I’ve gotten into chats with a few people here who are looking for other ways to reach beyond the “netroots” and into their local communities.  LTEs always come up, as do local protests and gatherings.  One thing that I (and I’m sure a lot of other people) are doing is using the small local media as your own megaphone via their blogs.  Someone recently asked me to write this up, so here goes…

Though I’m currently living in Oakland, CA, I hail from the no-longer-so-small-town of Bakersfield.  (In case anyone is worried about me being outed, my name is Tom Webster.  There.)  While it’s all well and good talking to you folks here in Oakland or on dKos, I’ve spent a considerable amount of time talking to my fellow Bako folk over the last six months on the local paper’s blog.  Your local paper probably has one of these as well.  You can check now.  I’ll wait for you on the other side of the break.

Hi there.  Did they have one?  Cool.  If so, sign up.  Start talking. And not just about politics.  Just as we have C&J, your local paper is going to have discussions on all sorts of things locally and nationally.  Enjoy it.  Sure you’ll have political discussions, but you’ll also talk about your family, your friends, your jobs, etc.  And you do it with people you’ll never meet here.  You’ll also be talking either directly or indirectly to everyone on the newspaper staff.  You’ll develop relationships with them.  They’ll read your take on the news and the stuff you link to because they know you.  This brings me to a very important point:

DON’T LIE.

Seriously, how quickly do we sniff out trolls here in a community of 100,000?  Most of these local papers will have 10-30 regular contributors.  Be honest.  Don’t pretend to live in your hometown if you don’t.  Don’t pretend to know about stuff you don’t.  Be honest and humble and introduce yourself. 

This brings me to my next point:

DON’T BE A TROLL.

Just as all ya’ll were not waiting for my ample wisdom here, they are not waiting for yours there.  You will be dealing with people who don’t follow politics all the time.  Certainly not in the way we do here.  Don’t be shocked when people aren’t sure about the possible ramifications of Dudley’s nomination.  Or the evils of the MCA.  Don’t try to wind it into every discussion.  If you’re up to the challenge, you’re building a nation-wide network of knowledgeable reporters who may fact check with you or may start to question their own assumptions before they go to press.

Last important point:

DON’T DO THIS JUST FOR THESE REASONS.

I feel like I’ve made some good friends in Bakersfield.  There are plenty of people I agree with and plenty more I don’t.  But I’m not there just to move the political debate.  If you are, more power to you.  But in order to build the kinds of relationships you’ll need to really make a go of working on the local media, you’ll need to commit to them in the way that you’ll be asking people to commit to the Democratic Party.