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_slatest/2013/01/29/neil_heslin_father_of_slain_6_year_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:
http://www.ctcarry.com