Montana blogger Crystal Cox has been slammed with a court ruling which says she owes $2.5 million in damages to Oregon lawyer Kevin Padrick. In hr blog, Cox had accused Padrick of criminal conduct , labeling him a "liar" and "thug." Just like other journalists around the U.S., Cox says that her source of information is confidential.

But no one seems to be asking whether Cox actually told the truth. Instead, an Oregon court ruled that she has to pay up because she is not a "real journalist."

Oregon's media shield has now been interpreted NOT to protect independent writers. Internet writers like Cox, who did not go to journalism school and are not affiliated with a mainstream news company, need not apply for protection under the shield law.

At a time when newspapers all over the world of collapsing, internet journalism and blogging is the future. Tell Congress that bloggers are journalists, too.

We the undersigned understand that words are powerful and should be used carefully. However, the issue in the Crystal Cox case seems to be who she doesn't know, not what she wrote or whether it is true. Just because Cox did not go to journalism school does not mean she should not have the protection of your media shield law. In an age when newspapers around the world are collapsing, Cox and other boggers and independent writers are the journalists of today and tomorrow. Please update your media shield law to reflect these changes. Broaden the law to protect bloggers like Cox.