Alaska Daily (2022–…): Season 1, Episode 7 - Enemy of the People - full transcript
Previously on "Alaska Daily"...
Complaints have surfaced.
We need to walk back the story.
You do that, Rushmi, I walk.
Stanley. Why are you here?
Her name
is Gloria Nanmac.
It's a story about how
the Missing and Murdered
Indigenous Women crisis
is being ignored.
Roz, I want to put
you on a story with Eileen.
Why not just give the whole
story to me? It's my story.
Do you know anything
about Alaska?
Following the publication
of your stories,
Durkin was fired.
So was Barnett.
When you expose people, do
you worry about blowback?
Hello,
Eileen. Did you get my gift?
The next bullet you
receive won't be in a box.
Hey, Claire. Hey, Dennis.
How's the blog?
Governor, great to see so
many resources being employed
to find Henley Scott.
Can't put a price on life.
To that point, an Alaska Native
woman's currently missing,
and the amount of
money spent to find her
is less than your sushi lunch.
If it isn't my
favorite pilot poet.
Any chance
you're free tonight?
I gotta rain check.
My, uh, colleagues... I
promised them a drink.
Good night, Eileen.
Night, Jamie.
Eileen.
The truth is, we're
the ones being bullied
by the media.
That is what's happening
in our public discourse.
Disagree with anything they say,
and you're labeled fascist,
racist, homophobic.
- That's bullying.
- Last one inside.
Hey, guys, wait up for me!
They're using language like
a cudgel Roz: Hurry up, Yuna!
To get us to submit to
their moral subjectivism.
Trust me, I know.
I used to work at the
snowflake factory...
Good night, Jamie.
Eileen.
Who are you?
You know who I am.
Concerned Citizen.
Don't do this.
You left me no choice.
Please, God, don't...
don't do this.
Give me your phone.
Get up.
Get up!
There are other people here.
There's no one here, Eileen.
It's just you and me.
Move.
Sit down.
You know, we have a night
editor who comes in.
No one is getting
inside this building.
If they do, you're dead.
I'm late. That's my friends.
They probably are
wondering where I am.
Unlock it.
Slowly.
Whatcha need, Stanley?
So many things.
But I'll settle for
another round for the team.
And a club soda for you?
You got it.
I get that you don't
like the way I do my job.
I'm an outsider.
I'd like to apologize, Mr...
Mm. No names.
Okay. Concerned Citizen.
What can I do to
make things right?
I told you to go
back to New York.
You're still here.
I needed the job.
No one would hire me.
Why are you here?
Because you didn't listen to me.
No one does.
Ah!
And she hits the Redeemer.
Triple 20.
How are you so good at this?
I practically lived
here before I had kids.
Now, that Claire sounds fun.
That Claire was.
Ah! Dagnabbit!
Language,
Bob.
You all right, Stanley?
There's a gunman
in the newsroom.
He's taken Eileen hostage.
What? He thinks it's
Concerned Citizen,
the guy who's been
harassing her.
Who's he? Who are
you talking to?
Gabriel's hiding in the Morgue.
Oh, my God.
Concerned Citizen? The
one who sent the bullet
to Eileen last month?
We should have
contacted the police.
We should call them now.
Won't that set him
off? I mean, it could.
We don't know what
this guy's capable of.
We don't have a
choice. Call them.
Agreed. I'll make the call.
Bob, call Pritchard.
Will do.
What's this for?
Your confession.
What am I confessing about?
How you spread lies
and suppress the truth.
How you faithfully serve
your corporate masters
while they destroy the
backbone of our country.
You read The Eagle?
I do.
Dennis Gibson, he
speaks the truth.
He understands what's
really happening out there.
He has an opinion
about what's happening,
but from what I've read,
he doesn't deal in facts.
Ah. You're one to talk.
You're only in Anchorage
'cause you couldn't get
your facts right
back in New York.
And now you're out here
spreading the same liberal crap.
I'm not political.
I don't even vote.
My obligation is to
maintain objectivity...
Your obligation?!
You abandoned your obligations
a long time ago, lady.
See, I've done the reading.
The purpose of the fourth estate
is to advocate for
the common man,
and that sure as hell
does not describe you.
Okay.
So you want me to confess
about how I'm not doing my job.
Is that it?
Yeah, that's it.
Write.
Karla, could you put
a pot of coffee on?
Yeah, sure can. It got real
quiet back there, though.
Is everything all right?
Uh, no. A situation
in the newsroom.
Someone broke in,
appears to be armed.
Are you serious? Should
we get out of here?
Uh, not sure.
Stanley's still on the
phone with the police,
but you might want to
make this last call.
Uh, oh, and maybe tell
them to use the back door.
That was Captain Freeman.
Freeman's on this?
Not exactly an ally.
Maybe not, but he assured me
that he understands the threat
and he's confident that
he can seal off the TDA
without alerting the gunman.
Can we stay here? I am.
Yeah, I'll talk to Karla.
I know we're all
concerned and scared,
but we need to put all
that aside and focus.
The best way to help
Eileen and Gabriel
is to get the
police some answers.
Who is this guy and why the
hell did he come after Eileen?
Okay, the place is all
yours. Back door's locked.
Front door is open to the
police like you asked, okay?
Thank you, Karla.
Alright, I got
our phone records,
but until we get the
Concerned Citizen's name,
there's nothing to cross check.
There's a guy who's been posting
in our comments section
recently... Oilman223.
Listen to this.
"Environmentalism is the
greatest thing to happen
to increased government
control since 9/11."
That sounds like
Dennis. It does.
I'm on The Eagle blog right now.
Oilman223 basically
did a cut and paste.
He's
definitely a follower.
Hey, I got the same handle
trolling Eileen's Twitter...
will be her last."
Did you check the profile
biography for a name?
Yeah, it's blank.
He's disabled location
services, too.
This jerk was getting
ready for this.
Let's crowdsource it.
Publish his handle.
Someone has to know
his real identity.
We'd risk exposing the story.
Yeah, about that. I
hate to bring it up,
but are we reporting this
hostage situation or not?
Fair question. Any
other hostage crisis,
we'd be all over it.
But if we go public,
there's no telling
how Oilman223 will react.
The police are on their way.
It's only gonna be
unnoticed for so long.
TV crews get wind of
it, it's gonna blow up.
Who cares? It's
not about that.
We'll deal with
that when it comes.
Sure, we'll get scooped,
but I want to give the cops
as much time as possible.
Remember, we'll be the only ones
on the inside of this thing,
so the second it breaks,
we should be posting
a minute-by-minute
account on TDA's feed.
Until then, no reporting.
You done?
Not yet.
I understand what
you want me to write,
but it's not what I believe.
Yeah.
That's the problem.
You write whatever you want.
You don't care who goes
down because of it.
Can you give me an example?
Your last article
on General Greene
grounded an entire
fleet of F41s.
The production line at
Armeon was shut down.
A lot of people are
gonna lose their jobs.
Tell that to the parents
of the dead pilot.
That's not the point.
It is the point.
Printing the truth
has hard consequences,
and we all struggle with that,
but you can't blame me for...
Don't give me that "Don't
shoot the messenger" crap.
Then don't shoot the messenger.
Finish the confession.
And then what?
Oh, come
on. Pick up, pick up.
Talk to me.
You okay?
For now.
And Eileen?
It's pretty tense in there.
He's forcing her to
write a confession.
Is she going along with it?
She is, but not quietly.
I want to help, but
I don't know how.
Stay calm. We're
talking to the police.
Is there a way you can
get a message to Eileen?
Without being seen?
I-I-I don't know.
He took away her phone. Uh...
Wait.
She can see the Analytics Page.
Okay, we have a way to
get information to Eileen.
Where are we with Oilman223?
He's created dozens of sock
puppet accounts on Twitter.
Fakes? People use it to
amplify their messaging,
and he's having them like
and retweet his comments.
What a loser. None of the
accounts are verified,
but I found a link that's
connected to a website.
The domain name is
registered by an E. L. Barry.
I'm logged into Nexis.
There's an Eric Lowell Barry.
Address on Spenard. Not
sure if it's current.
Um, a few unpaid parking
tickets and a DUI.
But no history of violent crime?
Anybody get a photo on this guy?
Here.
What are you
doing? Gabriel can see him.
Stanley.
Aaron, back here.
Got him.
I'll let Anchorage PD
know we have a name.
We have a name?
We do. Eric Lowell Barry.
What do we know about him?
He's disgruntled,
to say the least.
How's Eileen doing?
Gabriel says she
seems all right.
We have a way to get her
messages on the Analytics Page.
Let's go talk to Captain
Freeman. He's here.
Okay.
Bravo Team
to Ground Element.
I have eyes on the suspect.
Copy, Bravo Team.
Sit tight.
Mr. Cornik, Mr. Pritchard.
Captain. How can we help?
You've been very helpful so far.
This is Laura
Cole, senior member
of our Crisis Negotiation Team.
I understand we have
a name, Eric Barry,
and can communicate with Eileen.
Anything else? Not yet.
We're still compiling
info on Eric.
I need Cole to establish
contact as soon as possible.
What's the best office
line for us to call?
Is that safe? Calling?
The best way to
protect your colleagues
is to get this guy talking.
But any other info your team
uncovers would be very helpful.
Okay, so let's keep
sharing information.
In the meantime, I'm
gonna have our snipers
monitoring the newsroom.
"I confess that I,
Eileen Fitzgerald,
am a member of the
liberal media elite.
Not only is my reporting biased,
it represents a concerted
effort to suppress the truth
and spread lies,
lies which only serve
the global interests of
multi-national corporations
whose ultimate aim is to
control our government
and restrict our
constitutional freedoms..."
That work?
Yeah. Now type it
up and publish it.
I can't do that.
The hell you can't.
No, I-I literally mean I can't.
I don't know how to publish.
My editor has to
send me a live link.
Then get him to send you a link.
It won't work. He has
to read it, proof it.
Uh, I mean, editors
are like dogs.
They have to piss on everything.
This isn't some damn joke.
I'm not joking. This
confession isn't me.
He'll see right through
it. Anyone who reads it
will see right through it.
That might be my editor.
Let me talk to him...
Report. What happened?
Report.
Report.
What
happened? Did the suspect fire?
Confirmed.
A shot was fired.
Stand by for confirmation.
Shot was wide.
Hostage is unharmed.
I
wasn't gonna answer it.
I'm just making sure.
I have to go to the bathroom.
This better not be
some kind of trick.
It isn't.
I've been here
for hours. Please.
What was
that? Everything okay?
He fired his weapon,
but Eileen's okay.
Claire, you should go home,
deal with your family.
Jeff's got it handled.
I'm not leaving, not while
they're still in there.
None of us are.
Thanks, Karla.
Okay, where are we?
Still compiling Eric's
posts and comments.
Any idea why he targeted Eileen?
He definitely hates
mainstream media,
but when it comes
to his trolling,
he doesn't call out
any specific offense.
Yeah, he parrots
Dennis Gibson mostly.
A majority of his
work is on The Eagle.
They were trading
messages right before
Eric walked into the newsroom.
Dennis compared Eileen to
a "spreading cancerous sore
that requires excising."
What a dick.
He was my first
editor at the paper.
I'm gonna wake his ass up.
Cool? Yeah. Go.
Hey, guys. This is
Detective Kowalczyk.
Hello. Hey, Walz.
Austin, good to see you.
Sorry it's under
these circumstances.
Us, too, Detective.
How can we help?
Yeah, I have a last known
address for Eric Barry.
Northwood Drive? Exactly.
He's been fighting
eviction for months.
Guess when the bank
finally foreclosed on him?
Three days ago.
Stanley, maybe I
head over there, too?
Canvass the neighbors,
see what they know?
Yeah. Go.
Well, if your car's out
front, it's, uh, trapped
by the police line.
Uh, can you give me a lift?
Uh, officially, no, but if
we call it a "ride-along,"
I can do, but you
have to ask me first.
Can I do a ride-along
with you, Walz?
If you sign a waiver,
yes. Let's go.
You going?
I can't.
I've never peed at gunpoint.
You worked on oil
rigs? Your boots.
I covered the Deepwater
Horizon in 2010.
Yeah, you covered it, huh?
You ever do any real
work, or just cover it?
I think what I do is real.
But if you mean skilled
labor, not so much.
My father did.
He was a steel worker
in Youngstown, Ohio.
Just like his father.
He was proud of that.
I was, too.
That supposed to make me
like you or something?
You keep calling me elite.
I didn't grow up with
money or fancy schools.
My mom was a teacher.
We didn't have a lot,
but it was a good life.
Then that all went sideways in
the '80s when the mills closed.
My dad was never the same.
It broke him.
It broke our whole family.
We both know how this goes down.
You're about to
be national news.
Use it. Use me.
Let me tell your story.
So you can twist it into
some angry-white-male crap
for your woke mob?
I was canceled by that mob.
Screw them.
I'll be fair.
And anyway, you'll
be able to read it
before I send it to
my editor to publish.
My words?
Gabriel says Eileen
has Eric talking now,
seems less agitated.
That can change
in a split second.
And no luck reaching
him on the phone?
We tried a couple of
the other landlines.
He didn't shoot them,
but he's not picking up.
So, what's the plan?
I have three
sniper teams in position.
Only one has a high
probability of a kill shot.
I want to give him the green
light, but there's one problem.
What's that?
Your reporter's in the way.
You want us to tell her to
move so you can shoot the guy?
Might be the quickest,
safest way to end this thing.
I say do it.
I worked on rigs all my
life, onshore and off.
Started on the North Slope
straight out of high
school as a worm.
Worked my way up.
Shell came to town in,
uh, 2012
with a $6 billion spend.
Those were great years.
Coulda kept it
going, but then ANWR
and all that crap messed it up.
Who's ANWR?
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
See, the Feds, they control
this huge amount of land,
but they're controlled
by Greenpeace
and all these other
environmental freaks.
Protested non-stop.
They delayed our ice-breakers.
They sabotaged the Kulluk.
The drilling rig? Yeah.
Well, I thought that thing
had problems for years...
Multiple engine failures,
that kinda thing.
Yeah, if you believe
the mainstream press.
So, Shell pulled out?
In 2015, then Chevron,
then Imperial.
Governmental regulations
and this mass hysteria
over this global warming
BS has killed Alaska oil.
You really think
global warming is BS?
Well, I think it's
a zero sum game.
Either we burn fossil fuels,
or... or we mine for
"green" batteries.
It's all the same result.
So why not just let us work?
Meanwhile, I-I haven't
worked for seven years.
Seven.
And, yeah, it breaks you.
What are you looking at?
Just wondering if it's
light outside yet.
Damn it. She said
no. She's not moving.
God. Why is she
protecting this guy?
Why does Eileen do anything?
If she's talking to Barry,
he may have become
more human to her.
She knows if she plays
along with us, he's dead.
She doesn't want to be
responsible for his death.
Let's hope he
feels the same way.
I wouldn't count on it.
In my experience, as
the pressure mounts,
there's a good chance he
could act on his plan.
Which is to kill Eileen.
Based on what we know, yes.
Oh. Did I wake you? The
hell are you doing here?
One of your devoted
followers has taken
Eileen Fitzgerald
hostage in the newsroom
at gunpoint.
Suggesting it's my fault?
I'm suggesting you need to
talk some sense into him.
So, now I'm the nut whisperer.
Nuts you embolden.
Eric Barry.
You probably know him
better as Oilman223.
I've had a few
exchanges with him.
I don't recall telling him
to take a reporter hostage.
Last night, an
hour before he did,
you two corresponded on
the Eagle message board.
He asked you what a
man's supposed to do
while people like
Eileen Fitzgerald
"twist facts to turn the
great state of Alaska
into another woke
mess like California."
It's a good question. Mm-hmm.
And what did you say?
I say a lot of things to
my devoted readers. I...
"Take action, Oilman223.
Reporters like Eileen Fitzgerald
are a spreading cancerous
sore that requires excising."
It goes without saying, I'm
speaking metaphorically.
When I talk about taking
action, I mean political action.
I don't think Eric got
the nuance of that.
You need to call him.
I'm not getting involved.
You are involved.
Do you want him to kill her?
You can't put this on me, Roz.
I didn't make him sad
and angry and frustrated.
All I did was let
him know he was right
to feel those things,
which he deserved to hear.
I can write this
story one of two ways.
Either you're a villain who
instigated a hostage situation
or a hero who helped
save a fellow journalist.
What's it gonna be?
Good morning. Mr. Torgeson?
Yeah. Austin Teague,
Daily Alaskan.
I wanted to ask you a few
questions about your neighbor,
Eric Barry.
Why? Something happen?
Well, I can't give
any specifics,
but he got himself into some
trouble with the police.
I'm just trying to get
some background on him.
Guess I'm not surprised.
Yeah? Why's that?
We used to have a beer
every once in a while.
He took some hits in his
life and got real angry.
And paranoid.
Paranoid? Yeah.
Fenced in his yard.
Even started booby-trapping
the property.
He almost killed my dog.
Walz! Walz, hold up!
Walz?
Walz?
Cool. Okay.
Look. It's nice, huh?
I get that it's been
hard, but oil jobs
are coming back, right?
Not for people like me.
Which means that even if
things are equal résumé wise,
and mostly they're not,
I'm not getting hired.
You think that's fair? Hmm?
Or even legal?
Maybe not the way
you describe it.
You sound like my ex-wife.
What happened?
She met someone with
a sunnier outlook.
I'm sorry. Kids?
Daughter.
Where is she now?
I don't want to talk about her.
You leave her out of
this. You hear me?
I hear you.
I clear first, then you come in.
Yeah.
Yeah.
We're good.
Guess he didn't pay his
electric bill, either.
Hey, Walz.
Yeah?
Daughter.
You know, let me see if
I can find her socials.
Daisy Barry.
Alright, got her.
She's pretty active
on Instagram.
Her last post was from rehab.
Hmm.
You should read.
This is a goodbye letter.
Mr. Barry doesn't expect
to come out of this alive.
People have started posting
about the police presence.
We knew this would happen.
That was Austin. Eric has
a daughter, college age.
He left her a goodbye letter.
Where is she?
In a treatment
center in Wasilla.
We should reach out. She
might be able to help.
We should. Find her. Now.
I can drive. No, I can't.
My car's in the lot.
Here. Take my Range Rover.
It's in the back alley.
Range Rover? Never drove a car
that cost more than my house.
Do you know who first
sounded the alarm
on the greenhouse effect?
I don't know. Some
Harvard jackass?
No.
It was Exxon.
1977. They funded a study.
Their own scientists
discovered that CO2
from carbon emissions was
catastrophic to the Earth.
They recommended that
Exxon lead the charge
in alternative fuel sources.
But they didn't.
No. They buried it.
It didn't resurface until
reporters dug it up.
Finding the truth is like
climbing out of a well.
You have to pile
fact on top of fact.
When you're struggling
just to keep the lights on
or put food on the table,
facts don't matter much.
Facts matter because the anger
is fueled by misinformation,
and that comes from
so-called "trusted sources,"
like your friend Dennis.
Yeah, well, Dennis describes
the world I actually live in.
He does.
He understands that
people are struggling.
They feel abandoned, pushed
to the back of the line.
But he also exploits that
pain until anger metastasizes
into an idea...
Someone needs to pay.
And then you pick up a gun.
Not him. You.
Hello?
Good morning, Mr. Barry.
My name is Laura Cole.
I'm with the APD's
Crisis Negotiation Team.
We have units
outside the building,
but I want to assure
you nobody is coming in.
I just want to
talk. Okay. Talk.
First, can you tell me
how Eileen Fitzgerald is?
She's fine. For the moment.
"Deranged Anchorage Man Takes
Journalist Hostage at TDA."
So now I'm deranged, huh?
Why do you keep looking at that?
Just waiting for you
to finish reading.
Stop talking.
Alright. Where are these
messages coming from?
Are these coming from inside?
They could be coming from
anyone with a computer.
Stop lying to me!
Tell me where these
messages are coming from.
Come here.
He knows.
He's coming for me.
Gabriel, he's going to find you.
Try to stay calm
and do what he says.
We're doing everything we can.
Get Roz on the phone.
Tell her we need Dennis
to call Eric now.
Get over here.
- Come here! Get over here!
- Hey, it's okay.
Shut up. Come on. Stop!
Come with me. Please,
please, please.
"Confirm at
9:17 p. m. Last night,
Eileen Fitzgerald
was taken hostage
by a disgruntled oil worker."
Okay, next tweet. Go.
"#Breaking... Moments ago, a
second reporter who was hiding
in the TDA building
was also taken hostage.
Anchorage PD is on the scene.
So far, the gunman has
been unresponsive."
In the corner! Stay down!
Let me explain.
Shut up!
Just sit there.
You tell your guys to
stay back right now.
Huh? You hear me?
Oilman223, hey.
Dennis Gibson here.
What? That's right.
Quite a circus down
at The Daily Alaskan.
Just curious what your...
What your take is.
How'd you get my number?
You listed it when
you subscribed.
Yeah, well...
I haven't really been
following the news.
Yeah, it's all over Twitter.
Just... what's going on?
I'm just... I'm just doing
my part. That's all, Dennis.
Okay, well, I just
wanted to make sure
that you and everyone
else was safe
and handling the situation
in the right way.
It's handled.
E-Eric, listen, man,
I use language sometimes
to fire people up.
But I-I never meant...
You never meant what?
A word of it?
They got to you, didn't they?
What? No. No one got to me.
They got to you.
No one... Eric.
He's gone.
Wait, Roz, you saw
me. Hey, I tried.
You... You can't put this on me.
I'm not the criminal here.
You sure about that?
You think that
was clever, huh?
Having Gibson call me?
Mr. Barry, I don't
know any Gibson.
If someone else called you,
that didn't go through us.
Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah,
you wanna play me?
Go ahead. See what happens.
That is not our
intention, Mr. Barry.
I promised you we would
keep our distance.
We have and will continue to,
but I need you to negotiate
with me in good faith.
Then stop playing games.
No games. I promise.
We know you are holding
two people inside now.
Is anyone hurt?
No. No one's hurt.
Good.
Now, why don't we start
with what you want.
What I want, huh?
Your demands. Can you
share that with me?
Offer to let Gabriel go.
I can't leave you with him.
Mr. Barry?
Yeah, I'm s... I'm still here.
Trust me, Eric.
It will buy you some
time and good will.
I'll call you back.
This type of traumatic
news could cause a relapse,
so I'm concerned that...
You're concerned?
Some nutjob is holding a gun
on two of our colleagues.
You heard that part, right?
We'll be as tactful as we can.
Daisy, these are reporters
from The Daily Alaskan.
They want to talk to
you about your father.
That's my dad in there?
I'm sorry to spring this on you,
but our friends
are in real danger.
Well, what can I do?
We'd like for you to come
back to the newsroom with us.
If you could just
talk to your dad...
There's nothing that I can say.
I haven't seen or
spoken to him in years.
Just seeing you
there could help.
He threw me out.
He can't stand me.
That's not true.
He left you a letter
full of regret.
And you can read it, but
what you need to know
is that he was saying goodbye.
He's not planning
on coming out alive.
You could change that.
Look, my dad, he
doesn't want to change.
He's not well.
I'm the last person
that could reach him.
I can't help you.
Daisy, please... I just can't.
I'm sorry.
Daisy. Wait!
What's on your mind?
I'm not sure.
I'm just tired of
feeling like this.
Of feeling less than.
And being angry...
at everyone.
Eric, it feels like we're
coming to the end here.
No one's been hurt, which means
you can walk out that door
and not give away
your entire future.
What future?
Can I see that?
What you've been writing?
You don't make me
sound like a monster...
or an idiot.
You're gonna get this printed?
You have my word.
Well, that's something, I guess.
That's something.
Eric, where are you going?
Eric, don't.
Eric.
Eileen.
Come to me! Come to me!
You're both good
to go. Thanks.
Never seen anyone
die before. Have you?
I have, yeah.
In Afghanistan.
Eileen.
Are you hurt?
No, I'm okay. Thanks.
Oh, God.
Hey, is, uh, the bar still open?
We've been here all night.
All of us. Never
left. Even Bob.
He and Yuna went to track
down Barry's daughter.
You're good people.
Thanks.
You're one of us.
Come on. I'll take
you back to the hotel.
Last night, a man
broke into the newsroom
of The Daily Alaskan and
threatened to end my life
because he didn't like
the way I did my job.
I was shocked, of course.
But sadly, I was not surprised.
Several months ago,
a well-respected
investigative reporter
was stabbed to death
outside his Las Vegas home
by a corrupt politician
he exposed.
Physical attacks on
members of the press
have risen dramatically
in recent years.
One only need to turn on
the TV to understand why.
It's become fashionable
for people in power,
right up to those
in the White House,
to delegitimize
print journalists
by calling what
we write fake news
and designating reporters
as "enemies of the people."
There are armies of
talking heads and bloggers,
in the mainstream
and on the fringe,
echoing that message,
not just demonizing reporters,
but dehumanizing them, too.
These attacks put a
bullseye on our backs,
and if we don't stand up
against this as a society
and remind our harshest critics
that liberty depends on
a fair and free press,
the bullseye will wind up on
the back of democracy itself.
Pursuit of a common truth is
a responsibility I cherish
and will never, ever abandon,
even if you put
a gun to my head.
Hi.
It's me.
Yeah.
Uh, I got a favor to ask.
Complaints have surfaced.
We need to walk back the story.
You do that, Rushmi, I walk.
Stanley. Why are you here?
Her name
is Gloria Nanmac.
It's a story about how
the Missing and Murdered
Indigenous Women crisis
is being ignored.
Roz, I want to put
you on a story with Eileen.
Why not just give the whole
story to me? It's my story.
Do you know anything
about Alaska?
Following the publication
of your stories,
Durkin was fired.
So was Barnett.
When you expose people, do
you worry about blowback?
Hello,
Eileen. Did you get my gift?
The next bullet you
receive won't be in a box.
Hey, Claire. Hey, Dennis.
How's the blog?
Governor, great to see so
many resources being employed
to find Henley Scott.
Can't put a price on life.
To that point, an Alaska Native
woman's currently missing,
and the amount of
money spent to find her
is less than your sushi lunch.
If it isn't my
favorite pilot poet.
Any chance
you're free tonight?
I gotta rain check.
My, uh, colleagues... I
promised them a drink.
Good night, Eileen.
Night, Jamie.
Eileen.
The truth is, we're
the ones being bullied
by the media.
That is what's happening
in our public discourse.
Disagree with anything they say,
and you're labeled fascist,
racist, homophobic.
- That's bullying.
- Last one inside.
Hey, guys, wait up for me!
They're using language like
a cudgel Roz: Hurry up, Yuna!
To get us to submit to
their moral subjectivism.
Trust me, I know.
I used to work at the
snowflake factory...
Good night, Jamie.
Eileen.
Who are you?
You know who I am.
Concerned Citizen.
Don't do this.
You left me no choice.
Please, God, don't...
don't do this.
Give me your phone.
Get up.
Get up!
There are other people here.
There's no one here, Eileen.
It's just you and me.
Move.
Sit down.
You know, we have a night
editor who comes in.
No one is getting
inside this building.
If they do, you're dead.
I'm late. That's my friends.
They probably are
wondering where I am.
Unlock it.
Slowly.
Whatcha need, Stanley?
So many things.
But I'll settle for
another round for the team.
And a club soda for you?
You got it.
I get that you don't
like the way I do my job.
I'm an outsider.
I'd like to apologize, Mr...
Mm. No names.
Okay. Concerned Citizen.
What can I do to
make things right?
I told you to go
back to New York.
You're still here.
I needed the job.
No one would hire me.
Why are you here?
Because you didn't listen to me.
No one does.
Ah!
And she hits the Redeemer.
Triple 20.
How are you so good at this?
I practically lived
here before I had kids.
Now, that Claire sounds fun.
That Claire was.
Ah! Dagnabbit!
Language,
Bob.
You all right, Stanley?
There's a gunman
in the newsroom.
He's taken Eileen hostage.
What? He thinks it's
Concerned Citizen,
the guy who's been
harassing her.
Who's he? Who are
you talking to?
Gabriel's hiding in the Morgue.
Oh, my God.
Concerned Citizen? The
one who sent the bullet
to Eileen last month?
We should have
contacted the police.
We should call them now.
Won't that set him
off? I mean, it could.
We don't know what
this guy's capable of.
We don't have a
choice. Call them.
Agreed. I'll make the call.
Bob, call Pritchard.
Will do.
What's this for?
Your confession.
What am I confessing about?
How you spread lies
and suppress the truth.
How you faithfully serve
your corporate masters
while they destroy the
backbone of our country.
You read The Eagle?
I do.
Dennis Gibson, he
speaks the truth.
He understands what's
really happening out there.
He has an opinion
about what's happening,
but from what I've read,
he doesn't deal in facts.
Ah. You're one to talk.
You're only in Anchorage
'cause you couldn't get
your facts right
back in New York.
And now you're out here
spreading the same liberal crap.
I'm not political.
I don't even vote.
My obligation is to
maintain objectivity...
Your obligation?!
You abandoned your obligations
a long time ago, lady.
See, I've done the reading.
The purpose of the fourth estate
is to advocate for
the common man,
and that sure as hell
does not describe you.
Okay.
So you want me to confess
about how I'm not doing my job.
Is that it?
Yeah, that's it.
Write.
Karla, could you put
a pot of coffee on?
Yeah, sure can. It got real
quiet back there, though.
Is everything all right?
Uh, no. A situation
in the newsroom.
Someone broke in,
appears to be armed.
Are you serious? Should
we get out of here?
Uh, not sure.
Stanley's still on the
phone with the police,
but you might want to
make this last call.
Uh, oh, and maybe tell
them to use the back door.
That was Captain Freeman.
Freeman's on this?
Not exactly an ally.
Maybe not, but he assured me
that he understands the threat
and he's confident that
he can seal off the TDA
without alerting the gunman.
Can we stay here? I am.
Yeah, I'll talk to Karla.
I know we're all
concerned and scared,
but we need to put all
that aside and focus.
The best way to help
Eileen and Gabriel
is to get the
police some answers.
Who is this guy and why the
hell did he come after Eileen?
Okay, the place is all
yours. Back door's locked.
Front door is open to the
police like you asked, okay?
Thank you, Karla.
Alright, I got
our phone records,
but until we get the
Concerned Citizen's name,
there's nothing to cross check.
There's a guy who's been posting
in our comments section
recently... Oilman223.
Listen to this.
"Environmentalism is the
greatest thing to happen
to increased government
control since 9/11."
That sounds like
Dennis. It does.
I'm on The Eagle blog right now.
Oilman223 basically
did a cut and paste.
He's
definitely a follower.
Hey, I got the same handle
trolling Eileen's Twitter...
will be her last."
Did you check the profile
biography for a name?
Yeah, it's blank.
He's disabled location
services, too.
This jerk was getting
ready for this.
Let's crowdsource it.
Publish his handle.
Someone has to know
his real identity.
We'd risk exposing the story.
Yeah, about that. I
hate to bring it up,
but are we reporting this
hostage situation or not?
Fair question. Any
other hostage crisis,
we'd be all over it.
But if we go public,
there's no telling
how Oilman223 will react.
The police are on their way.
It's only gonna be
unnoticed for so long.
TV crews get wind of
it, it's gonna blow up.
Who cares? It's
not about that.
We'll deal with
that when it comes.
Sure, we'll get scooped,
but I want to give the cops
as much time as possible.
Remember, we'll be the only ones
on the inside of this thing,
so the second it breaks,
we should be posting
a minute-by-minute
account on TDA's feed.
Until then, no reporting.
You done?
Not yet.
I understand what
you want me to write,
but it's not what I believe.
Yeah.
That's the problem.
You write whatever you want.
You don't care who goes
down because of it.
Can you give me an example?
Your last article
on General Greene
grounded an entire
fleet of F41s.
The production line at
Armeon was shut down.
A lot of people are
gonna lose their jobs.
Tell that to the parents
of the dead pilot.
That's not the point.
It is the point.
Printing the truth
has hard consequences,
and we all struggle with that,
but you can't blame me for...
Don't give me that "Don't
shoot the messenger" crap.
Then don't shoot the messenger.
Finish the confession.
And then what?
Oh, come
on. Pick up, pick up.
Talk to me.
You okay?
For now.
And Eileen?
It's pretty tense in there.
He's forcing her to
write a confession.
Is she going along with it?
She is, but not quietly.
I want to help, but
I don't know how.
Stay calm. We're
talking to the police.
Is there a way you can
get a message to Eileen?
Without being seen?
I-I-I don't know.
He took away her phone. Uh...
Wait.
She can see the Analytics Page.
Okay, we have a way to
get information to Eileen.
Where are we with Oilman223?
He's created dozens of sock
puppet accounts on Twitter.
Fakes? People use it to
amplify their messaging,
and he's having them like
and retweet his comments.
What a loser. None of the
accounts are verified,
but I found a link that's
connected to a website.
The domain name is
registered by an E. L. Barry.
I'm logged into Nexis.
There's an Eric Lowell Barry.
Address on Spenard. Not
sure if it's current.
Um, a few unpaid parking
tickets and a DUI.
But no history of violent crime?
Anybody get a photo on this guy?
Here.
What are you
doing? Gabriel can see him.
Stanley.
Aaron, back here.
Got him.
I'll let Anchorage PD
know we have a name.
We have a name?
We do. Eric Lowell Barry.
What do we know about him?
He's disgruntled,
to say the least.
How's Eileen doing?
Gabriel says she
seems all right.
We have a way to get her
messages on the Analytics Page.
Let's go talk to Captain
Freeman. He's here.
Okay.
Bravo Team
to Ground Element.
I have eyes on the suspect.
Copy, Bravo Team.
Sit tight.
Mr. Cornik, Mr. Pritchard.
Captain. How can we help?
You've been very helpful so far.
This is Laura
Cole, senior member
of our Crisis Negotiation Team.
I understand we have
a name, Eric Barry,
and can communicate with Eileen.
Anything else? Not yet.
We're still compiling
info on Eric.
I need Cole to establish
contact as soon as possible.
What's the best office
line for us to call?
Is that safe? Calling?
The best way to
protect your colleagues
is to get this guy talking.
But any other info your team
uncovers would be very helpful.
Okay, so let's keep
sharing information.
In the meantime, I'm
gonna have our snipers
monitoring the newsroom.
"I confess that I,
Eileen Fitzgerald,
am a member of the
liberal media elite.
Not only is my reporting biased,
it represents a concerted
effort to suppress the truth
and spread lies,
lies which only serve
the global interests of
multi-national corporations
whose ultimate aim is to
control our government
and restrict our
constitutional freedoms..."
That work?
Yeah. Now type it
up and publish it.
I can't do that.
The hell you can't.
No, I-I literally mean I can't.
I don't know how to publish.
My editor has to
send me a live link.
Then get him to send you a link.
It won't work. He has
to read it, proof it.
Uh, I mean, editors
are like dogs.
They have to piss on everything.
This isn't some damn joke.
I'm not joking. This
confession isn't me.
He'll see right through
it. Anyone who reads it
will see right through it.
That might be my editor.
Let me talk to him...
Report. What happened?
Report.
Report.
What
happened? Did the suspect fire?
Confirmed.
A shot was fired.
Stand by for confirmation.
Shot was wide.
Hostage is unharmed.
I
wasn't gonna answer it.
I'm just making sure.
I have to go to the bathroom.
This better not be
some kind of trick.
It isn't.
I've been here
for hours. Please.
What was
that? Everything okay?
He fired his weapon,
but Eileen's okay.
Claire, you should go home,
deal with your family.
Jeff's got it handled.
I'm not leaving, not while
they're still in there.
None of us are.
Thanks, Karla.
Okay, where are we?
Still compiling Eric's
posts and comments.
Any idea why he targeted Eileen?
He definitely hates
mainstream media,
but when it comes
to his trolling,
he doesn't call out
any specific offense.
Yeah, he parrots
Dennis Gibson mostly.
A majority of his
work is on The Eagle.
They were trading
messages right before
Eric walked into the newsroom.
Dennis compared Eileen to
a "spreading cancerous sore
that requires excising."
What a dick.
He was my first
editor at the paper.
I'm gonna wake his ass up.
Cool? Yeah. Go.
Hey, guys. This is
Detective Kowalczyk.
Hello. Hey, Walz.
Austin, good to see you.
Sorry it's under
these circumstances.
Us, too, Detective.
How can we help?
Yeah, I have a last known
address for Eric Barry.
Northwood Drive? Exactly.
He's been fighting
eviction for months.
Guess when the bank
finally foreclosed on him?
Three days ago.
Stanley, maybe I
head over there, too?
Canvass the neighbors,
see what they know?
Yeah. Go.
Well, if your car's out
front, it's, uh, trapped
by the police line.
Uh, can you give me a lift?
Uh, officially, no, but if
we call it a "ride-along,"
I can do, but you
have to ask me first.
Can I do a ride-along
with you, Walz?
If you sign a waiver,
yes. Let's go.
You going?
I can't.
I've never peed at gunpoint.
You worked on oil
rigs? Your boots.
I covered the Deepwater
Horizon in 2010.
Yeah, you covered it, huh?
You ever do any real
work, or just cover it?
I think what I do is real.
But if you mean skilled
labor, not so much.
My father did.
He was a steel worker
in Youngstown, Ohio.
Just like his father.
He was proud of that.
I was, too.
That supposed to make me
like you or something?
You keep calling me elite.
I didn't grow up with
money or fancy schools.
My mom was a teacher.
We didn't have a lot,
but it was a good life.
Then that all went sideways in
the '80s when the mills closed.
My dad was never the same.
It broke him.
It broke our whole family.
We both know how this goes down.
You're about to
be national news.
Use it. Use me.
Let me tell your story.
So you can twist it into
some angry-white-male crap
for your woke mob?
I was canceled by that mob.
Screw them.
I'll be fair.
And anyway, you'll
be able to read it
before I send it to
my editor to publish.
My words?
Gabriel says Eileen
has Eric talking now,
seems less agitated.
That can change
in a split second.
And no luck reaching
him on the phone?
We tried a couple of
the other landlines.
He didn't shoot them,
but he's not picking up.
So, what's the plan?
I have three
sniper teams in position.
Only one has a high
probability of a kill shot.
I want to give him the green
light, but there's one problem.
What's that?
Your reporter's in the way.
You want us to tell her to
move so you can shoot the guy?
Might be the quickest,
safest way to end this thing.
I say do it.
I worked on rigs all my
life, onshore and off.
Started on the North Slope
straight out of high
school as a worm.
Worked my way up.
Shell came to town in,
uh, 2012
with a $6 billion spend.
Those were great years.
Coulda kept it
going, but then ANWR
and all that crap messed it up.
Who's ANWR?
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
See, the Feds, they control
this huge amount of land,
but they're controlled
by Greenpeace
and all these other
environmental freaks.
Protested non-stop.
They delayed our ice-breakers.
They sabotaged the Kulluk.
The drilling rig? Yeah.
Well, I thought that thing
had problems for years...
Multiple engine failures,
that kinda thing.
Yeah, if you believe
the mainstream press.
So, Shell pulled out?
In 2015, then Chevron,
then Imperial.
Governmental regulations
and this mass hysteria
over this global warming
BS has killed Alaska oil.
You really think
global warming is BS?
Well, I think it's
a zero sum game.
Either we burn fossil fuels,
or... or we mine for
"green" batteries.
It's all the same result.
So why not just let us work?
Meanwhile, I-I haven't
worked for seven years.
Seven.
And, yeah, it breaks you.
What are you looking at?
Just wondering if it's
light outside yet.
Damn it. She said
no. She's not moving.
God. Why is she
protecting this guy?
Why does Eileen do anything?
If she's talking to Barry,
he may have become
more human to her.
She knows if she plays
along with us, he's dead.
She doesn't want to be
responsible for his death.
Let's hope he
feels the same way.
I wouldn't count on it.
In my experience, as
the pressure mounts,
there's a good chance he
could act on his plan.
Which is to kill Eileen.
Based on what we know, yes.
Oh. Did I wake you? The
hell are you doing here?
One of your devoted
followers has taken
Eileen Fitzgerald
hostage in the newsroom
at gunpoint.
Suggesting it's my fault?
I'm suggesting you need to
talk some sense into him.
So, now I'm the nut whisperer.
Nuts you embolden.
Eric Barry.
You probably know him
better as Oilman223.
I've had a few
exchanges with him.
I don't recall telling him
to take a reporter hostage.
Last night, an
hour before he did,
you two corresponded on
the Eagle message board.
He asked you what a
man's supposed to do
while people like
Eileen Fitzgerald
"twist facts to turn the
great state of Alaska
into another woke
mess like California."
It's a good question. Mm-hmm.
And what did you say?
I say a lot of things to
my devoted readers. I...
"Take action, Oilman223.
Reporters like Eileen Fitzgerald
are a spreading cancerous
sore that requires excising."
It goes without saying, I'm
speaking metaphorically.
When I talk about taking
action, I mean political action.
I don't think Eric got
the nuance of that.
You need to call him.
I'm not getting involved.
You are involved.
Do you want him to kill her?
You can't put this on me, Roz.
I didn't make him sad
and angry and frustrated.
All I did was let
him know he was right
to feel those things,
which he deserved to hear.
I can write this
story one of two ways.
Either you're a villain who
instigated a hostage situation
or a hero who helped
save a fellow journalist.
What's it gonna be?
Good morning. Mr. Torgeson?
Yeah. Austin Teague,
Daily Alaskan.
I wanted to ask you a few
questions about your neighbor,
Eric Barry.
Why? Something happen?
Well, I can't give
any specifics,
but he got himself into some
trouble with the police.
I'm just trying to get
some background on him.
Guess I'm not surprised.
Yeah? Why's that?
We used to have a beer
every once in a while.
He took some hits in his
life and got real angry.
And paranoid.
Paranoid? Yeah.
Fenced in his yard.
Even started booby-trapping
the property.
He almost killed my dog.
Walz! Walz, hold up!
Walz?
Walz?
Cool. Okay.
Look. It's nice, huh?
I get that it's been
hard, but oil jobs
are coming back, right?
Not for people like me.
Which means that even if
things are equal résumé wise,
and mostly they're not,
I'm not getting hired.
You think that's fair? Hmm?
Or even legal?
Maybe not the way
you describe it.
You sound like my ex-wife.
What happened?
She met someone with
a sunnier outlook.
I'm sorry. Kids?
Daughter.
Where is she now?
I don't want to talk about her.
You leave her out of
this. You hear me?
I hear you.
I clear first, then you come in.
Yeah.
Yeah.
We're good.
Guess he didn't pay his
electric bill, either.
Hey, Walz.
Yeah?
Daughter.
You know, let me see if
I can find her socials.
Daisy Barry.
Alright, got her.
She's pretty active
on Instagram.
Her last post was from rehab.
Hmm.
You should read.
This is a goodbye letter.
Mr. Barry doesn't expect
to come out of this alive.
People have started posting
about the police presence.
We knew this would happen.
That was Austin. Eric has
a daughter, college age.
He left her a goodbye letter.
Where is she?
In a treatment
center in Wasilla.
We should reach out. She
might be able to help.
We should. Find her. Now.
I can drive. No, I can't.
My car's in the lot.
Here. Take my Range Rover.
It's in the back alley.
Range Rover? Never drove a car
that cost more than my house.
Do you know who first
sounded the alarm
on the greenhouse effect?
I don't know. Some
Harvard jackass?
No.
It was Exxon.
1977. They funded a study.
Their own scientists
discovered that CO2
from carbon emissions was
catastrophic to the Earth.
They recommended that
Exxon lead the charge
in alternative fuel sources.
But they didn't.
No. They buried it.
It didn't resurface until
reporters dug it up.
Finding the truth is like
climbing out of a well.
You have to pile
fact on top of fact.
When you're struggling
just to keep the lights on
or put food on the table,
facts don't matter much.
Facts matter because the anger
is fueled by misinformation,
and that comes from
so-called "trusted sources,"
like your friend Dennis.
Yeah, well, Dennis describes
the world I actually live in.
He does.
He understands that
people are struggling.
They feel abandoned, pushed
to the back of the line.
But he also exploits that
pain until anger metastasizes
into an idea...
Someone needs to pay.
And then you pick up a gun.
Not him. You.
Hello?
Good morning, Mr. Barry.
My name is Laura Cole.
I'm with the APD's
Crisis Negotiation Team.
We have units
outside the building,
but I want to assure
you nobody is coming in.
I just want to
talk. Okay. Talk.
First, can you tell me
how Eileen Fitzgerald is?
She's fine. For the moment.
"Deranged Anchorage Man Takes
Journalist Hostage at TDA."
So now I'm deranged, huh?
Why do you keep looking at that?
Just waiting for you
to finish reading.
Stop talking.
Alright. Where are these
messages coming from?
Are these coming from inside?
They could be coming from
anyone with a computer.
Stop lying to me!
Tell me where these
messages are coming from.
Come here.
He knows.
He's coming for me.
Gabriel, he's going to find you.
Try to stay calm
and do what he says.
We're doing everything we can.
Get Roz on the phone.
Tell her we need Dennis
to call Eric now.
Get over here.
- Come here! Get over here!
- Hey, it's okay.
Shut up. Come on. Stop!
Come with me. Please,
please, please.
"Confirm at
9:17 p. m. Last night,
Eileen Fitzgerald
was taken hostage
by a disgruntled oil worker."
Okay, next tweet. Go.
"#Breaking... Moments ago, a
second reporter who was hiding
in the TDA building
was also taken hostage.
Anchorage PD is on the scene.
So far, the gunman has
been unresponsive."
In the corner! Stay down!
Let me explain.
Shut up!
Just sit there.
You tell your guys to
stay back right now.
Huh? You hear me?
Oilman223, hey.
Dennis Gibson here.
What? That's right.
Quite a circus down
at The Daily Alaskan.
Just curious what your...
What your take is.
How'd you get my number?
You listed it when
you subscribed.
Yeah, well...
I haven't really been
following the news.
Yeah, it's all over Twitter.
Just... what's going on?
I'm just... I'm just doing
my part. That's all, Dennis.
Okay, well, I just
wanted to make sure
that you and everyone
else was safe
and handling the situation
in the right way.
It's handled.
E-Eric, listen, man,
I use language sometimes
to fire people up.
But I-I never meant...
You never meant what?
A word of it?
They got to you, didn't they?
What? No. No one got to me.
They got to you.
No one... Eric.
He's gone.
Wait, Roz, you saw
me. Hey, I tried.
You... You can't put this on me.
I'm not the criminal here.
You sure about that?
You think that
was clever, huh?
Having Gibson call me?
Mr. Barry, I don't
know any Gibson.
If someone else called you,
that didn't go through us.
Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah,
you wanna play me?
Go ahead. See what happens.
That is not our
intention, Mr. Barry.
I promised you we would
keep our distance.
We have and will continue to,
but I need you to negotiate
with me in good faith.
Then stop playing games.
No games. I promise.
We know you are holding
two people inside now.
Is anyone hurt?
No. No one's hurt.
Good.
Now, why don't we start
with what you want.
What I want, huh?
Your demands. Can you
share that with me?
Offer to let Gabriel go.
I can't leave you with him.
Mr. Barry?
Yeah, I'm s... I'm still here.
Trust me, Eric.
It will buy you some
time and good will.
I'll call you back.
This type of traumatic
news could cause a relapse,
so I'm concerned that...
You're concerned?
Some nutjob is holding a gun
on two of our colleagues.
You heard that part, right?
We'll be as tactful as we can.
Daisy, these are reporters
from The Daily Alaskan.
They want to talk to
you about your father.
That's my dad in there?
I'm sorry to spring this on you,
but our friends
are in real danger.
Well, what can I do?
We'd like for you to come
back to the newsroom with us.
If you could just
talk to your dad...
There's nothing that I can say.
I haven't seen or
spoken to him in years.
Just seeing you
there could help.
He threw me out.
He can't stand me.
That's not true.
He left you a letter
full of regret.
And you can read it, but
what you need to know
is that he was saying goodbye.
He's not planning
on coming out alive.
You could change that.
Look, my dad, he
doesn't want to change.
He's not well.
I'm the last person
that could reach him.
I can't help you.
Daisy, please... I just can't.
I'm sorry.
Daisy. Wait!
What's on your mind?
I'm not sure.
I'm just tired of
feeling like this.
Of feeling less than.
And being angry...
at everyone.
Eric, it feels like we're
coming to the end here.
No one's been hurt, which means
you can walk out that door
and not give away
your entire future.
What future?
Can I see that?
What you've been writing?
You don't make me
sound like a monster...
or an idiot.
You're gonna get this printed?
You have my word.
Well, that's something, I guess.
That's something.
Eric, where are you going?
Eric, don't.
Eric.
Eileen.
Come to me! Come to me!
You're both good
to go. Thanks.
Never seen anyone
die before. Have you?
I have, yeah.
In Afghanistan.
Eileen.
Are you hurt?
No, I'm okay. Thanks.
Oh, God.
Hey, is, uh, the bar still open?
We've been here all night.
All of us. Never
left. Even Bob.
He and Yuna went to track
down Barry's daughter.
You're good people.
Thanks.
You're one of us.
Come on. I'll take
you back to the hotel.
Last night, a man
broke into the newsroom
of The Daily Alaskan and
threatened to end my life
because he didn't like
the way I did my job.
I was shocked, of course.
But sadly, I was not surprised.
Several months ago,
a well-respected
investigative reporter
was stabbed to death
outside his Las Vegas home
by a corrupt politician
he exposed.
Physical attacks on
members of the press
have risen dramatically
in recent years.
One only need to turn on
the TV to understand why.
It's become fashionable
for people in power,
right up to those
in the White House,
to delegitimize
print journalists
by calling what
we write fake news
and designating reporters
as "enemies of the people."
There are armies of
talking heads and bloggers,
in the mainstream
and on the fringe,
echoing that message,
not just demonizing reporters,
but dehumanizing them, too.
These attacks put a
bullseye on our backs,
and if we don't stand up
against this as a society
and remind our harshest critics
that liberty depends on
a fair and free press,
the bullseye will wind up on
the back of democracy itself.
Pursuit of a common truth is
a responsibility I cherish
and will never, ever abandon,
even if you put
a gun to my head.
Hi.
It's me.
Yeah.
Uh, I got a favor to ask.