I had planned to do some funny posts this week, after all of the deep thinking of last week. In fact, I had a pretty good one in mind. But then today happened.
To say I am stunned, so much so that I can’t even be angry about what happened at Virginia Tech today, puts it mildly.
Details are sketchy and the police and school officials are keeping what information they have close to the vest. If you are interested in reading about it, The Drudge Report will likely have the most updated news as information becomes available.
It appears to have been based on a domestic incident, jealousy to be specific. How over 30 people end up without their lives over a love triangle I’m not sure, and if that turns out to be the case – again, I’m speechless.
I think we need to wake up – turn off the hype and take a good look at our society. Students have no reasonable expectation of being shot at while attending school. They have no reason to expect a crazed gunman to show up and open fire. They had no reason to believe, when they woke up today, that it would be anything other than a normal Monday morning. Yet, this young man felt justified in terrorizing and taking lives. And traumatizing and likely, ruining the lives of those left behind to clean up the mess he made.
Following this incident, there will be the usual parade of talking heads and politicians and special interest groups, all fighting for face time to prove that their cause would have stopped this incident from happening. Some people will be too vulnerable, too ignorant and too scared to see them for what they are – shameless panderers who will stop at nothing to advance their causes.
Gun control groups will come out and demand the government make guns illegal. Human rights groups will come out and insist we feel sorry for the murderer and try to understand his pain and torment, for surely, it was that that caused him to take these lives. Shallow and superficial displays will be made by ‘officials’ who do it because it is the right thing to do. Capital crime supporters will come out and espouse the merits of the death penalty. And so it will go. Another tragedy will be turned into a horse and pony show and no solution will be found.
Why? Because no one will really want to do that. Because that would require real examination of society and accountability and lack thereof. They would rather, form a committee, throw money some around and come up with a new mental disease than acknowledge the fact that we have stopped caring about our fellow man. That we would rather drug our children than listen to them. That we would rather let the experts handle the woes of society than do anything about it ourselves. That we would rather hang our heads, change the channel and watch reruns.
It’s a very sad day in Virginia. And my heart and condolenses go out to the families and victims of this terrible day. And it is a sadder day in America. Because this diminishes us, each of us. And if you don’t think so, then I think you’re kidding yourself.
WC
Anita Rodgers Mystery Writer 
I wrote on the train tonight and came home and saw the news. So much for my post.
I, too, am speechless.
It’s a tragedy like this that brings to mind the phrase, “scarred for life”.
My prayers are with all that have been touched in anyway by this senseless loss of life.
~m
It does give one perspective, doesn’t it? I just don’t know what else to say.
WC
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Speechless.
As are we all, my friend.
WC
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It hurts so bad you feel almost numb. Is that possible? Those were all someones CHILD….these children were our future. What does it do to the normal childs mind to have this happen….do we now teach our children to be on the defensive at school?
Numb sounds about right. It certainly says it for me. I think we have to teach our kids to love one another and themselves or soon there won’t be any children.
l/y
Annie
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You hit the nail on the head. No one wants any accountability. They only want to point fingers and blame someone else. It’s a sad, sad day.
Yes, and as expected the talking heads didn’t wait. It was all over television last night – the sharks are already sensing the blood in the water. Disgusting.
WC
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I, too, blogged on the event not too long after I saw it on the news. I don’t know, WC, I just don’t know. At least maybe now we won’t have to hear about Anna Nichole Smith for awhile, huh? It’s all ridiculous this circus parade as you said. I find it odd that the media is already attacking the school, like the University was somehow responsible or the faculty there could predict something like this. Esp. when none of us were prepared to hear about it when we turned the news on last night. Are they to blame? Or is it our nation as a whole? I think maybe it’s time for us to take a long hard look in the mirror and see what type of morals/ethics we are passing on to our children-I mean really examine the messages we are putting out there. Great post. Anabel
Hey Anabel,
Yeah, of course they are attacking the school – you can always rely on the media to target the wrong person(s) in any castrophe and/or tragedy. It seems to be a defect with them – if Fred hits somebody on the head with a rock, it somehow ends up being the fault of the victim’s mother.
And I agree, it is time for us to take stock of what we are giving our children, not the material things but personal character, integrity, ethics and morals. Video games and guns didn’t commit this act a man filled with hatred did.
WC
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Hi WC
Good words, but I would not single out American society or the University. The blame lies with the way that every western society has developed and ultimately with the person who committed the crime. It is too easy for others to cast bad comments about your comments when, for 98% of the population they’re neither warrented or fair.
Our strength is in our ability to learn but sometimes we do not seem to do that too well. Let’s pray that some lessons are learned here.
Kind regards to you and all your fellow Americans
the Brit
Hi Brit,
When I said, our society, in my mind, I wasn’t limiting it to America. Because as well all know this and things as bad have happened everywhere in the modern world. I think though that one of the problems is that we haven’t developed enough – certainly technology has but it seems humanity is slipping backwards toward hedonistic, self-absorbed preoccupation. We may well go the way of the Roman Empire if things don’t change – with Clinton and co. fiddling while the world burns.
Regards to you as well. This has touched all of us, I think, regardless of our country of origin.
WC
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There are not words enough to express the sorrows and sympathies that I have for these people suffering this tragedy at VA Tech.
I agree with what you said here in your article. Times like this often have us noting all that is wrong with the country, and while it is of great importance to consider what needs to be done and add action to that consideration (not something resembling a “horse and pony show”) I find it is just as necessary to reflect on all that is right with our country as well.
You’re right Kenzie, there is a lot right with our country. My comments weren’t meant as a put down of America – but, this is a real-life cautionary tale. If we don’t do something to change ourselves and our attitudes things will only get worse.
WC
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I can’t, not, comment on yesterday’s tragedy.
But I can’t even come close to putting the right words to my thoughts.
Your post and replies to comments are spot on.
You have said exactly what I would have wanted to say had I been able to think and reel from the news at the same time.
Unfortunately, the talking heads have already started. Hold on folks, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
WC
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it’s just beyond sad and senseless.
Yes, it is. Hard to say much more about it.
WC
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It’s so hard to see a place you associate with really good times and really good people in the news for such tragedy. I lived in Littleton, CO for middle school and felt the same way with Columbine. I went to school close to VA Tech, at JMU, and have so many good friends that went there, not to mention some great memories of Tech/UVA games in Blacksburg. What a sweet, small town.
It’s so hard to be here in the UK instead of being with your own.
Hi Blogmom – it must be hard being so far away. I know if I were out of the country during this it would seem worse to me. I had a friend who was in Italy when 9/11 happened and she said the helplessness she felt was awful – as well as the fact that they couldn’t get any details of what had happened and it was very distressing.
WC
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There was talk of 2 bomb threats in the past 2 weeks at VaTech and how, though they probably are not related, they were not taken very seriously. My son’s high school has received no less than 5 bomb threats in the last 2 weeks at a ‘good suburban’ school. They walk the kids out and back in, “following protocol”, but don’t even send notices home to the parents about it.
When my son told me of a student who had a “hit list” of kids she was going to shoot on a certain day a while back, *I* had to call the school for the details they did not provide to us. And I can’t say they put my mind at ease once I did.
My point? I think I (we?) have become conditioned to putting my children in the care of other people for 7 or more hours a day with very little assurance that they will be safe. It has become this acceptable part of life that can blow up in my face at any point in time.
Thank God, this week, it wasn’t my turn. I wish it hadn’t been anybody’s ‘turn’. I pray for the families of the Virginia Tech students whose turn it was…
Debi, I’m sure having children in public schools does give you pause. I can’t imagine what you, as a parent must have felt when you heard about the bomb threats. It would have made me angry to be sure.
You’re right about the conditioning. Pretty much, anything goes and nobody is responsible. In light of that, how can we be surprised when terrible things like this happen? It’s time to pull our heads out of the sand, it really is.
WC
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Nom….
Had the EXACT same incident happen when my oldest was in high school. A couple of kids in his grade decided to create their own ‘hit list’ shortly after Columbine….MY kids name was on the list! And like you, the school didn’t notify me or any of the other parents of students on that list. Instead they decided to keep it behind closed doors with the student and their parents….WHY?
Because (IMO) the father of one of the kids creating the ‘list’ was/is a local cop.
That just pisses me off. I hope you gave them hell.
WC
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There can be no sense made from senseless acts. But the response must be examined.
Life goes on no matter how diminished.
Yes, life does go on. For this, we are grateful.
WC
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I watched the speeches live on yahoo. I was moved by the heartfelt condolences of the Virginia Governor and President Bush. When such a tragedy hits we find our common connection as lost spirits seeking direction in an increasingly darkening world. Thanks for showing heart!
Herman, I managed to catch just a small clip of the rally. It was good for the soul. This community is to be admired for their strength and love and enthusiasm.
I will have to see if I can find all the speeches on yahoo. Thanks for the tip.
WC
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Speechless about our screwed up Society and Sad for all those left to pick up the pieces…..and sad that “safe” really isn’t a place anymore…..
FC
True my dear. But I think we have to pull together and make ‘safe’ a place again. Don’t you?
l/y
WC
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My prayers go out to the families, such an unthinkable tragedy. I can not even begin to imagine the pain.
I think your comment is right on about the talking heads, all pushing and shoving to get in front of the camera. The media sensationalizing such a tragic time. I am a Canadian but in no way am trying to point fingers at the American Society as we are really no different here. We all need to look at our societies and make some big changes. I believe about 95% of all people are basically good honest hard working folk. Some how this 95% majority has give that other 5% such power and control over our lives. Absolutely time for a change.
My heart just bleeds for these poor families.
Bill
Hey Bill,
unfortuantely, I have been proved right. The talking heads were at it before they even knew who the victims were. The pain is unbelievable, but I really admire how this community is pulling together to heal itself. It has revived my faith in my fellow man.
As to the 5% running the show, you might be interested in reading my post P.C. Nation. I actually made that point as well. What’s strange to me, is that we all seem to realize it, yet we still let them get away with it.
WC
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As a mother, and a human, this whole tragedy is almost surreal to watch. The knee jerk reactions won’t solve the problems though. What is wrong with a society that pushes people to feel they need to do this kind of thing? Is it a recent thing that is only seen so much with modern day communication or is it something that has been happening for a lot longer but was hushed up, like homosexuality, or child abuse, or domestic violence…I don’t know that we will ever know why, but until we do, we won’t be able to stop it will we?
Kelly
I don’t know, Kel. I have to responses to your questions –
1. I believe there are some (very few actually) evil people in the world. It is simply who/what they are. They don’t operate on the same human wavelength as most of us and so can perpetrate the most vile acts without one whit of conscience. That fixing that kind of soul is either impossible or so involved that we simply don’t have the resources to do so.
2. There is a kind of carelessness in today’s think that is its own kind of blinders. Whether through selfishness, unawareness or preoccupation, we don’t notice or care about our fellows are much as we used to.
There is though, one irony that I believe applies to this as well: Murders have actually declined in the United States over the last several years. Yet, people are more fearful today than they were even five years ago. How does one reconcile such contradictory statements? Could it possibly be that news is no longer news and that any incident that incites fear or worry in us is pushed and exploited to the max, whilst the good things happening in the world are barely mentioned?
My friend Spaz recently did a post about the DaVinci Awards. It’s a video that discusses various groups who are contributing positively to the world. Ever hear of them? Neither had I – interesting that something so positive I had to learn about on a blog, rather than through the people who are supposed to keep us informed.
WC
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