virginia tech shootings
“A gunman killed thirty-two people and injured another twenty-nine before committing suicide, making it one of the deadliest killing sprees in modern U.S. history.”
I had a glance of it on tv. It caught my eye for a while on the papers. There were some headlines on the news websites I subscribe to. Only today I saw a picture of the victims.
I nearly teared and was disgusted by my previous indifference. I still don’t believe how I just put this incident at the back of mind, safely discarding it as information I didn’t want to know about.
Today, I looked up the incident in wikipedia to educate myself on this matter. I would like to close one eye to all the evil that is happening in the world, but I really can’t. How does one protect himself from all the crap that is happening out there ?
Well, this incident has gotten me angry over 3 things:
- Sensationalism
Cho sent NBC some tapes about his ‘manifesto’, which he detailed his religion and his hatred of the wealthy. Instead of giving him the posthumous attention that he so craves, why not just discard the tapes ? No, NBC released video excerpts. Great, now his manifesto gets to be seen by millions around the world. Isn’t that what he wanted ? Fuck you, NBC. - Gun Control
It is no secret that guns are easy to obtain in the US. I think that alone contributed to this tragedy. Not so for gun advocates. They believe “guns are not accesible enough, hence the victims couldn’t defend themselves”. That’s right, solve the problem by throwing in more guns. - Scapegoats
To explain away this tragedy, many are quick to reinforce their prejudices. They do so by pointing fingers and propogate their biased views. Video games, race and writing are the suspects here. Fuck you, opportunists.
Okay , enough negativity. Further down the wikipedia article, I was touched by the acts of heroism (from the wikipedia article) :
- Liviu Librescu held the door of his classroom shut while Cho was attempting to enter it; although he was shot through the door, he was able to prevent the gunman from entering the classroom until his students had escaped through the windows. A number of Librescu’s students have called him a hero because of his actions, with one student, Asael Arad, saying that all the professor’s students “lived because of him”. Librescu’s son, Joe, said he had received e-mails from several students who said he had saved their lives and regarded him as a hero whilst many newspapers also reported him as the hero of the massacre.
- Kevin Granata went down to second floor from his third floor office of Norris Hall, where the second round of shootings in the massacre took place. It was reported by witnesses to investigators that Dr. Granata, inside either an office or a classroom with other people, heard a commotion and went into the hallway to see if he could help.
- Partahi Lumbantoruan attempted to block the door from Cho’s attack and gave way to the fellow students to save themselves, but was killed as a result.
- Zach Petkewicz and two other classmates (fourth-year students) in another classroom - shoved a long table against the door and held it there - helping save 11 students from the massacre.
All in all, I was indifferent, shocked, angered and touched by this whole incident. I pray for the victims and their families. For those who know me, praying is something I never do (being a free thinker). I do hope that there is a benevolent god in these horrid times.
Poor kids, horrid massacre… Bless those souls who’ve perished, Amen.
amen …
it’s just so saddening.
i’m really worried about the possible backlash this may have not just to the south korean community, but to the asian community as well, in the united states.
another sad and disappointed story…hmmm
[angelo] it wasn’t very much reported in the US, about the racial backlash against middle easterns after 911, but it was very much there. The south koreans are now worried, and they are sticking together now .
[elaine] sometimes , it makes you just want to turn off the tv or the internets