"The democratization of publishing, communication, and organizing that is afforded by PCs, the Internet, and wireless mobile devices is indeed an important tool for grassroots activism. But it is the knowledge, intentions, and actions of people in the real world — where ballots are cast, political decisions are made, wars and demonstrations take place — that empowers democracy."
"People need to know how to use the Internet to think for themselves instead of swallowing ideas fed to them by others. That won't happen without a deliberate education campaign in the application of critical thinking to online research. People need to learn how to argue rationally and civilly online. It's a skill that is easily drowned out by legions of the rude. It's not a matter of manners. It's a matter of the basic respect the citizens of any democracy must offer one another, whether or not they agree."
