Hi there. I'm TooFolkGR. You may know me as the Adam B from Michigan, as opposed to the other Adam B (I don't know where he's from). It's Adam Bakker if you'd like to Facebook Friend me (please include dKos handle). I think I'm the only one in Grand Rapids, Michigan. My picture looks like a pen drawing.
Anyway (back on track) remember when those SEIU ads started popping up? I'll be honest, they never bothered me. I read the diaries and saw zero mention of the SEIU, so I figured the ads must be something the site was running. But there were people who were upset, because it was their assumption that the ads meant the diarist was somehow shilling for SEIU... and it's not that we don't support SEIU here (Union YES!) but moreso that we kind of resented the insertion of a blind endorsement. It's not like us.
So today, it has come to my attention that a diarist whose work I very much respect who excites us to no end with her constant calls to action on the right side of the issue has been an inspiration to many... is actually getting paid to post diaries here every day.
I don't actually have a problem with that. I sort of wish every single congressperson had a staffer who they paid to post here every day. But here's the thing: I want to KNOW that somebody is getting paid.
If you read my last diary (all twelve of you) you'll know that some friends and I recently pulled off a very successful rally for health care reform here in SouthWest Michigan. Our rally was scheduled for one hour. When the hour was up, we started packing up to leave. Across the street from us (there were 200 of us) were some 20 Teabaggers wearing red shirts and carrying a megaphone. The guy with the megaphone shouted, "Where's your conviction, Socialists? Did you only get paid for an hour?"
It didn't bother me in the slightest, because I know at the end of the day, that's not why I do what I do.
This is the ideal point to interject that I'm not saying person in question (or persons since I've now been told there are TWO people who get paid to post diaries here on the Health Care topic) doesn't truly believe in what they are doing. I'm not even saying they SHOULDN'T get paid for it, because if they're dedicating their life to the cause they still gotta live.
*UPDATE*: Someone pointed out to me that the next line here "Keeping things a bit hush hush," made it sound like I was attacking the integrity of the people in question, which of course I wasn't doing (as the rest of the diary makes clear)... that said, it's the closest thing to a LEGITIMATE criticism I've seen, so I'm going to strikethrough it and replace it with something that rings less accusatory.
Keeping this a bit hush hush? But not openly disclosing the relationship every time you post? Doesn't seem kosher. Maybe it is in terms of "The rules" (since I don't think we have any here)... but as far as community goes I think our standards are a bit higher as demonstrated by the SEIU outcry. The people in question (who are good members of this community whom I respect) really should be going the extra mile in the way of openness and transparency.
That said, it's not my place to tell them what to do, so I won't.
What I will say is, if any person or organization ever pays me to do anything here, I will include the line, "This diary funded by ______" with a link to the organization that is paying me. I don't think that at all diminishes the message or its importance... and I think it's the level of honest we've come to expect from each other. And I think respecting your audience is about disclosing that.
Imagine if someone here were poo-pooing Healthcare reform and we found out they were getting a nickel for it. There would be an outcry like we've never seen. We'd demand Kos ban their F-ing account. We'd use it as a clear example of astroturfing and faux activism for years to come.
FINALLY: I should mention that one of these individuals has a link in their signature that says, "I'm part of the FDL team!" or something similar with a link. I do not think that's actual transparency. I mean I'm part of the Juvenille Diabetes team supposedly because I donate to some walk-a-thon. That doesn't mean they are paying me to post here.
Posted with nothing but love and respect for activists and their passion, out of a desire for increased transparency and openness in the progressive community,
Adam in Michigan
UPDATE: I had previously signed "Adam B" here, because that's my name & initial (see above) but it occurs to me that there is someone who uses the actual handle AdamB and I didn't want there to be any ambiguity so I changed it.