"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.

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