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No-George or Go-George? Web Visitors Decide

By Lorinda Bullock
Black College Wire

A visit to either site counts as one point toward the site. If Web site visitors want to boost points even more for their side, they can purchase bumper stickers for $2 and earn five points for their position.

Being divided on an issue has always been the American way. Our nation struggled with the decision between Patriot or Whig and later, between Confederacy or Union. Public opinion on President Bush�s war policy created yet another such debate.

"This is one of the very few clear cut issues that have existed in a long time," said David Bartholomew, the 42-year-old creator of No-George.com and its rival, Go-George.com.

"Just walk into a bar or workplace and ask �no George� or �go George,� and everyone has an opinion," he said. Bartholomew, of Lawrence, Kan., decided to take the debate from the water cooler to the Internet.

The premise is simple. A visit to either site counts as one point toward the site. If Web site visitors want to boost points even more for their side, they can purchase bumper stickers for $2 and earn five points for their position.

There have been periodic "straw poll" results. The first was March 17, the deadline for Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq. At that point, the tally was 249,888 for �No-George� and 212,063 points for �Go-George.� The current tally is 759,486 for �No-George� and 563,470 for �Go-George� (including bumper sticker points). When overzealous voters from both sides started to utilize "automatic submission robots" that created over 2 million hits in a day, Bartholomew had to impose a one vote per-day, per-e-mail-address policy.

Conspiracy theorists from the �Go-George� side have been sticklers with Bartholomew about accuracy. He openly admits he is a �No-George,� but in the same breath says he gives both sides equal attention and equal publicity and works hard to make sure both sides are heard and represented.

"I so painstakingly try to keep this even," he said. "I would have almost skewed it the other way. I let military support groups know about �Go-George� and peace groups [about �No-George�]. So far �No-George� has almost never been behind, and that�s way different from the other polls [from television and newspapers]."

April 30 was to be the last "Day of Decision," on which the tally was to be counted again. While the Web site makes made this date sound final, Bartholomew said, "I keep spitting arbitrary dates to keep up interest," he said. "I'm doing it every two weeks so people can see how its going, to see how people maintain interest." He believes the sense of urgency gets people more excited.

The Web site mentions that representatives in Washington are monitoring the votes, and urges visitors to vote often to have their voice heard. Bartholomew said that every senator has been advised and says a few have requested to be kept abreast of the latest tally.

To avoid flak from people who argue that those who are against Bush are also against the troops, Bartholomew purposely used the Bush�s name. "By using the president�s name, people can use �No-George� and not slam the troops," he said. Bartholomew said that with both sides using the site, and providing a link to www.discussthewar.net so viewers can express themselves and ask questions, they are truly enjoying democracy.

Bartholomew said he is amazed by the reaction he has gotten from the site that he describes as "one of those kind of stand-in-the-shower, Aha! ideas."

"It�s really amazing that so many people on both sides feel like their feelings weren�t really being considered. Both sides equally said, �thank you for listening," he said.

Morgan Ruthman, 23, a graduate student studying international affairs at George Washington University, said he has never heard of No-George.com or Go-George.com, but says it�s not always one choice or the other.

"I don�t think that a simple yes or no answer is enough to really summarize the way I feel," he said. �I do support the troops, I do support the cause. All things considered, this war is a war that is worthy of fighting.

"Having said that, the manner in which President Bush went about constructing an international coalition was totally incoherent and basically dumb. I think that while the war may be one that is legitimate and worthy of fighting, I wish that President Bush had taken more time garnering international support."

Lorinda Bullock is a student at Howard University who writes for the District Chronicles. She can be reached at [email protected].