Coming from “small-town, ON” myself and remembering the tradegy on that fateful day, what I remember very vividly was the disgusting behaviour of the so-called “good samaritians” who felt duped after the home they’d built for Joey was left in a state of disrepair and the family moved to BC…. all I can say to that is, “How DARE you take out your pathetic need of self-gratification on Joey or his family!! Stop for a moment and think why this family was in such a dire situation BEFORE the fire. Do you really think that constructing a new home for Joey and his family was going to solve the underlying reasons for the family not having insurance, etc. in the first place? How bloody naive!! I was absolutely sickened by the whining and bitching of those that cried to the media that their “generosity” had been abused by the Philion family. These would be the same “head-in-the-sand” people that donate money to food banks and homeless shelters without asking how these people came to depend on such entities in the first place… without trying to find a solution to the problem instead of feeling like they’ve just solved all the world’s problems with a bequest! “Oh poor me… I’ve just donated a monetary sum and I’ve been duped by a family that can’t pay it’s hydro bills.”

As far as the initial media report – being VERY familiar with the old CKVR, the local TV station that covered the story – I never had much confidence in their reporting skills, since they were the training ground for most of the province’s broadcast journalists. Yes, they created the “heroism story”, but nonetheless, a young boy suffered intense pain and agony that none of us could even begin to imagine. What bothers me is this: Are people so shallow that they would only reach out to a young burn victim if he was seen as a hero? What the hell is the difference?… it’s not like he SET the fire!

Consider this quandry? If a fireman dies of a heart attack at the scene of a fire, is he considered a hero? If you’re unsure of the answer, just check out any firefighting website around the world.

In closing I’d like to say this to those that berated, belittled and otherwise condemded Joe Philion (either directly or through his family)… I hope you never have to face one-tenth of the suffering that Joe has endured, because you obviously could not undergo the daily torture that this young man has endured since he was 14 years of age. May you know the meaning of true Christianity some day and my God have mercy on your souls.

So having an ethical center is simplistic? It’s remarkable that half of the newsroom believed it necessary to debate whether or not you should set the record straight. You allowed an opportunity–to show viewers that you are committed above all to reporting the truth–to slip through your fingers. Now you have only succeeded in raising a question in the viewers mind if you can really be trusted. Especially in this case, I do not understand the hand-wringing. It only serves to reenforce the impression that at least half of the newsroom was trying to save yourselves from embarassment.

Here is another simplistic tenet: If everyone in the newsroom keeps the idea of faithfully serving your viewers first above all else–then you won’t waste so much time debating things that shouldn’t require it.