Virginia Tech

[wil]

I know that this isn't the spot for religious stuff...

But it is for current events with social implications...

And I couldn't figure out where the best place to allow everyone to contemplate in their own moment of silence, or prayer was...

For those overseas that don't know...what we currently understand in the US is that a South Korean student over here on a educational visa killed 32 people on a college campus. Apparently over a domestic issue with a girlfriend.

Some professors...those dedicating their lives to educating us...mostly students who were on their path to life...

Yes, I'm aware that this is our taste of some of the issues that occur around the world. And I offer a moment of silence for them as well.

To all who suffer, to all in pain, to all who've lost family and friends...my heart goes out to you.

We truly need to dedicate our lives to finding peaceful, nonviolent solutions to our problems...

[Tao_Equus]

I have every sympathy for all the family and friends of the victims in this tragic event. It is a devastating type of thing to happen to the students currently studying at Virginia Tech, and my hope is that they all get over it quickly.

The perpetrator was again an isolated loner who had already been pinpointed as disturbed by one of his teachers. Perhaps this is where a lesson can be learned. Teaching that those that seem isolated be given special attention to make them feel important and included. This is not easy, both in identification and practice, but as these events happen ever more frequently it has to be considered.

Where he came from is irrelevant. And I find it sad that so many of the individuals comments I have seen on this have made point of noting he is on some sort of visa and using that ugly perjorative american phrased word 'alien'. Why is it important? I think it has something to do with the xenophobia currently being whipped up by your governments state run media.

The fact is that these events now average 1 every 6 months now. An indiscriminate shooting at a school that is. In the US there are some 11,000 shooting homicides every year and a further 20,000 gun related deaths, suicides and accidents. Thats equivilant to how many 9/11's every year ? , but there is no 'war on gun ownership'.
And nor will there be as a result of this. And so such things will continue to happen.

And to put into context 42 Iraqi civilians died the same day. How much press coverage have they received?

It was a terrible tragedy to take place at an institution for learning. And my heart weeps thinking about the fear and suffering of all its victims. And weeps harder still knowing it will not be the last one.

[17th Angel]

"The perpetrator was again an isolated loner who had already been pinpointed as disturbed by one of his teachers. Perhaps this is where a lesson can be learned. Teaching that those that seem isolated be given special attention to make them feel important and included. This is not easy, both in identification and practice, but as these events happen ever more frequently it has to be considered."

Not all "Disturbed loners" are violent on this level/scale... and also not all "disturbed loners" wish to feel important or wish to socialise.. I know I don't. It wasn't the fact that he was a solitary sole... It was because his girlfriend left... Him, he didn't decided to shoot the place up because he wasn't welcome on some football team or something. He obviously had a medical condition, unable to control his emotions his rage rose. And people like this cannot be "identified." just by looking at them... It could be you, me, him or her... Something just...... Snaps.

--Edit--

For example... Look at Tom Whitman... Popular guy, lots of friends... 16 dead 31 wounded?

[Dor]

Originally Posted by Tao_Equus

And to put into context 42 Iraqi civilians died the same day. How much press coverage have they received?

Well here in Texas they received little compared to the shooting in Virginia Tech.
Of course Im sure the Iraqi civillians that died got alot more press in Baghdad than the VT shooting.

Of course we would hope that neither one would have to get press. My prayers are going out for all the family and friends and traumatized students at VT.

[wil]

Originally Posted by Tao_Equus

Where he came from is irrelevant. And I find it sad that so many of the individuals comments I have seen on this have made point of noting he is on some sort of visa and using that ugly perjorative american phrased word 'alien'. Why is it important? I think it has something to do with the xenophobia currently being whipped up by your governments state run media.

Namaste Tao,

If he had been a US Citizen from Baltimore, Maryland, it would have been mentioned. I've got no immigration issues in mentioning. Indicating he was Asian, White, Black, or Hispanic, does not indicate I am racist. It is simply an identification, which would pre-empt/answer future questions. No discrimination was consciously intended on my part, however as when I was born segregation and racism in the US were the norm, I wouldn't doubt that there may be some subconscious tendency there...

Originally Posted by Tao_Equus

The fact is that these events now average 1 every 6 months now. An indiscriminate shooting at a school that is. In the US there are some 11,000 shooting homicides every year and a further 20,000 gun related deaths, suicides and accidents. Thats equivilant to how many 9/11's every year ? , but there is no 'war on gun ownership'.

Yes, there will be bills introduced at the local and federal levels asking for stricter gun control in the US...and this incident as well as others will be cited. But the end legislation will be weak or nonexisitent. Our second ammendment is due to the oppression of English Colonists by England in the US, we vowed to never have a gov't more well armed than the citizenry. Va Tech as most schools is a gun free zone. Which means that any criminal has free riegn knowing that it is highly unlikely he has any competition. In areas of our country where gun ownership and training are high, criminal activity is down....as even a criminal has enough sense to insure the odds are in his favor. Yes, here in the US we value our right to protect ourselves, and will not give it up in favor of the law inforcement protecting us anytime soon.

Originally Posted by Tao_Equus

And to put into context 42 Iraqi civilians died the same day. How much press coverage have they received?

I agree with your sentiment however our ADD/ADHD press coverage can only focus on one thing at a time...and whatever it is, it throws everything else aside.

Press coverage, gun laws aside.

My heart goes out also to the family and friends of the shooter, as well as families of tragedies all over our globe....universe.

[Tao_Equus]

17th,

Yes, I appreciate that and stated it is not easy to identify nor to help, but that some effort along these lines should at least be attempted. I believe that his English teacher said she thot him suicidal. She must have had due cause from his writing or from talking to him. Virtualy all suicides give some warning. A college campus of that size, of any size, could have a system for dealing with potentially suicidal individuals. After all around 10 or 12 college age kids kill themselves every day in the US.

[wil]

From one of the high school students I have the pleasure of working with occasionally....

So much is told to teenagers about our power and persuasion. In times where tragedy strikes such as today we can use that power for extreme good. Today someone struck out from a place of fear and darkness and committed an act so atrocious it is unfathomable. And the only thing for the people of this world to do is respond with unfathomable love and support. Lets use the power we have at our disposal to come together to support the young people and their family whose lives were ripped apart on this tragic day. At times such as this in America we often have "moments of silence" in honor of the people who have been hurt. I say lets have a DAY of PRAYER instead. Tuesday, proudly wear maroon and orange in remembrance of the victims of this tragedy. Spend the day in prayer for the families of the victims of the tragedy at Virginia Tech and the people of the world who come from such a dark place where such acts are committed. Make sure to remember to tell those you love that you love them. And take a day to be thankful to be alive and for all the blessings you have. Show your love and support for those involved and affected by this tragedy and let’s come together in prayer for Virginia Tech, America and all of humanity. We may be far away and we may just be kids, but if we all come together in prayer and support and love, we can change the world. Don't let this day or this act be forgotten, but rather take this unfathomable fear and anger and hate and return with an even greater degree of love and support.

Remember:
there is no such thing as hate,
only the absence of love.
there is no such thing as darkness,
only the absence of light.
there is no such thing as cold,
only the absence of heat.
there is no such thing as evil,
only the absence of good.
So let’s fill the world with love, light, warmth and GOOD.
we have the power
we have the influence.
prayers and blessings to you all

Annie, ChantillyVA


Let’s use our influence for something positive.

[dauer]

I just visited a virtual memorial to Liviu Lubrescu, the profesor and holocaust survivor who blocked the doorway. I should have taken a picture. People were leaving flowers and yahrtzeit candles. I lit a candle and placed a stone on the memorial. I didn't really hear about it until somebody mentioned it to me. I've been watching the news less and less, too negative, and when something major happens I know I'll get word. This really saddened me. I just stood at the memorial for a while in silence with some other people. Someone came by who didn't have a yahrtzeit candle, so I gave him an extra. Somebody else quoted, I think tehillim. But mostly we just stood in silence.

Dauer

[dauer]

I found an image a friend of mine took when I was there with him.

[Pathless]

Originally Posted by Tao_Equus

And to put into context 42 Iraqi civilians died the same day. How much press coverage have they received?

More context: school shootings happen in Iraq, too. We don't hear about them. And they certainly don't supercede all other news for the entire day. What I dislike about the media coverage of these shootings is that it becomes a caricature of fear that the media bashes the populace over the head with for an extended period of time. When the shootings happened Monday, it was literally all they talked about on NPR. The same sound bites over and over and over and over. I understand the need to inform people that are "just tuning in," but Jesus--there are other things going on in the world. I simply do not want to be inundated with this wallowing in tragedy all day long, or all week long. Let's grieve, but move on.

Change in gun laws? Ha!! Doubtful. I heard a statement by some white house spokesperson yesterday that basically said, "The president believes in the right of all Americans to bear arms, but they must use those firearms responsibly and follow all laws." Maybe Congress has a different idea, but really the issue is far deeper than people's access to guns. The entire society is unhealthy, insane, and these shootings are just one of the most violent symptoms--yet not nearly as violent as waging wars for oil and empire.

Originally Posted by wil

Our second ammendment is due to the oppression of English Colonists by England in the US, we vowed to never have a gov't more well armed than the citizenry.

Ha again! Well, we've certainly lost the spirit of the second ammendment, haven't we, then? I mean--thankfully--I don't see people driving around in armed humvees (although I do see too many fools driving around in hummers), collecting stashes of smart bombs and depleted uranium, or with a basement full of nuclear warheads.

We vowed? I guess King George is back in full power.

[wil]

Dear Department of Peace Campaign Supporters,

You are invited to join a special conference call for all supporters, Thursday, April 19, 2007 at 6:00 pm Pacific, 9:00 Eastern. We will come together for one hour. It will be a time of connection, meditation, prayer, sharing, and anchoring the vision of peace that we all hold in our hearts.

This call will not be recorded.

We will spend 20 minutes in silent meditation, at the beginning from 6:05 - 6:15 Pacific / 9:05 - 9:15 Eastern, and at the end from 6:50 - 7:00 Pacific / 9:50 - 10:00 Eastern. If you cannot join the call, we invite you to join us in meditation at these times, anchoring the feeling and vision of peace.

Call-in number: (605) 772-3001, access code is: 470821#

Thank you,

The Peace Alliance

[lunamoth]

My heart and prayers go out to all the families and friends left behind to try to put the pieces back together after this tragedy. Thank you wil for starting this thread.

Originally Posted by dauer

I just visited a virtual memorial to Liviu Lubrescu, the profesor and holocaust survivor who blocked the doorway. I should have taken a picture. People were leaving flowers and yahrtzeit candles. I lit a candle and placed a stone on the memorial. I didn't really hear about it until somebody mentioned it to me. I've been watching the news less and less, too negative, and when something major happens I know I'll get word. This really saddened me. I just stood at the memorial for a while in silence with some other people. Someone came by who didn't have a yahrtzeit candle, so I gave him an extra. Somebody else quoted, I think tehillim. But mostly we just stood in silence.

Dauer

I was really moved by this act of herosim too dauer, and the other acts of courage and compassion brought out by this tragedy.

[lunamoth]

I also pray for the shooter, who obviously lived a chaotic and tormented life.

I know people were afraid of him (for good reason, I would be too), and that some tried to reach out...some though are just too broken to be fixed in this life.

[Pathless]

Does anyone else find the "official story" of this shooting a bit weird?

• Two hours passed between the time of the first shooting and the larger massacre. Two hours in which nothing was done, even though the police must have known that there was a murderer around somewhere.
  
• The "shooter's" body wasn't id'd for an entire day, supposedly because he had blown his head away in such a gruesome way that he was unidentifiable. And he is supposed to have inflicted all of this carnage with a handgun--did I hear that right?
  
• They couldn't identify him apparently, but they knew what dorm he came from...? Again, did I hear that right? Seems like that would narrow things down a bit.
  
• Even after the big shooting, there was no alert put out to students for a couple of hours...? Did I hear that right??
  
• And then the Gonzales hearings are called off so that he can lead the investigation.
  

I don't know, but it seems weird to me. Anyone else have a weird feeling about it? Or am I missing something? Please enlighten me.

[flowperson]

Not so much weird as perhaps staged. But then this has been the hallmark of many such tragedies over the decades in the U.S. beginning with the killing of President Kennedy. As Arthur C. Clarke taught us, sufficiently advanced technologies always appear to be magic to the uninformed.

But real people have suffered and died for no good reason other than to expose us all to their suffering, pain, and grief...as if enough of that doesn't enter into each of our lives already without watching it in the lives of others in the media. And of course the media involuntarily profits mightily from all of this suffering.

I pray for the welfare and safekeeping of the relatives of the slain and the survivors. But that doesn't negate the underlying fact that the protests and statements of the shooter speaks of this event as an act of class warfare, and there is no one but our leaders and their policies of expediance to blame for that. It only takes one misguided soul to cause chaos in a community, especially in an age of interwoven technologies.

flow....