Thanks... but no Thanks!

I am posting this in response for the increasing calls that I accept money (mostly via Paypal donations) for the work I am doing on the blog, and also so a P.I. can be hired to go to Alaska and investigate the story.

I am very fortunate to be at a position in my life where I can afford to take on a project like this on my own dime. I originally became interested in this story, not because of any feelings or doubts about Sarah Palin per se ... I had never even heard of her... but because as a childbirth educator and a natural childbirth advocate, I have been disgusted and frustrated through the years over the constant and chronic misreporting of childbirth and childbirth related stories in the main stream media. My original interest in Sarah Palin was very "one dimensional;" I assumed that some moron of a male reporter had gotten that birth story wrong, since, of course, it could not have really happened that way. It was only a bit later -when I came to understand that that was in fact "her story and she was sticking to it," that I started digging deeper, leading to... today.

But I digress.

As I said, I am in a financial position that I can put my time and energy into this, and I am choosing to do so. I believe that by not taking any money at all for anything, I keep things "cleaner," and this is how I will continue to operate.

Just as an aside, on the question of a private investigator: Obviously, hiring such an individual would be an enormously expensive task. I think all would agree that a local "man" could not be used, since, while I am sure anyone who was asked would protest that they were "fair, balanced, and unbiased," anyone from the local area could potentially have strong feelings about Gov. Palin (either pro OR con). Even if the person WAS completely unbiased, no one would ever believe that, and I think results would basically be worthless to the public at large.

This would leave bringing someone in from the outside, an impressively expensive task, considering a plane ticket from anywhere in the "Lower 48" (without, say, a two week advance purchase) would run at least $1000.00... and that's just to start. Then there would be the car rental, the daily rate, the hotel. Such a venture could easily top $10,000... and frankly, I doubt it would have much effect.

I have never mentioned this on the blog before, but I know of a rather prominent and well-funded free lance journalist who, in September, did exactly what we are proposing... flew to Wasilla on his own dime. He poked around for days... going to the hospital... trying to get people to talk to him. He tried to interview anyone from the Johnston family - no luck. He was unsuccessful in getting a single person who was willing to go on the record to say either that they knew Trig WAS Sarah's OR that they knew he was NOT.

After five days, he went home, though his final comment on the experience to me has always stuck with me. What troubled him the most was "how afraid everyone is of her."

So... to repeat... while I appreciate more than anyone can know the level of concern that people have shown (and the many kind letters of thanks I have received) I have made the decision not to accept financial backing of any sort for continuing to do this. Furthermore, many people have mentioned a "book deal" to me. This is the farthest thing from my mind, and not a goal at all, though I am enough of a realist to know that - depending on the outcome here - it's not an impossibility.

So I am making this statement here, now, publicly. Should that ever happen, any revenue I receive from any book will be used as follows: First, I have several "volunteers" who have helped my in my research enormously. Some of their names you know... others have stayed behind the scenes. I would use some of the revenue to provide a benefit to them as my way of saying thank you; a cruise or vacation of some sort for the whole group. However, any additional revenue beyond this will be donated to an apolitical cause that would have relevance to this issue: support for rape victims in Alaska, perhaps, or research on Down's Syndrome.

Audrey