Amy Goodman is a Gangster with a capital G. Make no mistake. She’s as hardcore as the most loc’ed out gangsters in the Sinaloa cartel, but she pushes an entirely different product: The Truth. Having been called everything from “the Edward R. Murrow of today” to “hostile, combative, and even disrespectful,” the latter from a frustrated former President Bill Clinton, Goodman remains unwavering in commitment to what she calls the basic tenets of good journalism, “You talk to people who live at the target end of the policy.”



Sunday, Goodman will be in Olympia speaking as part of a benefit for KAOS 89.3FM and Thurston County TV.



Goodman’s tenacity has put her in many tough situations. In 1991, she barely escaped East Timor with her life after being savagely beaten by Indonesian troops during the Santa Cruz massacre, a funeral procession turned protest in which more than 250 people were killed. Video of the event was smuggled out by foreign correspondents and released to the public, sparking worldwide outrage and condemnation of the Indonesian government’s actions.



“The media are the watchdogs of government,” says Goodman. “They are essential to the functioning of a democratic society.”



Goodman is fearful of what the future of journalism may hold, as several newspapers around the country, including The Seattle Post-Intelligencer where she was once a columnist, are increasingly becoming extinct. She notes that several papers around the country are in critical condition and the future’s looking pretty bleak for many more. Still, she believes that the success of her show Democracy Now! with the multimedia model holds out some hope, as long as core values are employed.



“My concerns on the Web is that there tends to be much shorter reporting, more lists, a more ‘MTV-style’ of reporting,” she says. “It is very important that the long-format investigative journalism continue in this country, and we have to ensure that it does.”

It’s her unrivaled passion to staying true to the cause that has set Goodman apart from the rest of the media outlets, making friends and foes alike, and it has made her name and Democracy Now! synonymous with integrity in journalism. Something she wholeheartedly believes in.



“It puts those like our elected officials on notice that someone’s watching. It keeps a democracy honest.”



Last year Goodman, along with four others, was honored with the Right Livelihood Award, often referred to as “the alternative Nobel prize.” She was the only American honoree and the first journalist to receive the award in its 29-year history.



Amidst the turmoil however, Goodman is foremost a human being, and can still inflict some levity. When asked what music takes her away she replied with a chuckle and adoring sigh, “Oh, I just love Michael Franti.” She counts Nina Simone, Ani DiFranco, and Angelique Kidjo among her favorites as well.



She is known amongst colleagues for her surefire wit and great sense of humor. John Ford, on-air host and development coordinator at KAOS, says that her sense of irony ranks among the best, and he is more than proud to show support for Goodman and her work. They have been carrying Democracy Now! since its inception in 1996.



“Amy goes beyond the soundbites,” says Ford, “She asks uncomfortable questions at comfortable people. She lays it out there that well-informed people are more than capable to judge for themselves. Not a lot of people do that.”



Goodman will be in Olympia speaking at a benefit for KAOS and TCTV this Sunday at Olympia’s Capitol Theater. This is the second time the local organizations have partnered to bring her to Olympia. Ford likes to think of their 10-plus-year partnership as a form of Thurston Community Media, although he adds that’s not an official moniker.



Goodman’s appearance comes near the beginning of a 50-date book tour in support of the paperback release of her newest book, Standing Up to the Madness: Ordinary Heroes in Extraordinary Times. The book is co-authored by her brother and award-winning photojournalist, David Goodman. They have written three books together, all of which are New York Times bestsellers.



KAOS broadcasts Democracy Now! on your FM dial at 89.3 at 9 a.m. Monday through Friday. TCTV also runs Democracy Now! twice a day on Channel 22 at 5 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.



[Capitol Theater, benefit for KAOS-FM 89.3 and TCTV with Amy Goodman, Sunday, March 29, 5:30 p.m., $10, tickets available at Rainy Day Records, Traditions Fair Trade, at the door the day of show or online at buyolympia.com, 206 Fifth Ave., Olympia, 360.754.5378]