Why did Jane Hamsher attack the Sierra Club? MONEY!

After looking and contemplating the two articles by Ms Hamsher attacking the Sierra Club, it became clear to me  why she went after the green groups, and more specifically the Sierra Club.


It had nothing to do with who is the better environmental organization or who is not being tough on the current administration or BP. The reason is to get more green. I realized this after noticing both of the articles  right up there along side the big bold title is another column which states “Firedoglake needs to raise $50,000 by June”  (see graphic below)

This got me to thinking of her possible rationalization for the attacks
If you need money to keep your site operating who can she get to fund her site, who has deep pockets and may be able to provide an infusion of cash donations. What issue is a hot button issue right now? Of course the oil spill!  People are clamoring to help with this cause!  but the field of worthy groups is pretty crowded. How can she divert some of that money from these environmental groups to my own personal cause?

How about attacking the large environmental groups for not being as critical as FDL on the administrations and show how FDL more concerned with the issue in the gulf than the others.

Now which organization to lead off with which organization has the most name recognition? Of course the Serra Club! They even have some controversies which I can use to stir up the pot! Lets attack them!
Hence the first article which attacked several major environmental/conservation origination, and specifically targeted the Sierra Club

if you notice predominately displayed right next to the article is a second Column boldly displayed which states “Firedoglake needs to raise $50,000 by June”

The interesting thing to note, on other articles this donate section is lower on the page and only on the two Sierra Club attack articles are the donation buttons pushed up to the top.(see examples of other articles below.

For the second Article I theorize that she noticed how much discussion there was and it must have created a flurry of donations to her FDL site so she decided to write another attack ad to try and generate more donations. Hence the second attack on the club

It looks like I may have contributed to the second attack article as when I read the first article I felt she was attacking me, and as an active member of the Sierra Club she was.   So I went on a rampage and wrote a long response to her article I posted this on my blog and posed an abbreviated version on FDL with a link to the longer response.  In her second article she even linked to my blog and stated:  "Sierra Club loyalists were quick to defend the club..."

I think she noticed how much discussion there was and it must have created a flurry of donations to her FDL site,  so she decided to write the second attack article to try and generate more donations,  Hence the second attack on the club

In the second article she also tried to attack the club again as well as bring up the club’s past controversies, much of the information she used was edited to mislead or distort the club’s stance on issues and to show just how much more concerned she and FDL is when compared to the Sierra Club. If you read her second article she tries to make the club look like a “corporate sellout” and infer how evil those corporations are, taking money to protect the environment is bad and evil, don’t support that horrible origination give your money to me I am greener than them.

One question which was posed by a reader was about the first article being posted on Huffington post as well as FDL  and that Huffington does not solicit donations for FDL.  I think the reason to post on Huffingot was to act as an unpaid advertisement to draw others to FDL.  there is noting like free press to draw others to your site and that is what the Huffington post article was supposed to do. 

It easy to point fingers and criticize and yes I am not saying the club have not made mistakes in the past, but at least to me it is truly a low blow to criticize an organization and people trying to better the planet just to fund your own organization  (and pay yourself!).