individualism, and that the left's ideas if taken to the extreme can lead to totalitarian police states. Seeing 'liberals' (in the United States usage of the term) as morally bankrupt and needing to be confronted head on, they feel that the voices of the left "are heard disproportionately, demoralizing our troops, and emboldening dictators around the world."

The stated purpose of the Protest Warriors is to provide an alternative ideological viewpoint to that of left-wing anti-war protesters and organizers.

[Note: Source unidentified.]

Methodology

The group's primary method of activism is "crashing" left-wing events and counter-demonstrating left-wing protests, actions that the group itself gives names such as Operation Eagle Strike, Operation Liberty Rising, and Operation Wolverines (a reference to the film Red Dawn). The group engages in protests of their own, often against what it considers to be organizations in support of terrorism in the USA and around the world.

Protest Warriors often carry large signs with sarcastic or mocking messages. After large operations, videos are posted to the website documenting the events. The videos include confrontations with protesters and the unwelcoming, sometimes violent, reactions of the protesters. Protest Warriors claim that these videos show the hypocrisy of the protesters in their claims to being pro-peace and pro-freedom of speech.

Those who conflict with the Protest Warriors generally see them as acting in a provoking or aggressive manner towards protestors, and that the Protest Warrior signs are offensive. Many feel that the Protest Warriors are deliberately confrontational and hostile to antagonize the otherwise peaceful protestors. Some see the Protest Warriors' criticism of Islam as bigoted. Others feel that the Protest Warriors, by choosing groups likely to be agitated by their rhetoric as targets, are causing the very problem they intend to demonstrate.

[Note: Source unidentified.]

Mission Statement

The following is posted on PW's Our Mission page:

"War IS an ugly thing, but as long as nations and leaders exist that detest freedom, sometimes it is the only way to secure a lasting peace. Most leftist anti-war protesters and pundits don't understand this. They state that this use of force is always unnecessary -- that war, ANY war, is never good. Some of them, born into the luxury of American freedom, believe that liberty can exist passively, that somehow the world's natural state will always settle into utopian harmony. Others, in an attempt to absolve themselves from the unearned guilt they harbor living in a nation of prosperity and wealth, try to buy morality on the cheap by pronouncing themselves for the 'good'. To them, the derivation of the 'good' is based on a simple, yet peculiar standard: the powerful and competent are wicked, while the feeble and impotent are innocent - regardless of the context. That is why they defend Iraq instead of America, and the Palestinian 'resistance' instead of Israel.

"These leftists usually carry the loudest megaphones. And left unchallenged, their voices are heard disproportionately, demoralizing our troops, and emboldening dictators around the world - dictators who dream of the day the 'Great Satan' disappears from the face of the earth.

"However, their self-righteous messages go silent quickly when the truth of history and reality is thrown back in their face. It's time to turn up the juice on OUR megaphones, as we will never keep our supreme values of liberty and justice without the will to fight for them."

PW tshirts

Slogans posted on PW tshirts include the following: [1]

  • "Except for Ending Slavery, Fascism, Nazism and Communism, War Has Never Solved Anything"
  • "Right-Wing Extremists"
  • "WAR IS NOT THE ANSWER! UNLESS YOU'RE A SOCIALIST GUERILLA"
  • "The IRS Tax Code - Now that's a living, breathing document!"
  • "END RACISM AND SEXISM NOW! Kill All White Males"
  • "WHITE RACISTS FOR THE LEFT..."

Recommended Links

PW recommended links include but are not limited to: [2]

Website

Domain Name

The domain PROTESTWARRIOR.COM was created February 21, 2003, less than one week following the San Francisco counterprotest.

The domain contact is Siliconvalleyheadhunter.com, Kfir Alfia.

Use

PW maintains a website as an organizing and information hub. The website is often zealous and confrontational. Although the Protest Warriors have been influenced by the right-wing website Free Republic, slogans such as "Saddam only killed his own people.. it was none of our business" and "Communism has only killed 100 million people... let's give it another chance" clearly set them apart in both style and attitude.

A motto from the website states:

Welcome to ProtestWarrior.com, a website created to help arm the liberty-loving Silent Majority with ammo -- ammo that strikes at the intellectual solar plexus of the Left. [3]

The active forums of Protest Warrior have a large selection of topics for discussion; the group prides itself on permitting people of any ideology to join in on the discussions, provided that they do not threaten the perceived moral and intellectual integrity of the Protest Warrior founders. However, it is often alleged that comments are deleted and users are banned from the site based on the opinions which are expressed. While some participants claim that such opinions are unfounded, offering as evidence the fact that members of many differing ideologies frequently post there, they fail to recognize that the range of allowable difference is minimal, that self-selection for ineffectual or mockable individuals is rampant, and that ProtestWarrior critics such as RocknRev's claims can be independently verified through exhaustive use of www.archive.org to compare the claims of site critics to those of site founders. [Surprisingly, said critics seem unaware of this resource.]

[Note: Source unidentified.]

Chapters/Leaders/Affiliates

Also see List of Chapters.

  • Kfir Alfia
  • Alan Davidson (a.k.a. Alan Lipton)
  • Gil Knobrin [4]
  • Tom Paladino (New York)
  • Jason Taylor (Dallas) [5]
  • Steven Thunander (University of Wisconsin)

Alan Lipton

Alan R. Lipton and his "childhood friend" Kfir Alfia co-founded Protest Warrior in March 2003. [6]

Lipton also goes by the name Alan Davidson, as Davidson is referenced as a co-founder with Alfia here, here, here, here, and here.

The PW photo at the bottom of this page shows Alan as "Alan Lipton". The same PW photo posted here shows Alan as "Alan Davidson".

Lipton "was a political science major who is now a graduate from the USC film school. He currently lives in L.A. pursuing a career in film," the Protest Warrior website states. [7]

Kfir Alfia

"Kfir graduated with two degrees, computer engineering and film production and was recently working for a startup in Silicon Valley designing networking chips. He currently lives in Austin and works on Personal Maestro, a business started by Kfir and his brother," the Protest Warrior website states. [8]

According to the Wikipedia:

"Alfia's family moved to Dallas from Israel when he was two years old. He attended Hebrew school at Akiba Academy and proceeded to J.J. Pearce High School before attending the University of Texas at Austin. As a teen, he read many libertarian texts by writers such as Friedrich Hayek and Ayn Rand, as well as conservative publications such as National Review. He was a fan of talk radio and he was a published source at Contumacy.Org (web) as well as the Austin Review." [9]

Donations

The PW donations page links to PayPal.

Checks can also be mailed to:
ProtestWarrior
8816 Honeysuckle Tr. [10]
Austin, TX 78759

Contact details

Protest Warrior
4600 Seton Center Parkway Suite 821
Austin, TX 78759
Website: http://www.protestwarrior.com/
Website: http://hq.protestwarrior.com/
Forum: http://forum.protestwarrior.com/
E-mail: Kfir Alfia kfir AT protestwarrior.com
Alan Lipton alan AT protestwarrior.com

Resources and articles

Related SourceWatch articles

External links

By / From Protest Warrior

Background

External articles about Protest Warrior