Wednesday, August 26, 2015

So Surreal

Sometimes I think I’ve seen it all, and then something happens that tops everything I’ve seen yet. That happened early this morning, when a local TV (WDBJ-7 [CBS], Roanoke) reporter and her photographer were gunned down on-air.  I had the TV on listening to the news, but I didn't immediately grasp what was happening.  Who would?!  I have since seen the video - with sound - of the shooting, and it's just horrible. The TV team, 24-year-old Alison Parker, and the photographer, 27-year-old Adam Ward, died at the scene. They weren’t in a war zone, or covering a riot. This shouldn’t have been dangerous. They were at beautiful Smith Mountain Lake to interview a Chamber of Commerce lady, Vicky Gardner, for a feature piece on tourism at the lake. Thankfully, it looks like Ms. Gardner, who was shot in the back, is going to survive.

As he went down, Adam’s camera recorded an image of the gunman, and that was instrumental in identifying the piece of crap. Turns out he was 41-year-old Vester Flanagan, who had worked at WDBJ as a reporter under the name “Bryce Williams.” Flanagan was fired for being always angry, confrontational, and disgruntled – always looking for some remark from someone that he could take the wrong way – and ultimately had to be escorted off the premises by the police. This was over a year ago, and one wonders if he’s been planning an ambush like this ever since. This ignorant, worthless fool filmed the shooting himself and posted it to Twitter, this after sending a 23-page faxed “manifesto” to ABC News last night. These are the two young people who so senselessly lost their lives:
The cowardly piece of crap Flanagan fled the scene in his 2009 Mustang, which he abandoned at the airport in Roanoke. He then drove a previously rented Chevy to Northern Virginia. He shot himself when police tried to stop him, and died later at a Fairfax hospital. I say good riddance.

Photo of when he was masquerading as "Bryce Williams"











Monster in shooting stance

News people murdered on the air. Local reporters in small-town southern Virginia. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so shocking. My God, what next?

And ... I would appreciate it if the local sheriffs would stop referring to this low-down piece of crap as a "gentleman."  

6 comments:

Marion said...

I know, girl. I'm with you. I saw it on Fox News early this a.m. and was shocked. Such senseless violence. So sad that we don't have the leadership in our country to discourage such insanity. My nephew is a detective in Austin, TX and he said it's like the whole world has gone apeshit crazy. Truly, ALL LIVES MATTER!!! xo

Serena said...

I know, Marion -- ALL lives do matter. I don't know what the answer is to stop the senseless violence. I don't think it's gun control, about which the pro-gun control politicians are now orating. If thugs don't have guns, they'll use knives. Ban knives, they'll use screwdrivers. Ban those, and they'll use clubs. Ban them, and they'll pick up sharp sticks. You can't ban trees, can you? In other words, it's not the weapon, it's the person (with a rotted mind, in my opinion) who wields it. I SO agree with your nephew. The whole world does appear to have gone apeshit crazy. What will stop it -- other than Draconian measures I don't even want to contemplate -- is beyond me. All I know is, something's got to give.
xo

Skunkfeathers said...

I won't go on my "what the left has wrought" rant...instead I'll leave it with prayers and condolences to the family and friends of the two victims.

Serena said...

That's about all you can do, Skunk. I'm sure they appreciate all the prayers and condolences, but there have been SO many of those for SO many victims. This violent crap needs to stop. Otherwise, God help us all.

Lee said...

I don't know what the world is coming to, Serena. Humans are out of control! They're the ones who need control placed upon them.

Every day there's something else...another tragic event...sometimes I feel like a gutted fish...when I read, hear or see on the news bulletins what goes all around us.

I think I'll go on my imaginary trip that I wrote about in my blog a couple of weeks ago! Stop the world, I want to get off!!!

Serena said...

I don't know, either, Lee. It's just ... bad. It's going to reach the point, I'm afraid, when people will allow all kinds of "reform" to be shoved down their throats, just to feel safe. Many of us know how to think for ourselves and behave, but we're going to pay the price for the large number who don't. I'm beginning to think I'm glad I'm "old" and may not be around for the worst of it.