Why Does My Citizen Journalism Freak Them Out So Much?

by Travis Mateer

Is it possible to do no harm while ALSO taking no shit? When it comes to narrative control, I don’t think so. Taking no shit from narrative controllers is NOT something they’re accustomed to dealing with, so it might seem harmful–so harmful, in fact, that BLOCKING me ability to send email inquiries is the next step being taken.

Before I get to Becky’s email, make sure you check out my article at Western Montana News this week about the rumor of a program for homeless car campers that would open up church parking lots for safe car camping.

Now, here’s the email I saw late last night that makes INACCURATE claims that I’ve created an alias in order to email Becky, the Communications Specialist from Parks and Rec.

I contacted Becky after emailing Ginny Merriam and getting an automatic reply that Ginny is out of the office until August 4th. I contacted these COMMUNICATION specialists because I wanted to confirm a rumor that Mayor Davis was out of town at a Harvard training on July 24th, the night of the storm (no, said Becky, she was not). The email address I used–willskink at yahoo dot com–is the SAME email address I’ve used for years. I’ve also NEVER been told to stop contacting these communication people, so why is Becky making it seem like I’ve already been blocked? And, while I’m asking questions, what constitutes an UNREASONABLE INFORMATION REQUEST?

Asking Becky if she was hit on the head by a falling tree branch seems like an unreasonable information request, but trying to confirm a rumor about the Mayor’s whereabouts before writing about it seems pretty reasonable to me. Maybe Becky regrets putting so many words together regarding NEEDLE traps and why, unlike BOOBY traps, they are not intended to harm or kill anyone.

If you didn’t catch that post, here’s the definition:

Instead of consulting with her superiors, perhaps Becky should consult the Constitution. I think that maybe the first amendment could have a relevant application here.

In Russia, no first amendment exists, so doing investigative journalism is MUCH more dangerous than anything I’ve experienced during the last 4 years of retaliatory behavior from our local narrative controllers. I’m referencing the Russian relationship to journalism because that’s Matt Taibbi’s frame of reference for answering a question about bravery. Here’s part of his response (emphasis mine):

On the recommendation of one of my readers, I first asked Matt how he finds the courage to do what he does. He told me: “I guess the sincere answer to that is I started my journalism career overseas in post-communist Russia. Some of my first mentors in journalism were actually Russian investigative journalists. They had just been given freedom of the press, free speech, sort of. But it was a very hazardous environment where if you wrote the wrong thing, people were getting blown up by exploding suitcases shot in their doorways, people jumping through windows with crowbars, that kind of thing.”

He continued: “So I watched those people work for like eight years. So anytime anybody talks about people like me being brave, I always kind of feel like rolling my eyes a little bit because, you know, in other parts of the world, journalists go through much tougher things and take much bigger risks. So the least we can do is what the job is. And I think, you know, journalists mostly, we’re not rocket scientists or doctors. The main job requirement is being, you know, willing to say obnoxious things to powerful people. I think, you know, that’s kind of the job baseline.”

I hope this post is helpful for bureaucratic locals who might not appreciate the power they wield regarding access and official responses to citizen inquiries. Luckily, for them, there doesn’t appear to be a lawyer in this part of Montana with the COJONES necessary to put truth ahead of the money and time it would take to address the official effort to marginalize and slander me as I report on things NO OTHER MEDIA in this town is willing to report on.

To conclude this post, here’s a little tune I wrote for the Reddit critics trying to add RACISM and TRANSPHOBIA to the litany of alleged conditions I’m apparently suffering from. But first, please consider donating to Travis’ Impact Fund (TIF) if you appreciate what I’m going through to produce citizen journalism that matters.

Have a GREAT weekend, everyone!