Saturday, March 03, 2007

"Are you from...THAT BLOG?"

At court yesterday SEVERAL people came up to me and whispered—

“You’re from... [looking around]... THAT BLOG right? I just wanted to let you know that I and lots of other people read you very carefully and thank you for what you are doing. I’m in profession X.”

It got to be where I could tell on approach whether they were coming over to compliment my Louboutins or firedoglake. I think my favorite compliment, from a female reporter at a Well Known Newspaper, was "Killer shoes!"

It's been an interesting experience to be in the courtroom and in the media room. Other journalists [notice how I promote myself, a humble citizen journalist, into their number] are seeing that we are not the rabid lambs of the left. We are real, human, interesting, funny. It makes it harder for them to dismiss us when they are laughing at our remarks.

Being a journalist, even a humble citizen journalist, means trying to be aware of our audience and what they need from us. There is a great hunger for the truth, a desperation. Not everyone who works for mainstream media is blind to what is going on. In fact I think you would be surprised at some who express sympathy for what we are doing.

Several members of the public are in the courthouse, following the trial. No one has bothered to interview them, to get the story of why they are there. Just brief conversations show that they care deeply about what is going on with our government, and want to be there to observe. It's a problem that reporters tend to either stay in the media room or go sit quietly in court. Why not interview all these concerned citizens and get their stories?

We are here on behalf of those we represent, including the readers that we know and love, and those who furtively approach us in the hall.

Yes, lots of people are reading us. But they are afraid. Hmm wonder why. Maybe they see the same monster we do. It's ugly.

We have truth and beauty. Our weapons.

*******

6 comments:

Susan McIntosh Lewis said...

Are you afraid? Tell me more.

The day you decide not to be afraid of other people you become a free man/woman.

LoudounLib said...

I have been dying to ask you, or someone, about Shuster! Love love love that man ;-)

Susan McIntosh Lewis said...

He's the real thing. The man you want to buy the house next door, marry your daughter, represent you in politics.

He has such respect from his colleagues. I see a rising star.

proudprogressive said...

wow, I am so thankful that there are people like yourself egreg just regular folks..out there to represent so many of us. Many of us that get too tongue tied or are a bit less shiney or well off. BUT who have the same passion and desires. One of the things i love love love is your handle. It is so fitting for what the government has been doing to our constitution and our bill of rights. Anyhow it gives me hope. People are spending their money, raising wonderful children and dispite the overwelm...today i believe there is hope. One day even the dullards amongst us will wake up and smell the facsism.

proudprogressive said...

i am very afraid of others judgements...often i give people much too much power..and that is a choice i make in my mind. I am not a heavy hitter , not a great writer or concise thinker. But i can support others. Don't get me wrong i do not cower and have been the truth teller and as we know "truth tellers" set themselves up to get beat up. Thats why its heartening to see the sheer brain power that is emerging on the left. Leaders and writers who i totally agree with who have the world's ear, And clearly are not dirty f*ing hippies.

Susan McIntosh Lewis said...

How tall is Libby/who should play Fitzgerald in the inevitable movie:

I said Libby was shorter than my 5.5 and he walked by me several times.

However point for AZMatt re my heel height. The Louboutins are 2.5 at the heel and 0.0 at the base, with my eyes rather to the front of the middle.

I’m gonna compromise w Marcy and call Libby 5ft 4.5 inches.

Oh, and whoever plays Fitz MUST have the Fitz intensity. Volcanic and scarcely contained. Sam Shepard or Kevin Costner. A kind of sorrow along w the drive for justice. I recognize…

Now I want to think about the sorrow part of that. Sorrow that humans can do this to each other. Sorrow that a golden life is spent trying to capture another human, to prevent him from harming more millions. I get this. Observe what I am trying to do on a much more humble scale. Also part Irish here.