Students and faculty at Virginia Tech University were in shock Monday after a gunman shot and killed at least 31 people and injured 21 during the most deadly shooting spree in U.S. history.Federal law enforcement officials told FOX News that 32 are dead, including the shooter. Police at the campus in Blacksburg, Va., said there was only one shooter responsible for the two shootings, which occurred about two hours apart from each other.
If you are in the area, please do what you can to help the victims in need. Money and blood donations are a good start.
I know that there are several of us in here who have ties to VT and the SW VA area (Phreedm, Reed Braden, and me) and this tragedy probably has us all in shock. I have called my friends and family back home and no one that I know was hurt or killed but still I’ve been sitting here alternating between crying and experiencing sheer rage over all of those lost lives and their potential. Please do what you can to help and also take time to reflect on all of those who died or were hurt today.
I’m stunned by this news and had to put in a call to my son at UNC, just to connect with him for a minute.
This is a senseless tragedy, a terrible loss of life. With easy access to guns, it could happen anywhere, anytime.
karen,
What bothers me is the long time it took the police to respond. I don’t understand why they couldn’t have responded sooner. I keep thinking that if they had only been faster, so many lives would have been saved. I’m also a bit frieked out because my campus, though said to have the best security in Alabama, has had people break into the science labs twice now. The people were caught, but it just proves that the campus isn’t as safe as I thought. Also, I’ve suspected a person (someone that seems like they could snap at any moment) of stalking me on campus. Unfortunately I have no real proof so I can’t really do anything about it.
alex,
I’m glad you and your family are ok.
It pisses me off that the shooter killed himslef and that he’ll never have to answer for what he did.
The only good thing about him killing himself is that we don’t have to spend tax dollars keeping this scum alive as he sits in prison.
Apple
“It pisses me off that the shooter killed himslef and that he’ll never have to answer for what he did.’
I understand the sentiment but what “answer” would one be looking for?
I can seen the postcarnage interviews with his neighbors now. “We just don’t understand this. He was a quite church going chistian man. He used to sing in the choir.” The same song has been in the top ten for a few thousnad years if not longer.
What,
They also usually talk about how the person was nice, but didn’t talk much, or seemed kind of awkward. I think that indicates some problem with social skills. Creepy too because the person I suspect of stalking me fits that exact description, the seemingly nice but socially awkward to a dangerous degree. Not to mention the religious part.
Evil
Beware the isolated. All kinds of hatred brews in the isolated and unchallenged mind.
There is no explaination for this tragedy…words fail at expressing our thoughts for those who lost loved ones…we know many families who have kids that attend VT. As far as I know all are safe…but that does not take away the sting we feel for the loss other parents and loved ones are feeling this day…
This is such a sad, sad thing. I don’t think any of us can imagine how or why this happens. My heart goes out to those who lost loved ones in such a horrible crime.
Connect with your families today. Tell them you love them.
I hate the questioning that is coming from the media. Why did they do this, why didn’t they do that? I don’t think there is anyone to blame, but that’s what they’re looking for!!!! I do need to go turn off the tv. It’s sickening what they are doing!
Bones,
I agree. Last night as I watched I kept getting pissed off by the reporters. Even their language was annoying. They kept saying “Apparently the second shooting took place in the Norris building…” as though there was another possibility or as though it was all just a big prank the students were playing. Maybe I was just being too sensitive though.
I’m a Va Tech alum (1983), and this is hitting me really hard. Every time I see a picture or video of the school it gives me this weird double-feeling, because I automatically think, “I remember that beautiful place, I love that school!” and at the same time the horror of what happened is overwhelming.
As for comments above, unfortunately, the question about why the school wasn’t locked down/classes cancelled is a legitimate one. It needs to be discussed, but probably not now. Should “heads roll” as a result? I don’t know.
What I REALLY wish is that we lived in an alternate-reality world where the VT president and the police chief and whoever else made the decisions yesterday morning could go on tv and say what I imagine they’re really thinking, “Oh no. We made a terrible, horrible, mistake. We obviously meant no harm, but terrible harm resulted from the way we handled this. We are more sorry than we can possibly convey. I hope people can learn from our mistake. Please forgive us and accept our apology.”
Maybe the parties involved would lose their jobs as a result, or face other penalties. But of course, the law suits would fly if this happened, so it won’t. But wouldn’t it help the world if people could just be HONEST when they make mistakes, whether the mistakes are truly accidental or due to poor judgement, laziness, or even incompetence? Anyone in any position of responsibility knows they have to lie in this situation. That is a such a shame.
I do agree that in a situation like this, the TV commentators making inane comments drive me crazy. The only thing worse than some of their babbling was hearing Bush appeal to “a loving God” in response to this tragedy. I felt sick.
Dina
The killer was identified today as 23 year old South Korean immigrant Cho Seung-Hui. He was an English major and his creative writing assignmenets were so disturbing to one teacher that she referred him to a counselor.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/virginia_tech_shooting;_ylt=AntCHIkFD_YqPADvtyoML8Ss0NUE
evilac
Have you reported your stalker to campus security? I don’t know that there’s anything they could do at this point, but it might be better to have your suspicions on record. Have you at least mentioned it to a friend? Do you know who the stalker is? I am concerned for your safety.
I had a stalker once who was a coworker and he started showing up at my house, my then boyfriends house, and calling me in the middle of the night. I reported the situation to management and then confronted him loudly at work threatning to get the police involved if he commited one more act of stalking. The threat of the police did the trick and I never was bothered again. Stalkers are cowards and you need to deal with them mercilessly.
Karen,
The German teacher who was one of the first victims at VT used to teach here at UNC.
http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/565037.html
I pray that you find God. Only through Him can true peace and true compassion be found. I know you think you beleive there is no God, but I know you’d think twice were you faced with your mortality. Think twice now, live life to the fullest and then your Creator will welcome you home. Jesus Christ is the only way.
karen,
No, I haven’t said anything to campus security, but I’ve told a friend a little about it and my sister and my boyfriend in detail about it. I’ve been hesitant until now because I thought it was just coincidence and paranoia or that it wasn’t a big deal. I still think it may just be coincidence, but after finding out the personality of the shooter and realizing how much my stalker seems like that, I’m going to tell my advisor tomorrow and find out the policy on mace. Also, I realized that I don’t have any classes with this person yet they seem to be in the same places as me.
I think I’ve been a bit fearful of telling an official about it partly because I thought it was coincidence/paranoia and partly because the guy seems like he could snap and I was worried that if I got him into trouble he would snap.
alex
I’m glad you were able to rid yourself of your stalker, but I’m leery of the agressive tack you used and not sure I would recommend it to all.
The German prof seems to have been a really great guy; such a shame that he’s gone. I wonder why a German class would be located in an engineering bldg.? Logistics, I suppose.
luva79:
No I wouldn’t.
I’ve been faced w/my mortality on a # of occasions. I’ve neither prayed, spouted ‘OMG’, or made any of those other nonsensical, useless noises.
So please, do spare us all that rhetorical claptrap.
Well my stalker was a man stalking me, another man, which is diffrent from a man stalking a woman. My agressiveness stopped my stalker dead in his tracks but it might not be the best tactic to use if you are a woman dealing with an unstable man. However I still think you need to make at least one person aware of whats going on just in case…
I agree with KA (one for the history books!) that luva79 is way off mark when claiming that atheists faced with their own mortality will turn to god. I have faced death on a few occasions, one time coming within a hairs breath of it, and never once turned to a god. As hard as it is for religiously indoctrinated people to understand not all of us need religion to function or face reality.
I’m being a bitch, I’ll admit, but…
Do you think that worked for those at VT? How do you think god made the decision about who lived or died? Did he keep those most religious to help us here on earth, or did he take them to enjoy the kingdom of god with him?
Sorry, I’m an ass sometimes, too. Still, I ask the question.
Bones,
You’re not being an ass. I think that’s what all of us would say in response. What I’ve always had a problem with is that in these cases they say to think of the victims and their families, but what about the family of the shooter? They didn’t do anything wrong themselves, they lost their kid, shouldn’t they be in our thoughts too? The kid had tons of warning signs just blaring, but no one noticed or had the time. I hate to think all of the times that incidents like these could be avoided so easily if only people didn’t have this stigma about seeing a therapist for your problems or even about admitting that you have a problem.
Not the right time and place…
King Georges comment about a loving god really turned my stomach. My 2 cents.
luva79:
I didn’t know he was lost. Can’t be to good of a god then.
You mean the peace and compassion I have is false!!
I know I’m going to die so I HAVE thought about it, more than twice, so I try to live life to it’s fullest.
Somewhere on the web there is a Jesus but plug. Is that the way you speak of?
As I listened to the convocation today I was wondering if it were really any different from the “Day of Faith” in Jacksonville, FL?
We had a govenor fly halfway around the world to be able to attend. We had the President. Countless law enforcement personel. I wonder how much taxpayer money was spent today for this service…
So Dave…when will AA sue?
Come on now…you know I’m right. Tell me you and Ellen (and the rest of the troops) weren’t smokin today when you heard the Lord’s prayer…?
Side Note; ?The good news is that the last six months (of 2006), compared to the first six months of 2006, we saw a 40 percent decrease in murder in Duval County,? said Peyton.
http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=47193
Phreeky. Now there’s a mass murder ready to pop. The only thing holding him together is his imaginary gawd. Not exctly confidence inspiring is it.
Does his behavioral biology not come equiped with an instinctual preservation of species? My guess is that he has never operated in the absense of his belief in gawds so that he really has no idea what his default behavioral biology is.
Luva79-
If you can give me just one bit of SCIENTIFIC proof that your invisible friend exists, or Jesus for that matter, I’ll drop my atheism in a second.
I’m going to sound like an ass, but where was this loving god you speak of on Monday morning?
Leave your preaching to those who aren’t critical thinkers.
My thoughts go out to all involved in this heinous event.
So, so sad.
When the evangelist Bush spoke at VT, he talked about the power of god. I wish that I would have heard him say instead, “I promise that by the end of this decade, through scientific studies, that we will find a reason why people commit these acts.”
I just heard on the news that the VA Tech shooter railed against Christianity in the materials he sent to NBC. It would behoove all atheists to emphasize that he was absolutely batshit nuts, and a stance against Christianity is NOT what allows this sort of thing to happen.
I can already imagine people claiming that this guy was a representative of atheism. When I saw the headlines, my stomach turned.
1. my heart goes out to the victims and their loved ones.
2.from what i could tell the gunman in his video seemed to compare himself to christ.
i wish people would stop pointing fingers at each other this was a deeply disturbed young man.i have been looking at comments on other sites and some are already pushing their pet adgendas.atheist or christian we need to love one another
because tomorrow who knows what may be.
Cho Seung-hui compared himself to jesus christ. This massacre may never have happen if the christians had acknowledged that their belief is a fantasy and a manifestation of their lack of ability to believe in reality.
ok – I am definitely sorry for offending anyone, but I am unapologetic that my life has changed only after accepting my Savior’s gift of forgiveness. When you ask for scientific proof of God – you are doing what the pharasis did to Jesus – even as He hung on the cross. He did not do miracles to prove Himself to them because He knew they were only looking to mock Him. The people He did do miracles for were the ones who truely saught the truth. The others He knew were lost and didn’t have ears to hear. My life is my evidence and there is also historical, prophetic & archaeological evidence – but I can’t get into all of that here. If you seek Him He will open the door to your hearts.
luva79
In what way do you think you have offended ppl?
I’m glad your acceptance of an invisible friend makes you feel better – but please realize that from my perspective what you are experiencing is indistinguishable from self delusion.
There is no scientific proof of gods – I think we all agree on that.
Accounts of miracles are only effective in reinforcing the beliefs of the sheep err I mean folk. To rational people they are merely tall tales.
You life is not evidence – it’s an anecdote at best.
The selective historical, prophetic & archaeological evidence is inconclusive at best. And the is certainly no evidence of any sort of the more fanciful claims of various theisms.
Last time I checked hearts did have doors – they are merely pumps – at least they are in atheists. Perhaps this is an account of another miracle?
luva79
You imply that your life changed for the better after you accepted your “Savior’s gift of forgiveness”.
While I’m glad you perceive your life to be better, I’m sorry that you have to resort to imaginary friends and fairy tales to get the comfort and relief that can come from within and from other real people.
Your life is no more evidence to the positive than you would accept as evidence to the negative someone else’s unfulfilled experience with the same deity. You would probably say that that person was lacking in some way, or didn’t listen or see or interpret your god correctly.
If what you’ve presented is all you’ve got, don’t expect us to take it seriously.
Good luck with your god, but remember to wear your seat belt, and look both ways before crossing an intersection.