# Virginia Tech Tragedy



## Waldo (Apr 16, 2007)

May God's Grace and peace be with these people as they struggle through this tragedy.


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## patrick1 (Apr 16, 2007)

my prayers are with all the familes as well


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## Wade E (Apr 16, 2007)

What a tragedy!


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## jobe05 (Apr 16, 2007)

33 brillliant minds will no longer be in our future, because one child did not get a hug..... Have you hugged your child today...... Show them you care, that you will be there....... No matter what.


God bless the families, our hearts and prayers are with you.


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## geocorn (Apr 16, 2007)

Jobe,


Once again, you and I are on the same page. In all of our busy lives, we fail to appreciate life! I came home and gave my daughters a great big hug. I do that everyday, but today's was extra special, since one of them will be going to college next year.


Our prayers go out to everyone who lost a loved one today. The U.S. lost a little more of our innocence.


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## masta (Apr 17, 2007)

This is very disturbing and a real tragedy and we will continue to pray for the hundreds of family members who will be directly impacted by this.


"Remembering Christ in adversity can give us hope. It can both give us perspective and give us remembrance that we benefit and learn from experience as he did. Remembering Christ can also give us of his spirit and bring us hope, and faith, and peace."


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## rgecaprock (Apr 17, 2007)

I used to be a real news junkie but lately it has been very upsetting to me especially when a tradgedy like this happens. I could barely watch and had to turn it off. It sticks with you constantly. George I know this really had to effect you with your daughter going off to school. 


Life has to go on but you just want to hold your kids close and never let them go...no matter how old they are.


Ramona


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## OilnH2O (Apr 17, 2007)

Amen to the thoughts above...
Much as I knew it would beupsetting to me, I just read the "profiles" of the victims that are known -- and said a short prayer and thought of each one as _a person_ and the ripple effects of the tragedy on each lost life. Obviously, there are the effects on family and friends. In those who wereyoung there was so much they would do, but now that's lost to us all. In the professors --four (so far) thatI counted -- one world-renowned aeronautical scientist and holocaust survivorbarred the doorso that other students couldescape. Another prof was known for his gentle way and popularity as a gifted teacher. Each gave so much to others.


What couldthese young peoplehave done for the rest of us? So much potential lost. That is how I think this - the ripple effect -affects all of us, not just those directly involved. I pray that God helps those they left behind and that He helps all of us remember tofind the positive in life and to care for one another.


Dave


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## MikeC (Apr 17, 2007)

Senseless loss of life such as this is the hardest to understand-especially when it's taken by the hand of a peer. 


My heart and prayersgo out to thepeople who have lost loved ones.


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## PeterZ (Apr 17, 2007)

Tragedy and insanity can happen anywhere. I live in Memphis, which has one of the top 5 per-capita murder rates in the country. Many of the victims fall into the "innocent bystander" category.

I have three college connections. My stepdaughter is a PhD candidate at UT Austin. My daughter is the secretary to the Dean of Students at Rhodes College here in Memphis. My son starts at the U of Memphis in the fall.

To top it all off, SWMBO is a court reporter in the Shelby County Criminal Courts. She is in a trial this week and next of the local head of one of the gangs (Gangster Disciples, Travelling Vice Lords - I don't remember which). The last time she did a trial for someone so "exhalted" the back of the courtroom was populated by SWAT with M-16's.

There are many ways to describe how I feel about it. "Karma is karma" is how it is described in Shogun, one of my favorite books of all time.

In the movie Heartbreak Ridge (directed by and starring Clint Eastwood - another favorite) the following conversation takes place between Gunny Highway (Eastwood) and LT Ring, the platoon leader, after PVT Profile gets killed:

Ring: "It's my fault, Gunny. I led them up here."
Highway: "It was his time. When it's your time it doesn't matter how good you are or how fast you run."

And I guess this latin phrase sums it up: _Dum vivimus, vivamus _- While we live, let us _live._


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## Wade E (Apr 17, 2007)

Brains runs in the family there huh!


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## jobe05 (Apr 17, 2007)

A few us was talking today at the office about this tragedy. One aspect we forget is the scars this will leave on hundreds of those young people that witnessed first hand, how cruel life can be, in the blink of an eye.


What will be on the minds of those kids in the hours, days, weeks and years after this? Will some accept this as a way of life for their generation? After all, there have been several of these type shootings in their short life span. There has been 2 wars in their life time, 2 attacks on their country during their lives. Although we too live within these tragedies like these kids, we, the elder, know of a different time, and are appalled only at recent events, yet these events are all these kids know............ How sad is that............ Not what I want for my kids and grandkids.


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## rgecaprock (Apr 18, 2007)

Jobe,
Exactly...just wish we could turn the time back so they could have a glimpse of what freedom from fear is all about..............Ramona


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## PeterZ (Apr 18, 2007)

I'm sorry, Ramona, but I have to disagree. My paternal grandfather fled poverty in northern Greece in 1916 to come here, without his wife.

My maternal grandfather fled oppression (he, too was Greek, but the Turks took over the business he worked for) from Cyprus, also in 1916, to come here, also without his wife and newborn daughter.

They both managed to bring their wives over here after WW1. They both lived through two world wars.

My father and my uncle both served in WWII. My uncle was wounded in Italy (Purple Heart), and won the Bronze Star in the Pacific. My father never left the States. He spent 1945 purifying plutonium at Los Alamos (note the chemical background?).

I went through high school worrying about being drafted into Vietnam. By the time I graduated HS (1971) the college deferment had ceased to exist. My lottery number was going to decide if I went to college or Vietnam. Fortunately, I was classified 1H, and if you know what that means, then you were there with me. Load into that the assinations of RFK and MLK my freshman year of HS.

Prior to that, I remember nuclear attack drills, where we all had to go into hall and put our heads between our legs (and kiss our a**es goodbye). I remember the TV broadcasts during the Cuban Missle Crisis. I was 9 years old. I was 10 when JFK was assassinated.

The kids today have never known the fear that all of those who went before them knew. There might have been a Golden Age for those born around 1960 - too young to know about the Cuban Missle Crisis, too young for Vietnam, too young for Mutually Assured Destruction, and too old for school shootings.

College kids today have been through no wars (Iraq 1 lasted 3 months, and Iraq 2 is no threat - there is no draft), it's just something to ignore on the news.

It is a tragedy - I don't dispute that. But more kids die in a year in auto accidents than have died in the history of school shootings.

I can't think of a group of kids who have more freedom from fear.


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## daveb50 (Apr 18, 2007)

I feel for all those who lost loved ones in Virginia Tech, I lost a very good friend to a senseless shooting 33 years ago, and sat with his wife in the emergency room when they told her he was gone. I think we are missing some of the reality of this latest massacre, it isn't only kids that go on shooting rampages. There have been many senseless mass killings committed by adults too. These are people who would have been locked up in institutions 25 years ago, that's about when the courts decided that these people could live out in society instead of being locked up their whole lives. This is the high price that society now pays for that decision. The killer in this latest incident had been recognized as being, what shall we call it?, insane? He was deemed as not to be enough of a danger to keep locked up, despite his continued antisocial behaviors. 
Dave*Edited by: DaveB50 *


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## ms.spain (Apr 18, 2007)

I pray for all the friends and family of these young people who were gunned down in the prime of their lives."Why" is something none of us will ever be able to comprehend. The void that is left in their absence will never be filled. 
I have four daughters- 15, 12, 8, and 6. They have been profoundly affected by this incident.My husband and I have always tried to create a safe haven for our children on our modest piece of land in the countryside.But we have realized, as hard as we try, we cannot protect our children from every foe that would seek to harm them. America must realize that "we are as strong as our weakest link". When thereare young peoplein serious physical(from abuse) or mental trouble, it can affect ALL of our children.May we never forget that children are this nation's most precious commodity.


God bless America and our children!


DaveB50, I agree with you!


PeterZ, I also totally agree with you -does this generation truly know the price of freedom???*Edited by: ms.spain *


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## masta (Apr 19, 2007)

NBC has taken this to a new level with their decision to air the garbage that was mailed to them from the killer. Thankfully I was not watching TV last night when this was played.


NBC and most of the other media's sensationalism for only one reason "ratings" has to be devastating to the hundreds of family and friends of those killed. It will also only encourage other lost folks to possibly act out to get even fortheir troubles since you gave thekiller everything he wanted! 


Shame on NBC as your selfish, thoughtless, and total lack of compassion decision to publicly air this filth is despicable and can not be justified for any reason. You better start working on your defense since your day of judgment will come and I seriously doubt God will accept any excuse for this.


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## Wade E (Apr 19, 2007)

Im so tired of news already that I dont even watch anymore!I think
someone with a little good judgement should over see what is being
reported and dont beat the subject to death either. It is a terrible
loss of life and will not be forgotten but like the 9-11 coverage, I
dont want to be watching it for the next three months nor do the
families that have lost loveones, IMO.


*Edited by: wade *


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## OilnH2O (Apr 19, 2007)

Poor choice -- and devalues the victims -- and today they are falling all over themselves justifying it. Thank goodness the families chose to not go on the air with them (Today show) because of it -- I voted similarly -- I hit the "power" button.


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## PeterZ (Apr 19, 2007)

I pretty much don't watch the news anymore. Around here the News Director's mantra is "If it bleeds, it leads."

I get home from work at 5 PM. I'm usually here until between 6 and 7, depending on how many tomes I write. I'd much rather be here with you than watching the crap they call news these days. Where is Walter Cronkite when you need him?

Wade - the real brains of the outfit here is SWMBO. She had 6 brothers and sisters, and I think she got the brains for all of them. The thing I love about her most, after 30 years together and 28+ years of marriage, is that I have never been bored. I'm middlin' smart, and very well educated. She dropped out of HS in 9th grade to take care of her family (oldest girl, sick mother), and is brilliant. She once tested out at the 99th + percentile - but she had a migraine that day.

BTW - you now have me at your mercy. If you meet her at Winestock and tell her I told you this, she'll kill me.


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## geocorn (Apr 19, 2007)

I'm with you, Peter. I pretty much gave up all television about 7 years ago. I will watch an occassional sporting event and "24", but that is about it. I loved television in the 60's and 70's, but the overall quality of what is one the air is less than stellar, especially the news. They don't report objectively. Newspapers, as well. They continually blame the internet without once taking a look at themselves. Viewership of the nightly news is dropping every year and the only real audience they have is over 60. What will they do when they all die off. Blame the internet?


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## Harry (Apr 19, 2007)

George 


I will be 70 yrs old in November and i dont watch the so call news or read the news paper. They run thing in the ground and blame someone else and as for as the news reporters in the war zone is stupit, Our troops dont need all the bull%^*# the news puts out about them.
Harry


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## Waldo (Apr 20, 2007)

N....ever
E.....nding
W....asteful
S.....tuff


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## grapeman (Apr 20, 2007)

I held back on commenting on this because I didn't want to get political or opinionated, but I see I am in good company here. I have avoided the evening news and the Today Show since this all happened. I like to know what has happened and can grieve for the victims, but the news makes the whole country victims in cases like this. These cases when run through the mill like this only perpetuate this type of action. I find especially NBC to be totally irresponsible in their actions concerning this. I rarely watch an evening news anymore and don't have a subscription to the newspaper anymore. What ever happened to the fundamental rules of journalism?


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## masta (Apr 20, 2007)

appleman said:


> What ever happened to the fundamental rules of journalism?




That answer is simple...it has been replaced by greed and power!


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## sally3 (Apr 20, 2007)

I am not a regular poster but I am lucky enough to know a lot of you so
here I go... I work with "special people" on a minute to minute
basis all over the country. The "news" stations glamorized and
attempted to horrify us and sterotype a murderer. They set back
decades of achievements for special people all over the world. They are
feeding you low level information by attempting to generalize and
sterotype people who they want to terrorize you in believing have the
propensity for this level of violence. Their generalizations
would lead you to suspect OCD, Aspergers and so many completely passive
and kind hearted people in our society that do not communicate like
neurotypoical people AND TARGET THEM as potential murderers. I am an
advocate of the first amendment but the "news" media should be held
accountable for their incitement of fear and potential violence against
the segment of our population that is different and just doesn't fit
in. Anytime an enitity or individual uses speech to incite
violence, that activity is suspect and perhaps...not protected speech.
I believe what I have seen recently is reckless.... Hummmm.
Now I'll go back to drinking my wines....X O


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## PeterZ (Apr 20, 2007)

Sally, I don't know it you are old enough to remember Richard Speck, but even back then (60's) they tried to pin his murderous rampage on a XYY last chromosome. The Human Genome Project has the potential for massive advances in curing diseases like Parkinson's, MS (a cousin-in-law of mine, who had a major impact on my life in HS - he is largely responsible for my love of math and science - has had MS for 30 years), and a host of others. It also has the potential for a level of repression not seen since the Spanish Inquision.

I heard yesterday that the producer of the movie Natural Born Killers publicly criticized NBC for their airing of the things they had. Claimed it would incite others to violence. Talk about hypocracy.


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## sally3 (Apr 20, 2007)

Yep...I've been reading your posts Peter...you are a very smart and
savy guy. I am also a child of the 60"s and the life altering
hits of JFK, Bobby, MLK and the daily dose of Vietnam...along with
dinner, coctails and the nightly news...like it was OK, molded my
life. 

I am appauled at the reckless hype the national news media has
attempted to make out of this. WE KNOW BETTER but I don't think
the general popuation does. It cripples the rest of the
population and makes them label the "devients" who blaze the trails in
the sciences for the rest of us. I deal with amazing people on a
daily basis who sit and play video games in a computer language that I
can't comprehend...who can't look you in the eyes because they can't
look at you and see/liston you at the same time...and who wear
sunglasses and write disturding scripts in their honors level english
classes. Yep...those who don''t fit into the round holes blaze the
trail for us all to follow. They allow us to survive. Well
I better go back to drinking....

To publish the things I heard on the news verges on unprotected speech.


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## OilnH2O (Apr 20, 2007)

I agree with all of you to some degree or another.... And, have made many of the same decisions -- no morning shows, no evening news, etc. I used to say that when I began "catch and release" fishing I no longer had a need for a newspaper! (I know Waldo gets it!)


I enjoy hearing about George and his daughter and others of us we know through this forumand their kids, and think sometimes the best I can do is to do my best where I'm at. 


I think that the more I try to help my kids get through SAT's and high school honors and AP courses, and to give them the tools they'll need for the future, the better off the world will be. I'm sure all our kids -- not just mine -- will be able to handle all this. Indeed, they'll have to! 


Peter, my other half too is smarter than me. I once said, after doing something dumb, "Gee... I feel like a perfect dolt...."


"Not perfect..." she responded. But while I'm not perfect it is times like these that I force myself to think positively.


I've taken toa line lately I stole from Justice Rehnquist. After he died,hischildren -- reflecting on the person they knew not as a supreme court justice but as their father -- his children said he always uttered the following when things looked bad: "It's clearing in the West." 


I am blessed to look out on a beautiful God-given land that is awakening to spring. My view out our deck looks across the Missoula valley toward the west... and it's clearing. I think we must be positive -- those who push their view of all these recent tragedies on us (the media)want us to foment and wring our hands so we'll "stay tuned." I don't choose to tune out, I don't always buy the kool-aid being pushed when I tune in, but I do choose to look to the "clearing in the west...."


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## PolishWineP (Apr 20, 2007)

I rarely watch any kind of news, and read the local paper for local events. I get my news from NPR and after that, I turn on music. So many people want to keep discussing all the bad going on in the world and can't figure out why I don't want all the gory details. 
Years ago Bert and I suffered the loss ofhis son and the aftermath of attention certainly didn't help us any. It was coupled with a string of natural disasters and other deaths, and everyone in the valley knew about us. I can not imagine the additional stress of the national media on those poor families. I just pray that they can have some peace during this terrible time in their lives.


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## PeterZ (Apr 23, 2007)

Sally, I must have been lucky. Where I went to HS (Lexington, MA, class of '71) we geeks ranked right up there with the football stars. In fact, one of my best friends was the quarterback, and one of the girls I dated was voted "Best Looking" in my graduating class. I was just a 130 lb, 6' tall nerd with pimples. (The QB was also voted Best Looking, and dated the girl Best Looking, but she dumped him because he was boring!!)

I had a HS class of about 700. Roughly 80% went to college, and 15 - 20% went to college in the Ivy's, MIT, Cal Tech, Stanford, and the like. We had a bridge team!! Undefeated. The leader had something like 97 Master Points. 100 MP makes you a National Master. I actually earned about .25 points just playing in matches with my fellow students, and I couldn't make the team!

I think we spend too much time and money on those who choose to drop out, and too little on those who are gifted and need support to bring that out. We need to create a culture in our schools that celebrates the nerd and the geek, letting them know that they are as valuable as the football star.

My wife (SWMBO) used to have a thing she passed out at HS career fairs that talked about how much money Michael Jordan made. He hit the top of the Social Security wage base on Jan 2, he paid $200 for a round of golf, but made $26,000 in the 4 hours it took to play it, etc. But if Michael Jordan saved every penny he made it would take him 246 years to have the same net worth as Bill Gates.

NERDS RULE!!!


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## Waldo (Apr 23, 2007)

I went to high school fer a while....I was pretty rank myself at the time.


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