Virginia Tech Shooting

[LaRositaMonita]

I watched these events unfold during my "snow day" from school, and am currently watching the latest on-campus press conference. I simply cannot express how horrifying and saddening these events are and how I sympathize - but obviously cannot empathize - with what all those involved in this terrible incident are feeling. I simply want to publicly express my condolences to all those affected, in particular to anyone on this forum who may know someone at Virginia Tech. As a recent college graduate myself, it is difficult not to think that this could have happened anywhere. My heart is heavy today, and my prayers are with the students, faculty, staff, and greater community of this fine university.

For our international friends, or for others who may not yet have heard of the tragic events of the day, here is a link to CNN's report: Officials: Gunman dead after bloody campus rampage - CNN.com

[Michael Romanos]

From one on the outside looking in, If you look back to the 1960's right through to today, of all these sort of tragic mass killings connected in particular with schools/universities, almost all have occurred in the USA.
What we have to do, is convince Americans that easy access to guns is not the way to go. This is a very sad occasion for a nation already under pressure with its involvement in another country.
New Zealand will have some connection to this university in Virginia in a number of ways. Already I have heard that there are at least two students in NZ who have come here via that school of learning.
It is puzzling at this stage how the gunman was able to hang around and shoot people for two-three hours ( a two hour gap, I believe).
My prayers go out to all who were shot , killed and injured. I hope all the injured survive to lead a full life amd my heart goes out to all those families affected by this horror story.

[milles2]

Michael... the shootings back in the 60's (Kent State, etc) were very different from what went on today. There was a great sense of unrest, racial issues, rebellion on campuses in the 60's.

Apples and oranges.

The cold blooded killers of today are nothing but sociopaths. I am a little disturbed by your accusations of Americans even though God knows we deserve it (just MY opinion). I will disagree that the US is the only country where crime and killings happen on campus, we most certainly are not.

But I will agree 100% that we need to get rid of the guns. The civil right to bear arms is one I will happily give up if it will save the lives of children and others who are dying every hour due to guns being in the hands of the wrong people.

[Cheetah]

So do you think that if we pass anti-gun laws out the wazoo that the bad guys are going to start following the laws and throw their guns away/stop buying guns? Because from what I've seen, the bad guys don't follow laws, and will get their hands on guns anyway. That's why they are bad guys.

Anyway, it would be unconsitutional (according to the Bill of Rights in the US) to make owning guns illegal. I've ALREADY lost habeas corpus thanks to you-know-who. I'd like the rest of the Constitution to stay intact, thanks. I'm all for stricter requirements to own a gun, but I am not for banning them entirely.

I heard about this today. It sounds worse than the Columbine incident.

[Michael Romanos]

Sizan - thank you for your reasoned response (as usual). Not all these kind of mass murder incidences happen in the USA - look at what happened in Scotland and in Russia etc - but today on national radio here in NZ, the news room whipped through all the major tragedies of this kind since the 1960s and the USA appeared overwhelmingly often. We think it is the mass access to gun weapons in the hands of crazed, devilish people that has caused this lopsided statistic.
Is there a person who could be president who will stop Americans from arming themselves. Obama? Hillary? It surely won't be a Republican.

[glencorgi]

Originally Posted by Cheetah

So do you think that if we pass anti-gun laws out the wazoo that the bad guys are going to start following the laws and throw their guns away/stop buying guns? Because from what I've seen, the bad guys don't follow laws, and will get their hands on guns anyway. That's why they are bad guys.

There was a shooting at a Texas restaurant several years back. The shooter drove his car through the restaurant window and opened fire. One of the patrons, a woman, had a permit to carry a gun and since the restaurant did not allow firearms on its premises, she obeyed the law and left her handgun locked in her glove box. As she was crouched hiding under a table there came an opening where she had a clear shot of the gunman. She lamented after the incident that she chose to be a law abiding citizen because she could have dropped the b*@&*#^ and saved many lives.

Hillary? I prefer strong women leaders and role models myself. (I like Ayn Rand.)

Obama, guess we'll have to wait to find out if any of his ancestor's owned any of Al Sharpton's ancestors.

Debbie

[LaRositaMonita]

Originally Posted by Michael Romanos

Sizan - thank you for your reasoned response (as usual). Not all thse kind of mass murder incidences happen in the USA - look at what happened in Scotland and in Russia etc - but today on national radio here in NZ, the news room whipped through all the major tragedies of this kind since the 1960s and the USA appeared overwhelmingly often. We think it is the mass access to gun weapons in the hands of crazed, devilish people that has caused this lopsided statistic.
Is there a person who could be president who will stop Americans from arming themselves. Obama? Hillary? It surely won't be a Republican.

While the politics of this event are undoubtedly important to discuss, as a person not far removed from a college community myself I must ask that we all focus, at least for now, on those innocent individuals who lost their lives today, all those connected to them as friends and family, and the entire Virgina Tech community at large. I am given hope and support in my own grief over today's events by the outpouring of support and sympathy from fellow college students and alumni from around the US and around the world. Should any community members belong to The Facebook, I ask that you view the thousands of comments and messages displayed on the VT main network page and a number of groups specifically created today as outlets for discussing the shootings.

The messages here are also inspiring: A Flock of Hokies

I left mine earlier this afternoon. The story from the girl who knew the RA who was killed is heartbreaking.

[glencorgi]

Originally Posted by Michael Romanos

This is a very sad occasion for a nation already under pressure with its involvement in another country.

America's position in the world was best summed in the movie Independence Day. As the alien space craft were poised ready to take what was left of the world, it was old fashioned Yankee ingenuity that figured out a way to defeat them. Word was passed around the world via old morse code and when it reached a British military outpost in North Africa dialogue went something like this:

Radio operator: "It's the Americans! They've come up with a plan to defeat them."
British officer: "Well it's about bloody time."

Debbie

Heather is exactly right, politics should be set aside. This is a tragedy the responsibility for which lies solely on the shoulders of the individual who pulled the trigger. I listened to press conferences all afternoon. My heart, thoughts and prayers go out to the students, faculty and staff along with their families at this time.

Debbie

[Cheetah]

The gunman is one of the casualties right? If so, at least he won't get another chance to wreak havoc... >X.x;<

[LaRositaMonita]

Originally Posted by Cheetah

The gunman is one of the casualties right? If so, at least he won't get another chance to wreak havoc... >X.x;<

Yes. But no matter what, nothing we can do will bring those 32 innocent lives back...

[milles2]

You are absolutely right, the politics of it all are not what's important at this moment, it is sending prayers to the families and friends of those who are suffering from this tragedy.

Trust me, you don't want to hear my politics, I am as anti gun as they come. End of my story.

[Owen's mom]

I am still in shock. A friend's child at Virginia Tech is o.k. and was not near the violence, but is very shaken up, as is the entire family. My heart goes out to all the families and friends that lost loved ones yesterday.

Michael, I wish it were as simple as a presidential ban on personal guns, but it isn't...sigh. I do not support some of the current interpretations of the language in the 2nd amendment--others here will strongly disagree with me. This will certainly be debated in the press again, but for now people are just grieving.

A sad day in Virginia
Cathryn