Dear friends,
On June 28 I left for a vacation at our house on Sutton Island off the coast of Maine. During dinner that evening in a restaurant in Belfast, I heard that there had been a horrible shooting in Annapolis. Later I learned some of the awful details.
That afternoon someone shot his way into the offices of The Capital (our local newspaper), locked the back door so that no one could get out, and shot with the intent to kill. Five people died, and one of them was a friend of mine. Her name was Wendi Winters, and she was a community news reporter for the paper, something she’d been doing wonderfully well for the past five years. She was a brilliant and dedicated worker, volunteer, and mom; passionate about Red Cross blood drives, ran our local drive every year, and donated blood herself whenever she was able; passionate about women’s rights, most especially reproductive rights; worked hard for our UU Church of Annapolis; worked hard at helping non-profits learn how to get their message out and about to the local press; sponsored mid-shipmen every year; her four children for years were members of my children’s chorus; all were in ROTC; three of them went to the USNA, and her youngest is still there (the other enlisted.)
Actually, I could go on and on. She was a remarkable woman and had recently attended a workshop on dealing with an active shooter. She grabbed her recycling bins and rushed the shooter. It didn’t save her life, but it saved others.
The man who shot her had a long-standing feud with the paper. Our red flag law doesn’t go into effect until October, but if it had been enacted sooner, it might have prevented the shooting. Apparently, much of the staff and legal teams knew about his anger at the paper and repeated threats to different employee over the past three years. How senseless and sad.
The newspaper went right to work getting the paper out for the next morning, and they are more determined than ever to fight for freedom of the press. I have just returned home and so I haven’t seen those papers yet. There have been services, memorials, tributes, vigils and something in the paper every day — a fierce determination to not let this be forgotten. I hated missing it all. I need to hug those kids, ages around 20 to 30.
One of the seriously traumatized reporters has just volunteered to follow and write the story about the trial of the killer. The paper feels that if they don’t write it themselves (as opposed to the umbrella organization of the Baltimore Sun), then the killer wins. However, there is serious concern that he will become even more traumatized.
Liz Webfoot Editorial: Our legislature won’t do anything about guns, and the response from the Republican party is a disgrace. If any of you are Republicans, I’d like to know what the hell you are supporting and why. Why aren’t you pushing your Congressmen and Senators to help with this huge gun problem? I am speaking only for my angry self, but if you think I should remove this paragraph, please let me know. I’ll do it as long as you will tell me why I should respect the Republican party. Help the rich get richer? Stand up for the right to life while our President calls some people “animals” and there’s no problem with the death penalty? Stand up for the right to life while children are separated from their parents at the risk of serious mental problems? I’ll stop now. Maybe I’ll remove this eventually, but not right now. I’m too damn mad. 7/16/2018
7/17/2018: As news mounts on Wendi and her heroism, I’ll include it here, and I’ll keep updating, so please scroll down for the latest. Liz Webfoot.
Slain Capital Gazette ‘Hero’ Deserves Medal Of Freedom: MD Reps
Wendi Winters, a slain Annapolis newspaper employee, reportedly stood up to the gunman. House reps. seek Medal of Freedom for her heroism.
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Wendi Winters, one of the five slain Capital Gazette employees killed in a mass shooting, should be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for facing down the accused gunman with no more of a weapon than her trash and recycling bins, say the members Maryland’s Democratic Congressional delegation. The politicians on Monday sent a letter to the White House urging President Donald Trump to consider Winters for the nation’s highest civilian honor, which has traditionally been awarded by the president to those who have made meritorious contributions to the security of the United States, to world peace, to culture or to other significant endeavors.
According to eyewitness accounts from survivors of the June 28 shooting, Winters armed herself with the closest weapons at hand – her trash and recycling bins – and charged the shooter, shouting for him to stop. It is believed that Wendi’s actions distracted the shooter enough to enable several of her coworkers to escape, said Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, in a statement.
“Previous presidents have awarded the Medal of Freedom posthumously on dozens of occasions and we believe Wendi is a hero deserving of the same,” the delegation wrote. “She died not only protecting her colleagues, but in defense of the First Amendment.”
The entire Maryland delegation except Rep. Andy Harris, R-District 1, sanctioned the letter. A spokeswoman for Harris told the Capital Gazette he is reviewing the letter.
Maryland’s House delegation led a moment of silence on the House floorin honor of the Capital Gazette victims. U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen led a Senate resolution– passed unanimously – in honor of the victims: Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca Smith and Winters.
The full text of the letter follows:
July 16, 2018
President Donald J. Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:
As you are aware, it is the authority of the President of the United States to award the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The President historically bestows this honor to men and women who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security and safety of his or her fellow citizens.
As Senators and Representatives for the State of Maryland, we urge you to consider Wendi Winters for this great distinction. As you may know, Wendi was among the five victims who lost their lives in the mass shooting at the Capital Gazette newsroom on June 28, 2018, in Annapolis, Maryland. According to eyewitness accounts from survivors, Wendi armed herself with the closest weapons at hand – her trash and recycling bins – and charged the shooter, shouting for him to stop. It is believed that Wendi’s actions distracted the shooter enough to enable several of her coworkers to escape.
In addition to dedicating her career to the betterment of her community, Wendi’s family is rooted in military tradition. She was the daughter of a Naval Academy graduate and the mother of three Navy officers. She sponsored numerous midshipman over the years. A Girl Scout leader, she also volunteered with the Red Cross and as a youth adviser at her church.
Previous Presidents have awarded the Medal of Freedom posthumously on dozens of occasions and we believe Wendi is a hero deserving of the same. She died not only protecting her colleagues, but in defense of the First Amendment.
Again, we enthusiastically recommend Wendi Winters for the Presidential Medal of Freedom and we look forward to your expeditious response.
Aug 16, 2018, editorial comment from Liz Webfoot: Andy Harris, our Republican Representative to Congress, refused to sign the letter. And yet it was he who sponsored Montana (Wendi’s daughter) for the United States Naval Academy. Disgraceful and political. Politics doesn’t belong here!
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