Hyperbole? Prove it.

Say Anything takes left-wing blogs to task for linking to this flyer, which is supposedly being spread around Milwaukee's minority communities. Just to refresh your memory, here's what I said about it yesterday: "It includes 'tips' like, 'IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF ANYTHING, EVEN A TRAFFIC VIOLATION YOU CAN'T VOTE IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.' "

Say Anything isn't buying the story.

And that's all rather convenient isn't it? You take a horrible example of voter suppression, post it up on some popular left-leaning websites and then imply that it is being circulated through minority neighborhoods by Republicans. And people believe it. No need for actual proof. Everybody on the left knows that Republicans are evil anyway so its not that hard to believe that they'd do something as remarkably stupid as this.

Its the ultimate straw man argument. The left makes a wild and unfounded accusation of voter intimidation and then attacks it ferociously while, in reality, the flier probably wasn't even being distributed by Republicans at all if it was even being distributed at all.

Given the highly charged partisan atmosphere of this election year, it's easy to see to jump the gun, see a flyer like this, and automatically assume that it came from the evil GOP. As we all know, the GOP is evil :), and in all honesty, I do believe they would pass a flyer out like this to minority communities. However, the flyer is so ridiculous that it could very easily be considered a hoax, and maybe Say Anything is right. Maybe the joke's on us left-wing bloggers for spreading a false story when we didn't check our facts.

However, when Say Anything says "No need for actual proof," I'm forced to ask for a defition of "proof." The proof left-wing bloggers have provided is that this flyer first popped up on a Sierra Club website. The Sierra Club says Sheila Cochran, from AFL-CIO Voter Protection, brought it to their attention. Of course, anybody can dismiss this proof by saying the Sierra Club and AFL-CIO lean to the left. However, a quick Google search proves that Sheila Cochran is a community activist from Milwaukee, and has been since at least 2002. We're trusting her word on this flyer.

So if anyone on the right has proof that Shelia Cochran is a liar, then let's hear it.

02:23 update - I've been trying to find out as much information about this flyer as possible. I can't find any instances of it being reported in Milwaukee's local media , nor can I find any instances of Shelia Cochran being anything other than a respected community leader. She was even appointed to a panel setup by Wisconsin's Governor. So, like I said before, the burden really is on the right to prove that Shelia Cochran has no credibility.

Also, Milwaukee Indymedia has picked up the story. They published this press release from Cochran:

A MESSAGE FROM SHEILA D. COCHRAN, SECRETARY/TREASURER
Milw. County AFL-CIO

I just wanted to make you aware of this flyer circulating in the African
American community, this is an example of the type of tactic being done
in the African American neighborhoods to suppress the vote. It is not an
accident; it is intentional and it is aimed at the newly registered and
infrequent voter, or the fearful voter. This is why we need all of you
to please keep your eyes and ears open, participate where ever you can
and encourage people to not be intimidated by or discouraged from
voting. Not one point on this flyer is true and it the type of
disgusting and egregious information spread in neighborhoods to keep the
voters home don't be fooled this is happening and you are the best
weapon to make sure it does not continue. We will be doing all we can to
make sure that our community votes on election day and that every vote
is counted!

Sheila Cochran, AFL-CIO Voter Protection
It's Your Right, It's your Vote, Make it Count!

02:37 Update - The apparently non-partisan WisPolitics.com links to ACT-Wisconsin press release about the flyer.

02:44 Update - Even though everyone knows where I stand, I'm trying to be as non-partisan as possible about this. I've tried finding horror stories about Shelia Cochran, but none exist as far as I know. I've tried finding this flyer mentioned in the local media, but it hasn't been. I'm disappointed that the AFL-CIO and ACT-Wisconsin haven't mentioned the frequency of which these flyers have been distributed. However (and for full disclosure), I've also volunteered for ACT, and the impression I got from them is that the are honest people. Taking a step back to look at this story objectively, it's still breaking; at this point, I've probably done the most research on it. But, like I said, I haven't found any horror stories about Cochran, nor do I have any reason to believe ACT-Wisconsin is lying. As far as I'm concerned, the ball really is in the right-wing's court now. They're bloggers have every right to dismiss this story, I'm merely asking them to back up their claims. They can no longer truthfully claim we don't have any proof to back up ours, so they'll need to provide a credible counterargument if they want to be taken seriously.

04:18 Update - Jeff at Protein Wisdom found this Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article on the topic.

A flier issuing false “warnings” about voting in Tuesday’s election is being denounced by supporters of Democratic Sen. John Kerry as a fear tactic aimed at scaring off first-time Milwaukee black voters.

A Republican Party spokesman questioned whether the flier was a trick by pro-Kerry forces aimed at discrediting Republicans.

The flier, which surfaced this week, is headlined as coming from the “Milwaukee Black Voters League,” an apparently fictional name. Some of the fliers were handed out Wednesday near N. 6th and W. Walnut streets on the city’s north side, said Phil Walzak, local spokesman for America Coming Together, a pro-Kerry advocacy organization.

Walzak said two ACT volunteers reported having seen the fliers distributed from that location. Few details about how extensively the flier was distributed or who might have been responsible have surfaced.

“This is a targeted effort to dissuade and intimidate new voters,” Walzak said.

Now, after this, you'd think that the argument would be over. But Protein Wisdom is GOP and doesn't believe anything ACT says.

Really, guys, do we need to include a blowjob to make you pay attention? We have the flyer itself, eyewitness accounts stating the flyer is being distributed in black neighborhoods, and a respected civil rights activist trying to bring attention to the matter. What other proof do you need? To people that bother to pay attention to basic facts, the case is closed. And if you think that statement is an insult against you, good. It is. Just because Fox, Newsmax, Drudge, or World Net Daily isn't touching this story doesn't mean that it isn't true.

Open up your eyes and see the truth for once.