Over the last couple of weeks I’ve focused on finding the definition of the term “political actor” after Choice News editor Janeka Simon used it with reference to a recent verbal exchange with Castries Southeast MP Guy Joseph outside the House of Assembly. Journalists are political actors, she asserted, and though I was able to find varying definitions by special interest groups here and there, the term does not appear in any of the several dictionaries I’ve turned to. As my articles on the matter have sought to make clear, I disagreed with Simon’s assertion that all journalists are political actors.
Another of these newfangled terms that has taken the world, in particular the West, by storm, and more often than not used to ridicule, is SJW (Social Justice Warrior). The Merriam Webster website states that it is currently looking at the term. However, the Urban Dictionary offers this definition: “A person who uses the fight for civil rights as an excuse to be rude, condescending, and sometimes violent for the purpose of relieving their frustrations or validating their sense of unwarranted moral superiority.” The Urban Dictionary has never been famous for waffling!
Two recent actions taken by MBC’s “senior political correspondent” (SPC) demonstrate how well the SJW cloak fits him. The first was his string of reports on Prime Minister Allen Chastanet’s impression of stuttering SLP representatives. “The same way Philip Pierre stutters,” said Chastanet from his party’s platform in Soufriere, “that’s what they were doing as a government—stuttering,” when certain questions were put forward. Fevrier’s report ended in cartoonish fashion. It was unclear whether it sought to poke fun at the UWP’s Ezekiel Joseph, who at times stammers, or at the UWP in general. Either way, it begs the question: “Is this what passes for journalism in 2019 Saint Lucia?”
Fevrier’s second report featured the president of the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities, Merphilus James, who declared the PM’s platform remark “unfortunate”. For his part, Fevrier reported that “supporters of the Prime Minister’s statements have dismissed it as political theatre, some stating that a speech impediment is not a disability”. What a great SJW soul he has.
Having satisfied his own sense of moral indignation, the self-appointed spokesperson of the disabled set out for new hunting grounds; his second SJW proving action. As earlier mentioned, I’ve written two pieces reacting to Janeka Simon’s “journalists are political actors” statement. I disagreed with it, but not once did I resort to calling her names or attacking her in any way whatsoever. Reporters, like other professionals, can agree to disagree without resorting to ad hominem sneak assaults. Not so with MBC’s SPC, whose reaction to something Guy Joseph said at the earlier referenced exchange outside the House was: “I’m at a loss!” Quick as a whip the MP agreed: “You’ve always been lost!” (See STAR June 15, 2019 for full report.) His ego mangled, Miguel turned to his favourite place for licking his wounds. With reference to a posting by Janeka Simon, he wrote on Facebook: “It’s no surprise that he [Rick Wayne] would call your phone offering his support, then have his unwitting stooge write a dumb article.”
But that wasn’t all. In the same badly written post he hilariously had this to say about an exchange we had back in April, following his unprovoked attack on my credibility: “. . . after my brush with the diminutive Mini Star, he calls and offers the same . . . then Rick calls Ti-Moffee and says something different.” Great journalism; written as only a “senior political analyst” can write! Too bad that during our actual exchange, Fevrier’s Facebook courage had deserted him. Finally, after I had asked several times for validation of his assertions, he stuttered (yes, he did!): “You sell out your sources.”
Clearly, the sting of my article on the exchange is with him to this day. Notice how he referred to his MBC colleague? Ti-Moffee. (Of course there’s a chance he accidentally disparaged Timothy Poleon. But there’s also a small possibility Fevrier simply cannot spell!)
Still in a generous mood, I’ll give Fevrier the benefit of the doubt and say he has not yet looked up the word “diminutive”. The Oxford definition: “Extremely or unusually small.” Talk about the pot calling the kettle black, especially when said pot stands around five feet and the kettle over six. In any case, Miguel calling me a stooge on Facebook, and referring to me as “a diminutive Mini Star” just weeks after his childish report on Allen Chastanet, effectively exposes his hypocrisy. Nuff said—for now!
