Volume 116, Issue 17
the VISTA “Our Words, Your Voice.”
ucentralmedia.com vistanews1903 @thevista1903 @thevista1903 The Vista
Tuesday, July 03, 2018
Standing in Solidarity with the Capital Gazette Christian Tabak @CaffeineWallace Editor-In-Chief
Five journalists were killed last Thursday in a shooting at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland. What provoked their killer, Jarrod Ramos, to shoot his way into their newsroom armed with a shotgun and smoke grenades? The newspaper’s coverage of a harassment lawsuit filed against him in 2011, coverage he decried as defamation. The victims identified in the attack were Gerald Fischman, editorial page writer; Rob Hiaasen, assistant editor and columnist; John McNamara, staff sports writer; Wendi Winters, community correspondent and head of special publications; and Rebecca Smith, sales assistant. The Vista sends our sincerest condolences to the journalists affected by this shooting, as well as their A child looks at the five crosses representing the journalist killed, at a makeshift memorial outside the office building housing The family and friends. We also express Capital Gazette newspaper in Annapolis, Md., on Sunday, July 1, 2018. Prosecutors say 38-year-old Jarrod W. Ramos opened fire our sincerest admiration for that Thursday in the Capital Gazette newsroom killing five journalist. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) newsroom’s resilience and dedication the American people. in the face of such a tragedy, as they they disagree. And this impacts not slain: Gerald Fischman, Rob HiaasWe are aware of the widespread proceeded to print their newspaper just the major news networks, but en, John McNamara,Wendi Winters use of the term ‘fake news’ not the following day. smaller outlets as well. and Rebecca Smith. We continue only for those websites blatantly Our colleagues at the Capital GaLike the Annapolis Capital Gawith the same determination as the spreading fake headlines, but also zette are victims of a lone gunman. zette, the majority of journalists and Capital Gazette and the rest of our They are, perhaps, victims of Ameri- for legitimate and respected media media outlets in this nation are local. colleagues across the nation to report outlets whose only crime is reporting Amongst these journalists there is no ca’s increasing gun violence. Undeon regardless of cries of defamation on political agendas with which they niably, they are victims of a growing objective to push a political agenda, and fake news. hostility to free press and profession- may not agree. but rather a passion to report on the Democracy is nothing without a This hostility to journalists on the al journalism. communities they live in. To cover free press and journalism not only basis of political partisanship not As student journalists, we at The the high school sports teams, the city serves the vital role of keeping Vista are well-aware of the rigors and only fuels America’s growing politcouncils, the local elections, the local Americans well-informed, but also ical divide, it encourages Jarrod Rainherent dangers of the profession to crimes and the local heroes. in serving as a watchdog on behalf mos and others like him to cry ‘defwhich we aspire. Yet we are increasWe at The Vista stand in solidarity of the American public. Because, ingly aware of the new challenges, of amation’ and ‘fake news’ whenever with the journalists at the Capital Gaultimately, journalism is our words, there is media coverage with which journalists being labeled enemies of zette. We stand in memory of those your voice.
This photo combination shows the victims of the shooting in the newsroom of the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Md., on Thursday, June 28, 2018. From left, John McNamara, Wendi Winters, Rob Hiaasen, Gerald Fischman and Rebecca Smith. (The Baltimore Sun via AP)