I was covering a story about a benefit concert last weekend.

After I did a standard interview with someone, I was asked an intriguing question.

The interviewee asked me if I was going to take her interview and “spin” it to make it say what I want it to.

I just smiled and assured her I was not one of the “evil” journalists who makes up stories or twists quotes to my liking.

The worst part is its is not the first time I have been asked that question. In fact, I probably have been asked that more than a dozen times.

And I can’t even count how many times I’ve been treated rudely over the phone or even hung up on.

Being a journalist is not always easy.

The pay is bad, the hours are horrible, and the stress causes many to drink whiskey like it’s water.

But you know what, that stuff really doesn’t bother me.

What really gets under my skin is the fact that many people assume that most journalists are pushy, self-serving people who will do anything to get a story, even if that means bending the facts or making them up completely.

Don’t get me wrong, bad journalists like Jayson Blair and Stephen Glass exist. But what people need to understand is those journalists are in the minority.

In any profession, whether you are a lawyer, police officer or teacher, the world has people who are good and those who are bad.

What we need to learn is to not automatically jump to the conclusion that most journalists are the “bad guys.”

It’s an incorrect, cynical and harsh world view.

In my experience, most journalists, whether they are in print, television, or photography, are looking to have an effect on the world.

Many feel that they can use their pen or camera to educate the public about truly important reasons.

We certainly are not doing it for the amazing pay or people’s respect. Truth be told, many journalists are idealists at heart.

It takes a very thick skin to be a journalist or writer of any kind.

Our work is put out on the page every day for anyone and everyone to critique.

Every time we make a mistake or an innocent typo, it will be glaring at us on the front page, ready to be clipped and sent for Jay Leno to mock.

If you are a freshman and are considering a career in journalism, ask yourself if you are able to handle criticism well.

So why do we do it? We do it because we believe we don’t have to be complacent with the status quo in our country and the world.

We do it because we learn new things and meet new people almost every day. And lastly, we do it because maybe we are a little insane.

But as the writer Phillip K. Dick once said, “Sometimes the appropriate response to reality is to go insane.”