THE YES MEN AND ACTIVISM IN THE INFORMATION ... - Index of

freedom.” 27 This remark was widely reported by the national press in publications, ranging from
PC Computing to the cover of Newsweek, and is now infamous among leftist circles, in large part
because of RTMark’s tactical use of press releases and publicity stunts to promote the parody
website and the ensuing legal drama surrounding it. 28 RTMark issued a press release before
Bush’s quote on limiting freedom on May 20, 1999 and then another press release on May 26,
1999 about the gaffe entitled “Bush Requests ‘Limits To Freedom,’” in which they tout the
Internet as a major reason for their media success, stating that “the Internet has amplified the
voice of the ordinary citizen.” 29
Vamos and Servin described the purpose of the parody site as a correction of Bush’s
identity. 30 The success of GWBush.com for RTMark spawned the creation of a special mutual
fund known as the Yes Men, whose sole purpose was, from the beginning, that of “identity
correction.” As that which happens when “honest people impersonate big-time criminals in
order to publicly humiliate them,” identity correction has become something of a jihad for the Yes
Men, spawning a series of parody websites aimed at correcting the identities of those the group
deems as abusing power. Their strategy of identity correction has its roots within the history of
27 RTMark, “Bush Requests ‘Limits To Freedom’,” Press Release issued May 26,
http://www.rtmark.com/bushpr2.html, accessed February 20, 2005. When asked about the parody site, Bush replied
that “there ought to be limits-to, uh, to freedom. But, uh. And we’re aware of the site, and this guy’s just a garbage
man, that’s all he is.” Audio footage of Bush’s response can be found at http://www.rtmark.com/bush.html.
28 Jamais Cascio, “Smile, Your Company’s Under Attack,” PC Computing Vol.13 No.3 (2000): 42; Martha Brant,
“The Mouse that Roars,” Newsweek, Vol.134 No.2 (1999): 53.
29 RTMark, “Bush Requests ‘Limits To Freedom’”.
30 The Yes Men, “GWBush.com,” The Yes Men, http://www.theyesmen.org/hijinks/bush/gwbushcom.shtml,
accessed February 13, 2005. George W. Bush’s official website was http://www.GeorgeWBush.com.
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