And these are our role-models? (RIP)
This news story (also seen here) has been all over the news lately - the lead story on television broadcasts and the front page on all the local papers - mainstream and community ones.
Here's the deal - a young man named Orion, aged 21, was riding his motorcycle on a suburban street at 10ish on Saturday night, and was hit by a jeep. Instantly killed. The jeep was driven by a drunk driver. The drunken individual was also and off-duty RCMP officer. And, as the story goes, he had two children in his jeep as well.
And what makes it even stranger (though it's quite unrelated, in my opinion), this officer was one of the four involved with the now infamous tasering incident at Vancouver International Airport that unfortunately killed a man a year ago.
ANYWAY...I'm pissed because the victim was a co-worker of mine when I worked at Shell. This was a few years ago but he was cool for a kid of 17 or 18 when I knew him, and always nice and a rather good worker and such. I haven't seen him in quite some time but I spoke to him on the phone a year ago when we were having a Shell get-together at my former boss' house. Regardless, he was a nice kid and this is a horrible unfortunate event.
(I refrain from using the word "tragedy" because I only like that word in the Shakespearean sense...I hate how the media uses the word tragedy these days. Not everything that is horrible and upsetting is "tragic".)
I'm pissed though. It hits me home more because I knew this young man, for sure...not horribly closely but enough to feel a sense of personal loss. The fact he was so young, too, makes it horrible as well - but really, I don't care who you are or what age you are...you should NOT be murdered by drunk drivers. Never. That is something I have always been adamant about.
The fact the culprit was an off-duty Mountie makes it all the more appalling. He was suspended already (due to the involvement with the tasering incident a year ago that I'd mentioned) so he goes and does this. It's disgusting. Sure, it was an accident, but I don't care. You have to be responsible for your actions...and drunken driving is about as stupid as you can get.
Now, remember that this happened on Saturday night...but it wasn't reported really until this morning. That's Wednesday. So that would be about three press dates late...and why the cop's name wasn't released (until this afternoon, though it escapes me) is ridiculous. Why the cover up? He did a dumbass thing and now a life has been lost and a tight-knit community mourns.
Disgusting.
RIP, Orion.
Here's the deal - a young man named Orion, aged 21, was riding his motorcycle on a suburban street at 10ish on Saturday night, and was hit by a jeep. Instantly killed. The jeep was driven by a drunk driver. The drunken individual was also and off-duty RCMP officer. And, as the story goes, he had two children in his jeep as well.
And what makes it even stranger (though it's quite unrelated, in my opinion), this officer was one of the four involved with the now infamous tasering incident at Vancouver International Airport that unfortunately killed a man a year ago.
ANYWAY...I'm pissed because the victim was a co-worker of mine when I worked at Shell. This was a few years ago but he was cool for a kid of 17 or 18 when I knew him, and always nice and a rather good worker and such. I haven't seen him in quite some time but I spoke to him on the phone a year ago when we were having a Shell get-together at my former boss' house. Regardless, he was a nice kid and this is a horrible unfortunate event.
(I refrain from using the word "tragedy" because I only like that word in the Shakespearean sense...I hate how the media uses the word tragedy these days. Not everything that is horrible and upsetting is "tragic".)
I'm pissed though. It hits me home more because I knew this young man, for sure...not horribly closely but enough to feel a sense of personal loss. The fact he was so young, too, makes it horrible as well - but really, I don't care who you are or what age you are...you should NOT be murdered by drunk drivers. Never. That is something I have always been adamant about.
The fact the culprit was an off-duty Mountie makes it all the more appalling. He was suspended already (due to the involvement with the tasering incident a year ago that I'd mentioned) so he goes and does this. It's disgusting. Sure, it was an accident, but I don't care. You have to be responsible for your actions...and drunken driving is about as stupid as you can get.
Now, remember that this happened on Saturday night...but it wasn't reported really until this morning. That's Wednesday. So that would be about three press dates late...and why the cop's name wasn't released (until this afternoon, though it escapes me) is ridiculous. Why the cover up? He did a dumbass thing and now a life has been lost and a tight-knit community mourns.
Disgusting.
RIP, Orion.