It’s Because of You

A community like nothing else on the internet.

Hey fam,

I finally got my picture in the Washington Post and I have you to thank.

The Post ran a big profile of The Bulwark last week, but it wasn’t really about The Bulwark. It was about you guys: The Bulwark’s community.

Years ago, in the beginning, I’d get tons of emails every day from Bulwark readers. I’d try to answer as many of them as I would and over the years I’ve become close friends with a bunch of these people.

When we moved to Substack, I decided to open the comments section on my newsletter, The Triad, because I thought that our readers were so interesting and kind that they’d enjoy interacting with each other. And there’s a reason we sell the shirt: I was absolutely right.

The comments section in The Triad is unlike any other place on the internet. It’s a real community built on good faith where people don’t call each other names. When people disagree, sometimes they change their minds. A few weeks ago one person in the comments said that she thought that a guy replying to her was being dismissive—he apologized and they went on to have a great conversation.

If you’re new here, we only let paid Bulwark+ members comment. We don’t have comments for the sake of pageviews for crappy advertisements—we have comments for the insights and community it allows when done right. Many members are active and many more read the comments but don’t necessarily join in. And that’s okay too.

[Take the next 30 days to see for yourself if a Bulwark+ membership is right for you—FREE.]

This community that has grown up around The Bulwark doesn’t just talk. We frequently raise money together. Every so often, I’ll come across a need somewhere. One time it was an autistic kid trying to raise money so that other autistic kids could attend a summer camp that changed his life. Another time it was putting together enough money to rescue an Afghan interpreter who had helped American soldiers from the Taliban. Point is: Every time I put out the call, The Bulwark community responds to the need.

It’s one of the most extraordinary things I’ve seen in 28 years of working in journalism.

Last year we started doing live events. We don’t do these things to make money—they’re just break-even prepositions for us. We do them because when a few hundred people from The Bulwark family get together in the same place, the sense of joy is palpable. People meet old friends. They make new friends. They get renewed.

Here’s a true thing: Internally, when we talk about The Bulwark’s “audience,” I refer to you guys as The Bulwark family.

Thank you for that. It has been an honor and a privilege to be part of this family. And if you’d like to go deeper and become part of Bulwark+, here’s my encouragement: Just do it. You won’t regret it.

And if you’ve always wanted to join Bulwark+ but can’t, because it’s a financial hardship, just reply to this email and we’ll figure something out. Our mantra from the start has been that anyone who wants to be a part of The Bulwark, should be.

After all, it’s not a real family if the only people allowed to join are those who can afford it.

But if you can swing it and you’re curious: Come see why The Bulwark is different. This is the place you’ve been looking for. And we can’t wait to spend more time with you.

Best,
JVL

Honest news. Smart analysis. Good faith.

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Offer: 30 days FREE to test drive an annual Bulwark+ membership. Cancel before the end of the 30 day trial and owe nothing. Do nothing and we’ll add 12 more months to your subscription for $100—that’s less than $8.33 per month. Cancel anytime.