Laura Romanik, thank you for sharing your perspective. But for the love of literacy, I never said she was anything less than factually accurate. I think she’s shrewd and quick-witted. I consider her a reliable resource. I don’t know her better than any other celebrity I’ve never met but I instinctively trust her.

However, since so many people have missed or ignored that point altogether I’m wondering if I am guilty of exactly what I find so off-putting about her — that my tone is louder than my content. I too am trying to have “some small effect on the people who read my page” but I think RM could have an even greater effect on more people if she presented with more journalistic neutrality. The issues speak for themselves without anyone’s “bent”.

So again, it’s not what she says but how she says it. The “myriad things” that are “really wrong with this country” are so dire that I want one of our most intelligent political analysts, which I consider her to be, to reach more than just her base. The distinction between righteously proclaiming the truth and righteously lying speaks for itself and does not bear mentioning. My desire is that the righteous truths be heard by the righteous liars.

(I’ve never watched Brian Williams, would you recommend him? I do lean liberal.)

As far as claps and earning a living remember that no one has to take a vow of poverty to also have an authentic experience and perspective. Implying that financial motives can’t coexist with any artistic or intellectual honesty, or that writers should write for the love of writing alone, is a terrible argument to make in a world with a shrinking free press. Writers and artists have long been saddled with this expectation that few other professions are — but no one should have to labor for free to prove their integrity. Don’t try to shame writers for earning a living from their trade.

Lately, I’ve been almost unable to write about anything but human rights violations, family separation and children in detention camps. And rape culture, sexual aggression against women, white privilege and racism.

I wrote about Rachel Maddow because she has an extraordinary platform and can reach more people that I can. To paraphrase some more sayings, with great power comes great responsibility to not just preach to the choir. I need more from my choir director. I want the people outside the church to hear the singing too.