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EDITORIAL: Maryland journalists killed in pursuit of truth

Five people were gunned down in the Capital Gazette newsroom
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People gather for a vigil in response to a shooting at the Capital Gazette newsroom, Friday, June 29, 2018, in front of the Maryland State House in Annapolis, Md. Prosecutors say Jarrod W. Ramos opened fire Thursday in the newsroom. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœThe Capital, like all newspapers, angered people every day in its pursuit of the news. In my day, people protested by writing letters to the editor; today it91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s through the barrel of a gun.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ - Tom Marquardt

Those are the words from former executive editor and publisher of The Capital Gazette after June 28, killing four in the editorial department and one from the sales department.

A reporter at The Capital did a court story about Jarrod Ramos, the suspected gunman. The story was about his conviction for criminal harassment charges against a female high school classmate. Ramos filed a defamation case against the newspaper and attacked the paper91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s employees online. The reporter didn91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t want to pursue charges against Ramos and risk making the situation worse. The investigating officer determined there was no threat.

They were wrong.

But you can91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t fault the reporter or officers. Ramos91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™ threats were veiled. They seemed more like online bashing rants.

This incident, however, highlights the fact that reporters die for simply doing their jobs. Last year about 81 reporters worldwide died in targeted killings and crossfire incidents, according to the International Federation of Journalists.

It91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s likely that many reporters encounter death threats throughout their career. It91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s our job to print the truth and sometimes that isn91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t popular. Forbes and Huffington Post writer once said, 91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœIf you91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™re not pissing someone off, you probably aren91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t doing anything important.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ

It91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s not uncommon for reporters to get hate mail and, as journalists, we develop plank thick skin. The verbal and online bashing rolls off like grease from a Teflon pan.

Death threats, however, are another thing. We never get used to them. Neither should the public.

An attack on journalists is an attack on the truth and, in the end, democracy.

91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ“ Lisa Joy/Black Press News Services


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