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Feeling Sorry

 




This morning I am feeling sorry for the Children’s Manor Montessori School in Ellicott City. 

Man found shot outside Montessori School in Howard County, Bryna Zumer, WBAL TV

I’m also kind of sorry for this sentence which leads off the article.

ELLICOTT CITY, Md. — A man was critically injured after being found shot in the parking lot of a Montessori school in Ellicott City this morning.

I am sorry for WBAL journalist Bryna Zumer because a website called Otto News is running her story as its own without attribution.


Of course I am mostly sorry that a man was shot and critically injured. But let’s back up the truck here and look at all this.

I feel sorry for the Children’s Manor Montessori School in Ellicott City because they will now be forever known as “the place with the shooting.” It’s very likely that this violent event had absolutely nothing to do with them, but the pall of it will hang over them nonetheless. I’m familiar with this phenomenon because I have seen it happen in Oakland Mills. It will dissipate over time. But it is an especially heavy weight for a school to bear. (You’ll note that the police description lists only the adress and not the name of the school.)

I feel sorry for the sentence because it appears to be telling us that the man was critically injured after he was found. So the shooting wasn’t the problem? Should we be looking for the finders? I think something went amiss here.

And what do we make of Otto News, a website which posts on TwitterX, carrying her story as though it belonged to them? 




Welcome to OttoNews, your trusted source for the latest news and updates on Baltimore, Maryland, and national events. We strive to provide comprehensive coverage and timely articles to keep you informed.

Our dedicated team of journalists and editors works tirelessly to deliver accurate and engaging news content. We aim to be your go-to platform for staying up-to-date with the latest happenings in various domains, including news, sports, entertainment, and business.

At OttoNews, we believe in the power of information and its ability to empower individuals. Our mission is to deliver news that matters, while upholding journalistic integrity and ethical standards.

Thank you for choosing OttoNews as your trusted news source. We appreciate your support and look forward to serving you with the latest news and insights.

Stealing someone else’s work without attribution is hardly “upholding journalistic integrity and ethical standards.” Something is very wrong here. While we are at it, do we believe they have “a dedicated team of journalists and editors?” 

Not everything on the internet that calls itself “news” can be trusted. Let the buyer beware.

And, finally, although we don’t know his name, a man is in critical condition after being shot. We may never learn much more about his story. Many folks will fixate more on talking about the incident as a symbol of “crime” and “the wrong sort of people” in Howard County. Perhaps we could take a moment to think of him as a human being first, rather than as a talking point or an indicator of impending doom.

Imagine he’s your neighbor. 


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