Today the University of Arkansas announced that the Ernie Deane Award, presented annually to an Arkansas journalist would be awarded to insufferable hack Max Brantley. 

The insufferable hack Max Brantley is editor, columnist and blogger at the Arkansas Times.

He's also the one who thought it would be funny to post the names and addresses of all Arkansas concealed carry permit holders on their website.

This caused a huge uproar among the law abiding gun owners in the state and led to legislation which sought to keep that information private during the last legislative session. Some of the permit holders were undercover law enforcement officers and women who had orders of protection. Yeah it doesn't get more heroic than that right? Outing abused single mothers and crippling the ability of law enforcement officers to do a dangerous job?

Talk about heroic, talk about valor! I mean, it's not exactly Hillary running across a tarmac under fire in Bosnia but hey!

In another moment that highlights the unrelenting selflessness of Max and his Arkansas Press Association buddies, together with the Arkansas Democrat Gazette they managed to gain favor with the Governor and gut the bill of most of it's useful protections despite virtually every member of both committees saying that what he did was a travesty and went against every ethical principle in reporting. Some even said it was wreckless and dangerous, not to mention the overwhelming public outcry. 

Oh bravo sir, we're simply not worthy to be allowed to breathe the same air as you. You're on another level altogether of selfless duty to your readership.

In a KARN News Radio interview this stalwart protector of the common man was so moved by the fear described by callers over their information being posted publicly that he summarily rejected their arguments and then quipped that he would, "do it again." 

I tell you this man is on to something, he has truly epitomized the ethics and sttrict adherance to the core principles of any reporter and in the face of such rank hostility among his own peers! I tell you we're all mere mortals, walking in the footsteps of a giant.

You ever notice that the press and liberal establishment is so eager to heap such weighty praise on itself for things so cowardly, small and petty?

In reality, few would have known about this had ARCCA not sounded the alarm right here on this blog. And in all seriousness, I recognize that the award probably wasn't given over this one issue alone but I would think that any award given for journalism would also take into consideration such obvious bias and ethical failures.

For God's sake who was he in the running against, Jayson Blair?