BY JAMES SIMONS
Gun man, Vester Lee Flennigan, also known as Bryan Williams was over the edge in life to kill the two reporters in the way he did in broad day light. The aggrieved reporter’s life had become characterised by interpersonal conflicts, according to reports that trace his working history as far back as 2000. That year he was fired from WTWC in Tallahasee, Florida for poor performance and misbehaviour with his co-workers.He claims a producer called him a monkey and that he was thereafter fired for complaining.
Further accounts state that he was often very agitated with colleagues and had unfounded beliefs he was being discriminated against by people in general. One thing for sure is that this man was crazy, but another thing is that he probably suffered some sort of discrimination in the course of his turbulent career. He just did not handle it well at all. Part of life is dealing with the adversity that may come because of race, sexual orientation, disability or physical looks. If he was indeed subjected to any sort of discrimination, he likely reinforced it with negative responses.
VENDETTA
We now know that reporters Alison Parker, 24, and cameraman Adam Ward, 27 were both fatally shot whilst conducting an interview for the television station. Flannigan had been told to seek mandatory medical help for his behaviour, which the television company say he did pursue, but one that did not abate the undesired behaviour of the disgruntled reporter. The cameraman reportedly filmed Flannagan as he was being escorted away from the building by police, the day he was fired by his bosses at the ABC News. So, Flannagan’s vendetta against him is obvious from that fact. It must also be said that the dead cameraman’s decision to film his expulsion from the office building by police was provocative and unnecessary, though certainly not deserving of being killed. Why film a man who is said to have mental issues, as he is being expelled from the building?
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WATER MELONS
Flannigan also claims water melons were being placed in strategic positions as a racist gesture against him. His colleagues say he was simply over the top and overreacting, but somehow this guy working for a reputable television company was apparently exaggerating his grievances and making a mountain out of a molehill. Ok, this guy may have been mental, but somebody somewhere was winding him up too. There is no justification for killing anybody, but only an absolute retard would even contemplate such a thing without feeling strongly wronged.
Chances are that Flannigan had annoying traits that sometimes provoked people to hurt him with words. The words that apparently angered him don’t appear strong enough to drive someone to such extremity, but individuals who are predisposed to a psychological or mental problem will be more sensitive to derogatory comments or antics than most others would. This is something that has not been properly evaluated, and quite frankly the sentimental urge is not to defend a man who has just killed two journalists live on air, and injured a third unconnected victim. There is no defending of his actions here, but failings in how his issues were dealt with must be highlighted.
INVALIDATED
Flannigan’s post on social media that ”one of the victims had made racist comments” has been invalidated on the basis of an excerpt from a law suit he filed which quotes the dead journalist as asking him ”what way are you swinging for lunch”? The presentation of that question does not sound innocuous to me, but rather comes across as a tease.
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INNOCUOUS
Most media reports have claimed the remark to be innocuous, but the term ”swinging” could also be perceived as having a homophobic connotation that teases the man for his sexuality. Most reasonable happy gay people would have taking the comment jovially and responded accordingly, but this guy had issues and should have been dealt with like one with serious personal issues. Not all jokes are appropriate for all people.
The ultimate question is whether enough was done by those in power to assure him there was no intention to belittle him because of his race or sexuality. The media corporations in question claim to have done their best. But victims or those who perceive themselves as victims of racism or homophobia want to see the alleged guilty parties told off or disciplined for their actions in order to feel part of the whole.Disciplinary action on racists complaints is not easy where racism or homophobia cannot be proved. Furthermore, the fact that many black people do play the race card sometimes can make white bosses less receptive to dealing with racial complaints based on perception. There is no easy solution to this.
TIPPING POINT
Flanagan sent ABC News a 23-page fax about two hours after the shooting, saying that the June 17 racist mass shooting at a black church in Charleston, South Carolina, had tipped him over. Nine people were killed, and a white man has been charged for the racial attack.
“The church shooting was the tipping point … but my anger has been building steadily,” ABC News cited the fax as saying. “I’ve been a human powder keg for a while … just waiting to go BOOM!”
This man clearly had deep issues about racism, but was also a man not secure in himself fully. Lessons to be learnt include bosses addressing individual with serious grievances thoroughly, and of course American politicians revisiting gun laws in order to ensure only responsible people in America can access guns. In the meantime, our condolences are deeply with the families of the dead victims in these very difficult times for them.
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