Connecticut Carry - Press Release - Huffington Post perpetuates a lie

Other media organizations back down and retract their lies, Huffington Post Reporter Christina Wilkie doubles down

Hartford, Connecticut, 3/1/2013:

Huffington Post Report Christina Wilkie decided to join MSNBC’s ‘Heckling Hoax’ and double down on a lie by publishing the second article with the Huffington Post that tries to claim that citizens at a legislative public hearing ‘heckled’ the father of a victim of the Newtown Massacre.

Reporter Wilkie demonstrated her lack of ethics and rationality by stating in her article that “gun rights activists in the audience at that hearing shouted "Second Amendment!" at Heslin when he questioned why civilians should be permitted to carry military-style assault weapons”. The reporter also attached a maliciously edited video with the title ‘Gun Activists Heckle Father of Sandy Hook Victim’. The video, edited in an extreme manner, does not show the father asking a hypothetical question to the members of the public hearing and their respectful silence. It only shows his affirmation that their silence to his question indicates defeat, at which point a few people call out that the ‘second amendment’ would be a potential reason that people should be able to posses the firearm he is advocating for a ban of.

The reporter was contacted about this issue and the only reply received with regards to her atrociously misleading article was:

I simply explained what happened. Heslin questioned and members of the audience shouted "Second Amendment." This event was not a townhall or an open forum, where audiences are expected to pipe up. It was a hearing, and he was testifying. His question was rhetorical. At no point did I accuse anyone of "heckling."
This response is despite the fact that the article linked in this article has a title of “Neil Heslin, Father Of Newtown Victim, Heckled By Pro-Gun Activists (VIDEO, PHOTOS)” and the video embedded in this article has a title of “Gun Activists Heckle Father of Sandy Hook Victim”. Ms. Wilkie appears to be unwilling to accept the responsibility for her unethical behavior.

Connecticut Carry has advised the reporter to take the time to actually watch the video of the hearing and retract and apologize for their misinformation in the article, but no response has been received to this request as of this press release. Honest reporting on the actual events would be a significant change compared to the horrendous and fallacious characterization of the events that Ms. Wilkie presents.

It is shameful that Christina Wilkie, The Huffington Post, MSNBC and several other media sources have chose to capitalize on this tragedy with such an extreme lack of honesty and ethics.

At least some reporters have retracted their previous statements, showing at least a bit of shame and responsibility for their actions.

The article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/27/neil-heslin-assault-weapons-ban-newtown_n_2774598.html

The full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvT9peqTM5E

Slate’s retraction: http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slat...ar_old_jesse_lewis_heckled_by_gun_rights.html

MSNBC caught maliciously editing video: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/msnbc-airs-sandy-hook-fathers-416977

MSNBC’s article very weakly corrected with the full video: http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/01/29/neil-heslin-father-of-slain-6-year-old-heckled/

Connecticut Carry is dedicated to advancing and protecting the fundamental civil rights of the men and women of Connecticut to keep and bear arms for defense of themselves and the state as guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Constitution of Connecticut.

Contact:
Richard Burgess
President
Connecticut Carry, Inc
Ph: 203-208-9577
Email: rich@ctcarry.com
http://ctcarry.com

Rich is FIRED up on this point ...

You go !

"At no point did I accuse anyone of "heckling."
This response is despite the fact that the article linked in this article has a title of “Neil Heslin, Father Of Newtown Victim, Heckled By Pro-Gun Activists"

Somehow I can't find that title, but even if it was/is there, there is a "possibility" her statement may be technically correct. Reporters sometimes don't write the titles for their own stories.

Nevertheless, it is her name on it, so she, Huffington Post, etc.. should be held accountable, and the release is aggressive and on target.

In the video, the father's pain is absolutely heart-rending, but it can't be allowed to give him a blank check to disparage people's rights and advocate for their deprivation. And anti-gun organizations will play that sympathy card forever if they can get away with it, and expect the grief some political advocates have experienced is or should be enough to shut down dissent.

Couple years after the VA Tech murders, three of us were passing near Blacksburg on our way to the National Gun Rights Policy Conference (I think it was in Kentucky that year) when we were informed about a panel assembled at VT to discuss gun safety in a public forum (VA Tech auditorium) so we diverted to arrive there just in time. It was quickly evident the entire "panel" on the stage was made up of anti-gun notables who called themselves the "VA Tech Families," all of whom were anti-rights advocates who had family links to people who had been killed, wounded, or threatened that terrible day in 2007. Cameras were also present to film the intended anti-gun presentation.

I had with me hundreds of of our signature "Gun Saves Lives" stickers and we started offering them to the audience as we moved through the aisles. Turns out most of the audience were not anti-gun, as we were passing out stickers fast as people could take them and put them on. Absolutely ruined the photo opportunity that would otherwise have been promoted as hundreds of gun control advocates.

One lady came down from the stage and angrily stepped in front of me, said she was the "minister" to the grieving families, and asked me to "prayerfully" desist in my hurtful activities.

I told her simply that "others with differing opinions also have the right to be heard," and continued on.

In the case of this release, the point is made by striking at the biased and unethical news media, without having to risk alienating sensitivities by directly confronting the father in the video while the wounds are still so fresh.

But if (or when) some of them make a public career of anti-rights advocacy, the gloves will need to come off. For about five excruciatingly long years, the press will pander to them any time they get a soap box to stand on, but even that will pass eventually.

Riverdance said:

Somehow I can't find that title

Click to expand...

"Neil Heslin, Father Of Newtown Victim, Heckled By Pro-Gun Activists (VIDEO, PHOTOS)"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/29/neil-heslin-father-of-newtown-victim-heckled_n_2572503.html


It would really help if in the future you would use the forum's quoting feature properly.