UPDATE: The suspect is Vester Lee Flanagan II, 41, of Roanoke. 11:05 a.m. Vester Flanagan is a former reporter at WBDJ who went by the name Bryce Williams. He was fired by the station at some point in the past.
“A 24 -year-old television reporter, Alison Parker and Adam Ward, 27, who was a cameraman, photographer and videographer, were killed, according to WDBJ7 in Roanoke, Va. as they were doing a live report. The incident was caught on film around 6:45 a.m. at Bridgewater Plaza when they were interviewing a woman with a local chamber group. Those at the station said they heard six to seven shots and then nothing as the camera fell.” – Washington Post
What in the actual _uck is going on in the world? These people left their homes, their families, their loved ones to enter into a profession that you would never expect to be so randomly affected by murder. These two employees weren’t covering a storm or even a murder court case where putting your life at risk is something you’re remotely prepared for. The latest reports claim that the shooter may be a disgruntled employee of that television station
We doh know about you but whenever anything happens outside of Trinidad & Tobago, we put ourselves in their shoes. What the hell would we do if that were to happen here?! We are currently in the middle of a heated election season with words being thrown, accusations being made, alleged death-threats being sent and reporters allegedly comprising their integrity for a quick paycheck.
What would we as a people do if this media & political environment escalated to this level?
One thing we cannot do is dismiss it with our favourite “God is a Trini. Nothing bad does ever happen to us.”
When are we going to open our eyes and realise that this is not just a situation that we’ll follow on Twitter and see shared constantly throughout the day. Our criminals may seem to not be randomly motivated but we can guarantee you that they are just as, if not more, brazen and boldfaced with their criminal actions. It’s high time we as a people personally and collectively:
1.
Understand the impact politics has on our daily lives
2.
Take ownership for our role in the current economic, social and political environment.
3.
Educate ourselves with manifestos for both parties and not just the party yuh backing.
4.
Use the Internet, use Twitter, use Facebook. Read, research, educate ourselves on what has happened and what is happening.
5.
Go to a rally for each party. Experience the atmosphere of the supporters, look past the grand-charge talk and actually listen to what they’re saying and how they’re saying it.
6.
Vote not for what you think you know but for what you think the political party is capable of doing to improve our islands.
7.
Have an active role in creating the future for generations to come.
We know these points may seem airy fairy and it’s more fun to spend your day searching for the best picture for your #tbt post tomorrow (doh lie! We all go wayyyy back through in our Facebook on the hunt) but we beg you, urge you, promise to give you a free comp to a SCORCH cruise if you don’t just skim through the news coverage today, take some time to see the world for what it really is and pretty much, just give a little teeny bit of a sh!t.
