Blogging: No, I'm Not A Shark Smelling Blood

(This is a guest post from Cindy, otherwise known as Cin, who lives in L.A. I think it speaks for itself.)

With the Lamont/Lieberman race making big news, there has been much talk about "The Bloggers". "The Bloggers," said as if "The Bloggers" were some dangerous cult that lurks around trying to do damage.

I thought I would write down what blogging has done for me. Please keep in mind, I'm no writer or as clever as most of my cyber friends, but here it goes.

Some years ago, I was disillusioned with the state of our country. I would watch Hardball, CNN, and MSNBC and found myself thinking that so much of what the "news" was telling me, just didn't make sense.

Was bush really that likable? Do most people want to have a beer with him? Yuck. Most people want the Repubs in power. Really?

Eric and I thought bush was running the country into the ground. Yet, the media was telling us otherwise.

One day, and I can't say why exactly, I decided to go on the Internet and see if the Dems had a website. I came across Kicking Ass. Wow, there were others who felt like me and shared my views. More importantly, they seemed to have better access to real news - news I never heard about on MSNBC, etc. I was hooked.

For a long time, I did what I later learned is known as "lurking". I read, I mean, lurked. Oh, I would want to talk, I mean post, as well, but I was timid. After all, who the hell was I to add to these discussions?

In time, I came to "know" my fellow bloggers at KA and posted. I'll never forget Jen, being the first to "talk" to me. She asked about me and was so nice and welcoming. She would post links and pictures. Oh those pictures! Some were funny (bush in those stupid boots and hat) and some were painful to see. Slowly, I began posting more and more. There were others, (some who have even set up blog sites of their own), sweet Lizzy, mad as hell Chuck (I mean that in a good way), Greg often signing off with a sky report, funny Del, Dors the dancer, Dawn, Jacque, wonderful Barbi, my pal Rose and so many more. I remember some nights laughing so hard my stomach hurt. Remember Monica? Some have stopped posting but are always free to return.

The rest is history.

The blogs to me are places to go to for information. A place to exchange and discuss ideas and information. There is much the mainstream media doesn't get about blogs. Did we make a difference in the Lamont campaign? I think so. Did we make "the" difference, I don't think so. Lieberman did that all by himself. The blogs allow us to get the information that the mainstream media refuses to report. Maybe this is what those in power are so threatened by.

We bloggers are not the enemy. I'm not a jihadist, or an evil or crazy extremist (although, I am slightly off my bean, but so is everyone else even if they don't know it). Nor am I'm a shark smelling blood as Ed Schultz says.

I'm just Cindy, a woman, wife and mom. I'm someone who wanted a better source of information. I wanted to know I was not alone in my beliefs.

Since when is wanting to be involved and informed anti-Democratic?

I'll end asking a question. What does blogging mean to you?