Outrage Over 'Washington Post' Article Bashing Baltimore

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Controversial comments. A Washington Post article bashing Baltimore is pitting Charm City against the nation's capital. That has many people outraged.

Ava-joye Burnett with the rivalry brewing, and how this all started.

It started with what seemed like an innocent campaign by a Baltimore-based organization trying to get people in D.C. to consider moving to Baltimore. What happened next set off a firestorm.

The headline grabbed Baltimoreans' eyes, but it's the words within that really stirred up anger.

In one line, The Washington Post reporter wrote: "Tired of paying high rent in D.C.? Don't mind riding the train for an hour or more? Or getting shot? Move to Baltimore!"

The reporter also referenced last April's riots and the record number of murders in 2015--another reminder there are challenges here.

He wrote: "Isn't it also possible that Baltimore's housing prices are so low and its residents are in short supply because the city is a little troubled?"

Blowback on social media was fierce.

"We didn't just decide to pick on Baltimore," said Frederick Kunkle, reporter, The Washington Post.

Thursday night, WJZ asked The Post reporter for his side of the story.

"It's just really the point of, like, hello, by the way, one of the reasons you can buy a house there really cheaply is for nearly 20 to 30 years, the city has been highly dysfunctional," said Kunkle.

"The angle and some of the aspects of the piece were really unfair to our residents in Baltimore," said Steven Gondol, executive director, Live Baltimore.

And for many Baltimoreans, they know the hidden charms of the city.

Just recently, the Hampden neighborhood was voted one of the top ten places in the country to live.

"I moved to Federal Hill when Federal Hill wasn't even Federal Hill. It was just becoming. And I'm still there 20 years later," said Kevin Horten.

"We know that we have the same challenges that many cities across our country have, and my hope is that the voices who are pushing back are much louder than the ignorance that they're spewing at The Washington Post," said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.

In the article, The Post reporter also referenced some of the great things about Baltimore, saying it's a nice place to visit, but he just wouldn't want to live here.

Live Baltimore says it will continue to move forward with its campaign.