Reel Chicago
Publisher Barbara Roche
reflects on the tragedy
in Maryland
As the publisher of ReelChicago.com and Reel360.com, I feel moved to comment on yesterday’s tragedy at the Capital Gazette.
As a whole, the media has taken a hard hit in the last couple of years. Accusations of fake news fly from all sides. Trolls drop anonymous criticism, insults, and threats. Given the volatile nature of expression-through-violence these days, it seems inevitable that someone would respond to the press with violent actions.
We deliver the news. Damned if we do, and damned of we don’t. The stories may not please all, but you don’t shoot the messenger.
God bless the correspondents who feel compelled to risk their lives everyday in war-torn areas to report the news and atrocities in areas where we would not dare to go. And God bless those who report the news from the town halls, the kids soccer fields, and the 4th of July parade and county BBQ cookouts.
The five innocent people who were killed in Annapolis were just like you and me. They were discussing their weekend plans with coworkers, finishing up a project, sitting at their desk with pictures of their kids and grandkids, and checking in with a text to a love one.
Someone made a conscious decision to empower themselves with a gun and take out their revenge on an office filled with really good people. And when the news broke, face it, the first thing that came to your mind was, he didn’t like a story.
If I take my comments any further, the trolls will berate me for being too political for our industry publication. So I will end this by declaring my love of our First Amendment and a nation that allows freedom of speech. That, dear trolls, is relevant to our publication and to you, and to the Capital Gazette.
Our staff relays our deepest sympathies and my heart aches for the employees of the Capital Gazette and their families.
