Salem-News.com: a Growing Role and a Call to Duty
We Need Volunteers

We have a special music album under production, an original play waiting to be performed for the first time, and the most dynamic team of writers in existence. We need plenty of help.

Salem-News.com has been online since 2004. Image courtesy: goodgreentips.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - I am sure that we have an actual chance of affecting real world change through this organization. It is no longer about being a business; Salem-News.com has more of a role in terms of being a savior it seems. I drive this ship of information and its growing popularity is great, but I need more volunteers to climb aboard and take it for all it is worth.

I hate the fact that we are the only U.S. news agency covering such important items. We have a great degree of influence and some groups watch and follow us very closely, but something is missing; that is the public's curiosity about the world. It is our home, and I suggest people begin paying more attention, not for the interest level, but to prepare for what may be some difficult years ahead.

Sometimes I feel like I am holding the lives of people in my hands. This is too large of a responsibility for our core group of people. Salem-News.com began in 2004 as a sort of online news experiment but it quickly got legs and has done nothing but grow all of this time.

We currently have 91 listed writers in 20 countries. I have a personal relationship with every one. They all volunteer their time and efforts and we are close to the same, with very limited ad revenue. We aren't here to make money; being wealthy does not interest us and in fact it is a potential distraction.

What we do need to do is beef up this operation, because it becomes increasingly clear that we are one of the only sources of hope for large numbers of people, communities, even entire cultures that are victimized by their respective governments. It is because of the stories we cover, and because the Internet has few boundaries, that our potential is so large.

Our readers know that Genocide has always been and continues to be, the world's single biggest human problem. We have endless situations to address and potentially find ways to resolve. We have so many subjects that we cover regularly that I will not even list them all.

But this list gives you an idea...

U.S. Role in World Events US Politics Israel/Palestine Government Corruption Iraq Agent Orange contamination Sri Lanka's Genocide Oregon News Missing People Religion Human Trafficking Prescription Drug Abuse United Nations European Union Genetically Modified Food POW/MIA Issues Africa at large Music Videos Rwanda's ongoing political conflicts Injustice in India Vietnam PTSD Discrimination Afghanistan Water, Air, Planet Asia Mexican Cartel Crime Police Brutality Uganda Medical Cannabis Surfing and ocean sports Iran Latest Books Issues Affecting Veterans Nuclear Power & Weapons Sex Abuse Oregon News Domestic Abuse Peace Efforts Civil Rights Issues Mainstream News Motorcycle Club Culture

That is a small example of subjects that have been covered and continue to receive coverage at Salem-News.com, which is approaching the publishing of our 20,000th news story. We need volunteer help; of particular importance is the need for people in the local area who can learn how to lend their talents in ways that will make a big difference.

This will be expanded upon in an upcoming Salem-News.com report; this is an early announcement that we have added new editors who will assist Associate Editor Daniel Johnson and myself, in content flow. Bob Collinsworth in New Hampshire; M. Dennis Paul in New Hampshire; along with our newest team member, James Marshall of Costa Rica; will lift some of the weight from our Oregon operation that has been an effort performed by Bonnie King and I, with Daniel in Calgary, Alberta.

It is hard to state exactly what our needs are because there are so many. We have been running this nearly solo as a couple for seven years. In the early years we had Kevin Hays and he and I at one point were frequently publishing more than 30 stories a day.

I need people who are willing to conduct research; I need people who can help with content flow; we need people who are willing to take care of many needs that are not addressed relating to developments in our operation. We need coordinators of all kinds of things. If you're into saving the world, you've arrived at the right place.

If you aren't a humanitarian then I don't need you. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

The one requirement is that those who help come to understand the complex challenges we report. Nobody needs to know everything, but those who help will have such a rapid expansion of knowledge and information working with us that they will be changed.

I need people who have the time and ability to help, possibly because they sense that the world we live in, politically, environmentally, militarily, in regard to business, and survivability, the future of our children; is almost at the point of no return.

The media in the United States has utterly failed and this is nothing new. Salem-News.com subscribes to the notion of Truth, Justice and Peace, coined by a very special human being we are privileged to know and have as a member of our team; Humanitarian Activist Ken O'Keefe.

We believe that is what is needed and also the order it goes in. It does not matter that they kill our friends, that they lock others up; it matters that each time this happens a new person steps in to take the next bullet. Eventually they will run out of ammo or we will get what we deserve for our apathy. It is sad that it comes to this point. But one thing is sure, we are part of the media and we are part of the world resistance movement against fascist control of society. Fists held high, this is the only place for us; it is what we understand. If it causes pain and tears and takes life, it is bad. If it loves and nourishes and breeds peace, it is good. Peace can not only exist in predetermined countries, this is key.

We do not accept financial support from big pharma or insurance companies; in fact we are essentially a direct enemy of the first industry and find the second to be a terrible game 90% of the time. You are hearing the reasons this is not a booming success in terms of revenue. Those who control money frequently oppose truthful reporting because it is a threat to their way of life.

In Action

There are some very dark forces among us and our writers are on top of many. When we pin it down and go public, we change things. Because we write the truth, we aren't tangled up in legal processes left and right.

It isn't just about writing hit pieces on bad people and corrupt industries and practices, though that is a mandatory thing people have come to expect from us. It is about gathering the information that it takes to get those pieces out. I need people to even handle correspondence for me, to serve as a bridge. Competency in computer skills and a grasp on the language can be enough to get rolling. If people are eager to help, I will find ways for them to do so.

A large percentage of Salem-News.com writers are military veterans; many are college professors; others are doctors and attorneys and other writers are humanitarian activists. Some have no titles; it is about more than that always. But in the world's realm of expectations, I'd say we have more than the average number of PhD's on our team, and that is an undeniable credibility even by mainstream standards.

Beyond the listed team writers, there are that many again who contribute but are not listed as Salem-News.com staff writers. Our contributors range in age from our youngest, 16, to our most senior writer who is 93. Every religion is represented in our ranks and any that are lacking, will eventually be there too.

We will continue to issue details; at this point I have officially related what I set out to say. If I don't put the word out then I have nothing to complain about when I am dropping balls left and right as a news editor. How is the level of public apathy doing out there anyway? I will find out.

Please write to my email address below if you are interested in getting involved. Also, my partner Bonnie King has her own volunteer recruitment effort underway for Salem-News.com called the Renegades, and the details are listed below.

Of course if you can help us by donating, we greatly appreciate that; as always we hope those who help can afford to. We look forward to a day when more businesses have the courage to support us through Internet advertising. I hope it happens in time to make a difference. Perhaps never in the world before have so many quality writers been gathered in a single place; all doing what they do strictly to help others. That is what we were put here for, all of us. Thanks from all of us at Salem-News.com.

WANTED:

• Programmers to work with IT guru Matt Lintz on overall cosmetics, new section functionality, drop downs, buttons, and other new and enterprising ideas.
• Graphic Artists to create headers, layouts, promos and ads, just to name a few.
• Photographers (still & video) for special events, breaking news, and citizen reporting.
• Video Editors/Producers
• Marketing and Sales people that want to be at the helm of the fastest growing industry on the planet. (Great commission!)
• Also, if you are interested in News (all aspects), we will have a group assembled to discuss opportunities in that department.
• Special interests: Sports, the Arts, Entertainment/Music, Education, the Environment, local Happenings and Events, the Political or Financial arena, the great Outdoors

...Please write and tell us about your interest.

In'shallah, God Bless, Zindabad.

Shalom, Salaam Alaikum, Peace be with you.

_________________________________________________________

Tim King: Salem-News.com Editor and Writer

Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines.

Tim holds awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Silver Spoke Award by the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (2011), Excellence in Journalism Award by the Oregon Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs (2010), Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), First-place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several others including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Tim has several years of experience in network affiliate news TV stations, having worked as a reporter and photographer at NBC, ABC and FOX stations in Arizona, Nevada and Oregon. Tim was a member of the National Press Photographer's Association for several years and is a current member of the Orange County Press Club.

Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website. As News Editor, Tim among other things, is responsible for publishing the original content of 82 Salem-News.com writers. He reminds viewers that emails are easily missed and urges those trying to reach him, to please send a second email if the first goes unanswered. You can write to Tim at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com