by Peter Weinberger

After five decades in the publishing business, one thing remains true: no two days are ever the same. Covering the news is inherently unpredictable, making each workday unique. Journalism isn’t a nine-to-five job — whether you’re at the New York Times or the Claremont Courier. And one has to be prepared to handle anything thrown your way. Sometimes literally.

One name, two people

There are instances when managing a community newspaper that are so remarkable, they’re truly once-in-a-lifetime events. One first took place this year involving two Courier subscribers. To protect their identities, let’s call them Molly1 and Molly2.

Why the same name? Because these two women not only share identical first and last names but also both live in Claremont and have been longtime residents — without ever knowing the other existed.

Molly1 grew up in Claremont, on the very same block where I was raised. Over the years, she has built strong friendships and business connections, giving back to the community in many ways. She leans conservative but doesn’t live and breathe politics. She knows the Courier well, though we hadn’t spoken since childhood — until now.

Molly2 has also lived in Claremont for a long time, though not as long as Molly1. She is more liberal and vocal about her opinions. While she has also built a comfortable life in Claremont, she isn’t quite as connected as Molly1. Both are roughly the same age.

As mentioned, both Mollys are Courier subscribers. Occasionally, Molly2 would write letters to the editor on certain topics, always making her stance crystal clear. In particular, she directed sharp criticism at President Trump, citing specific examples of why she believed his policies were harmful to America. She wrote about him more than once and never backed down — a textbook example of free speech in action.

As expected, Molly2’s letters sparked strong reactions, both in support and opposition. Based on my experience, Trump supporters tend to be passionate about their candidate, sometimes to the point of becoming aggressive. Just like the man himself, many engage in finger-pointing, making political debates deeply personal.

Around the same time these letters were published, Molly1 started receiving threatening phone calls and anonymous letters. Some messages warned her to “be careful” because people knew where she lived. Others followed her while she was driving. When one person trailed her all the way home, she called the Claremont police. The harassment would stop for a while, then start again.

Molly1 wondered why these people were contacting her. She even voted for Trump!

Meeting of the minds

Frustrated and confused, Molly1 finally called me. After comparing notes, we realized she had become the unintended target of the backlash meant for Molly2. Since Molly1 had lived in Claremont longer and was more publicly involved, her name appeared at the top of online searches, making her an easy, albeit mistaken, target for local Trump supporters.

As a newspaper that proudly defends free speech while striving to create a safe space for open discourse, the Courier had to take action. We didn’t want to silence Molly2 — after all, she was addressing issues, not individuals — but we also needed to protect both women from possible harm.

So, in a very rare move, we made a one-time exception to our policy and allowed Molly2 to submit letters under an assumed name. She and I are the only ones who know what it is.

To be clear, this is not a change in Courier policy. We remain committed to transparency and do not publish anonymous sources, unless exposing a name could bring harm to that person. But in this unique case, both Mollys agreed that this was the best solution.

So far, it seems to be working. Though, I have a feeling Molly2 may not be writing as much about the former president — at least for now. Four years is a long time.

“Just another day at the Courier” will continue as an occasional column.