B次元官网网址淭he 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 itB次元官网网址檚 through the barrel of a gun.B次元官网网址� - 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 paperB次元官网网址檚 employees online. The reporter didnB次元官网网址檛 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 canB次元官网网址檛 fault the reporter or officers. RamosB次元官网网址� 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.

ItB次元官网网址檚 likely that many reporters encounter death threats throughout their career. ItB次元官网网址檚 our job to print the truth and sometimes that isnB次元官网网址檛 popular. Forbes and Huffington Post writer once said, B次元官网网址淚f youB次元官网网址檙e not pissing someone off, you probably arenB次元官网网址檛 doing anything important.B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 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.

B次元官网网址� Lisa Joy/Black Press B次元官网网址 Services

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