Shooting death of journalist daughter inspires Parker to be 'son-of-a-bitch' against gun lobby

Andy Parker, father of slain journalist Alison Parker, focused his anger over his daughter's death and became "a son-of-a-bitch" for the greater good he said at a National Press Club event Feb. 10.

After Alison was killed in a shooting, he devoted himself to speaking out against gun violence, even if it meant throwing a few elbows.

Her death changed not only Parker’s trajectory, but also those of his wife Barbara and Alison’s boyfriend, Chris Hurst.

Barbara Parker created the For Alison Foundation, a non-profit organization that creates opportunities for children in southern Virginia to experience visual and performing arts. Hurst ran for office on a gun safety platform. In 2017, he was elected to represent the 12th district in the Virginia House of Delegates, defeating an incumbent who had an A rating from the NRA. Hurst was re-elected in 2019.

“Alison inspired us to do these things,” Parker said. “Her gift to us provided purpose to channel our anger, our love, and our creativity to do things that make a difference. If you have a righteous cause, it’s your duty to be a son-of-a-bitch.”

Alison, he said, had “boundless energy and a smile that lit up a room.” He was proud of the person that she was and reveled in her unlimited potential.

Then, on Aug. 26, 2015, a disgruntled former employee of WDBJ, a television station in Roanoke, Va., shot and killed Alison, 24, who was conducting a live broadcast outside, along with cameraman Adam Ward, 27. The gunman killed himself during a police chase.

“I figured my life was over,” Parker said. “I slumped onto the floor with my wife, consumed with soul-crushing grief and anger.”

Parker said that he had always been a son-of-a-bitch, using his special skills to deal with customer service people. Suddenly, “Something happened I couldn’t fix,” he said.

An individual confronted with such tragedy can choose one of two paths, he said. The first is perhaps the more comfortable: giving up, curling into a fetal position, maybe drinking too much. The second is harder: fighting back.

The afternoon of the shooting, he had an epiphany. He would honor his daughter’s life by taking on the gun lobby; he would become a son-of-a-bitch for gun violence prevention.

He was polite at first, he said, “And all that got me was thoughts and prayers.” Ratcheting up the rhetoric, he called the NRA a terrorist organization in an OpEd for the New York Daily News.

Parker has been called rude and unhinged. Many people have told him it was time to move on.

“It’s not gonna happen,” he said.

In 2019, he published a book, For Alison: The Murder of a Young Journalist and a Father’s Fight for Gun Safety. He is currently battling Google to force the tech giant to remove numerous YouTube videos of the shooting for which they earn advertising money.

Parker quoted Winston Churchill: “You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.”