Skip to main content

jemaz,

Thank you for sharing that very real and very touching response.

The good that people do are often not reported. That is a shame. Without the bravery of so many faculty members and students, the numbers of dead and injured would have been many more. God will bless them.

We keep the students, the families, the administration and other VT employees, and the alumni, and their friends in our hearts and prayers.

May God bless us all.



"There, but for the grace of God, go I."
I found out last night that a Canadian Prof was one of the ones killed. Such a shame.

What makes me really angry is that all the signs were there that this guy was a possible killer. How can a guy like this buy 2 guns and a bullit proof vest ? The problem with gun laws is that they persecute the good people who enjoy hunting and target shootng while empowering the sick minded and criminals.
This guy should have been on a registry for a disturbed violent person and be banned from buying anything that could harm others. I am shocked at the info coming out on this guy. A time bomb waiting to explode.
Last edited by BobbleheadDoll
You know, when we think of treasure, we often think of gold, silver, jewelry, cars, houses, and other possessions. These are not "true" treasures however since these type of things can often be replaced if they should happen to be lost, stolen, or destroyed.

The true treasure this nation lost on Monday may never be understood but it will be sadly and profoundly missed. The RA who was killed was an outstanding student who was working on his PHD in psychology. Who knows how many people that young man would have helped in his lifetime?

A biomechanics professor from Ohio was considered one of the brightest minds in the nation and was working on helping those afflicted with Cerebral Palsy. Who can even calculate the amount of treasure lost when this man was slain?

In yet another story, a beautiful dancer was lost to the senselessness. Talk about not being able to replace one of God's "priceless" works of art.

How do we derive meaning from all this?

I think we look at a Holocaust survivor and wonder what that must have been like. Man's inhumanity to man on full display and for all time. It might have been easy in those circumstances to just let go of life and find a way to meet God in heaven. Basically, looking around and seeing the horror and refusing to go on with life. Thankfully, at least one survivor did not view things that way. He knew in his heart that there was a purpose and reason for his life. He knew if he could just survive he could fulfill this purpose. How could this survivor know that it would be over 60 years later that his reason for living would be presented to him. His reason was to save our treasure.

For that, I am eternally grateful. For that, the angels in heaven are rejoicing. For that, no matter how grim things might seem, life always has meaning over death because one never knows when they may be called to fulfill their purpose.
Last edited by ClevelandDad
Bobblehead:

The gun shop owner who sold him the guns reported in an interview that he appeared to be a normal college kid. Nothing scary about him.

One of his English professors reportedly was alarmed at his writings--allegedly very violent-- and notified the counselors. But he never went to see the them. Lots of young men and women would not go to see counselors. Who thinks they need them? And lots of young men have violent, rebelious personalities...but most do not act on their feelings.

Hindsight is twenty-twenty. It's easy to say we should have seen the signs. But if we treated every loner as a mass murderer.........

It is a horrific event when someone snaps. We just have to pray that it doesn't happen again.

And pray for the others who are "borderline"...so they have some connection to goodness...


"There, but for the grace of God, go I."
Last edited by play baseball
Play B I have much more info on him. He was medicated and was receiving treatments.
My point is that he was known by roommates and others to be deranged and was descibed as a stalker by them and violent.

There should be a registry for people like that. There is going to be more and each time the sick individual will try to out do the last guy.
Hind site should teach us that there are people who need to be restricted and there is lots of warnings if you are vigilent. Most of these people fit classic profiles.
BobbleheadDoll,

I heard on the radio more info on the monster after I posted . I hadn't known until then that he had been stalking some students....or that he was on medication. I had only heard that he was a very quiet loner with violent writings.

But until they commit a crime, what can be done? There are many people who "fit the profile" who do not act on it. SOME do. Most don't.

Press charges when necessary. Be vigilant. Report suspicious behavior. Know your neighbors.

We have to pray that the troubled souls connect to some goodness so that they are filled with good and not evil. So that this or even worse never happens again. Ever.

My heart bleeds for all victims of crimes. My heart bleeds for their families. I pray that they receive God's choicest blessings.
quote:
Then you get into something called human rights. It is NOT a crime to be crazy.
normal folks have rights too!

the registry should be the name of the institution they are confined in .. and the rights of dangerous unbalanced people can be maintained even while they're secured in those institutions Frown
Last edited by Bee>
We're all parents with children of similiar ages to those who died; it's natural to try to think of ways it could have been prevented.

But if we start "registering" loners with disturbing creative writing efforts, or penchants for violent video games, or strong oppinions on the behavior of their contemporaries ---- will we be stopping more villains than we're creating with such police-state policies?

The profile on serial killers is white, quiet, 'nice guys' in their 30's. Shall we register everyone fitting that description, too?



UCF & Forida each have sort of 'reverse-911' systems in place; a free service the students can sign up for that sends a text message warning that could have been useful at VA Tech. I don't know, but I expect it was instituted because of the hurricanes, rather than anticipating such as this. I would suspect most colleges will be instituting such a program now.

I would like to see the headlines constructed with some degree of actual thought (I know, I also wait for a fat guy in a red suit every Dec 24th). The "Worst School Shooting" headlines rather invite another wacko to "break the record". Who benefits from the nonstop coverage? Doesn't a twisted mind see 'attention and recognition' in all this? It should be reported, of course, but the org y of coverage provides a reward for the villain. 32 children of similiar age died last week in Iraq; if the 'news' is those young lives tragically cut short, shouldn't we have the same coverage, minute-for-minute of that news?


To commit a crime, the cops say you need motive, opportunity, and means. Will our government seriously discuss the question of means....particularly as this happened in Virginia? Probably not.
Last edited by Orlando
The problem is that rational people assume that these people think like you and I. They don't. Criminals and wackos don't think like you and I. There are lots of examples of rights being taken away for the overall good of society. When I cross the border I am subject to a high level of scrutny. Does it made you upset ? No because America is under attack and I welcome the efforts . It sometimes is embarassing and puts you out but it is necessary. Our police can stop you with no cause and test you for drinking and drugs. Yes it is upsetting to be driving along and get pulled over but it is necessary to stop the blood shed on our highways.
If you have a deranged person with mental problems like this you have to protect society for the overall good.
I studied law for 3 years in London England. US, Canadian and British law. I attended trials at the Old Bailey and most the murder cases were a result of mental cases. Many peventable murders. Lots of signs leading up to the event.
Most deranged people even have reached out for help but received the standard if any treatment. They need to be prohibitede from owning fire arms and in some cases put under supervision.
quote:
by Orlando: But if we start "registering" loners with disturbing creative writing efforts, or penchants for violent video games, or strong oppinions on the behavior of their contemporaries
you make him sound shy, why would you spin that way? ... I'm watching now as trained VT staff & law enforcment people in contact w/the guy say he exhibited criminal, sociopathic, and psychotic traits.

his current roomies viewed him as "spooky" and were unaware he'd had stalking/harassment complaints, also arsoned a previous dorm room, and underwent mental evaluation re: being suicidal.
privacy rights?

our local university learned a very expensive & sad lesson in a tradgedy which eventually lead to establishing new policies w/student safety #1 & privacy concerns waay down the list - the percedent was upheld that pricacy, tho important, need not be #1



interesting that mass shootings are always in gun free zones -
those crazy people just won't follow the rules
Last edited by Bee>
Shy? You inferred; I don't think I implied. Certainly no "spin".

I don't know how accurate some of these reports are --- the stalking word seems to come from some phone calls and e-mails that the young women involved didn't press charges over, as they regarded them as more "annoying" than anything else. I've heard/read "creepy" from his fellow students and suitemates, not sociopath.

How much is real and how much is exaggeration because of what he's done? How many things are said so that somebody is repeatedly interviewed?

I don't know if anybody knows the answers to these things. Remember all the clues to the ultimate actions of the Columbine killers?

What would all of these incidents/reports/clues have been called if these kids didn't turn into murderers?
huh? a prof concerned for student saftey removed him from class to on-on-one ...
then initiated "code phrases" with her colleagues to indicate if/when a 911 response was required Confused

MCO, your support for the guy is nobel (maybe)/tho illogical & needing explanation-
anyway ... w/all due respect, tho mom instincts are of value, your view shows why they should be minumized in any realm of security for our children/citizens



could a mod move these to a new topic please .. thanx
Last edited by Bee>
.

All...

Some very touching thoughts in many of these posts...I'll ignore the hate and the politics...

In the end there are no answers.

In these all too frequent instances, I try to remember that it is not my purpose to figure out Gods motives...way beyond my ability to understand...into the realm of true faith...

...my function is to use these trying times to remind me what is important...

....to motivate me to reconnect more closely with friends and family...(call them now, tell them you love them)..

...to help me reconnect with my humanity, a humanity that is all too easily lost in the daily grind...

...To reknew my comittment to make the world a better place every day in every way. To comfort and care for my brothers and sisters as long as I am able...to the end of my days....

If the hundreds of millions who cried a tear, also did a few extra good deeds...


Cool 44
.
Bee...Huh?

Where am I exhibiting support for the guy? Perhaps by the use of words like wacko, twisted mind, and villain?

My objection is to the suggestion here that society can somehow round up the potential (wacko, twisted minds, villain) shooters and put them in some institution. The talking heads have been at it nonstop as to how the signs could be recognized, and the consensus from profilers and psychologists seems to be that there are clues --- clues that could mean anything from teenage angst to killer-sociopath. And that, although (obviously) there have been (any is too many) school shootings and they need to be studied, trying to approach completely irrational minds with rational thought is a guessing game at best.

One constant amongst these sociopaths is a feeling of persecution. My feeling is that any kind of campaign to "root them out" is going to exacerbate feelings of paranoia and potentially push more over the edge.

As I implied earlier, I'm disgusted with the constant coverage, particularly showing repeatedly the obscene video and photos he sent to NBC, giving these evil people a bully pulpit for their warped views. We're creating our own monsters.
That the parents of the children killed, the friends and families of the murdered could see the last thing their loved ones saw, so horribly and graphically, is unimaginable.

Amongst so many profoundly sad things surrounding this was what my son told me was the response from fellow students when they heard the news: "Oh, Jeez....again?"
quote:
Originally posted by Orlando:
Amongst so many profoundly sad things surrounding this was what my son told me was the response from fellow students when they heard the news: "Oh, Jeez....again?"


I agree. Because of our recent history with horrific events, we've become sort of numb to it. "Oh Jeez...again?" is the response that many many students have...This horrible event is just another in a (too) long line of occurrences.

I shudder to think what needs to happen to get a response such as, "Oh My God!"
Fortunately or unfortunately we live in a country where our valued freedoms permit people like this to walk the streets--- I for one much prefer it this way that to have paranoia in the streets because we all look at someone who is different as a potential killer

I do not know that there is much that can be done for these people---and IF you do put them all in institutions who pays for it ?

Sad scenario but sometimes we cannot have everything we want
I don't have a problem with people expressing anger over this or expressing their political views. I think we need open and honest dialog to aid in the healing process. Politics is how we address things in this country and it beats the alternative of having one guy make all the decisions for us.

I have also appreciated all the spiritual posts in this thread as well and for some reason, those seem to make the most sense to me.

Some more rambling thoughts...

Criminals don't respect gun laws...

If guns are to be available maybe they should be harder to get... maybe along with a background check a person would need references to vouch that they are good citizens in the community...

Maybe we need to have a debate about how to respond to psycho's. We train our kids how to respond to a tornado. Maybe we need to train them how to act when a psycho is in their midst.

Maybe an armed campus marshall system is something to consider. We have marshalls on airplanes.

Maybe we need to craft anti-social behavior policies on our campuses. Everything is crafted toward protecting the one individual but what about the group? This individual they said there was nothing the police could do. Surely, if classmates and teachers don't want to be around someone, then there ought to be a way to deal with that situation. Maybe in order to graduate from college, a student ought to demonstrate the ablility to socially get along with their peers i.e., participate in class in a meaningful way and not publish hate-filled dialog. The courts say that free speech includes hate speech but there are many types of speech that are considered unspeakable in this country - just ask Don Imus.

Maybe we all need to be more vigilant about what types of media our kids are exposed to.

Obviously, the lessons learned from Columbine were not enough to stop this incident so it is reasonable to predict they will occur in the future Frown
quote:
My objection is to the suggestion here that society can somehow round up the potential (wacko, twisted minds, villain) shooters and put them in some institution


One can only wish.
Did you see the video and pictures? A copy cat killer and more to come.

In Canada we lock them up after they kill. One such wacko who raped and killed 2 teenage girls was found insane and put in one of these mental istitutes. He just escaped from the institution. No he didn't break out he walk away while on a supervised outing at a Blue Jays game. Was on the news last night. Yes and he has no medication with him.
Last edited by BobbleheadDoll
I work on a major Big 10 campus and the thought that is being shared here is that if you turned in every kid that looked scary, sounded a little off base, or had a different take on life in general the class sizes would be drastically reduced and the thought of "free thinking" would be dimminished. We have to be careful not to knee-jerk this horrific event into a McCarthy witch hunt that we saw in the 50's.

I'm not saying that self-policing is wrong, however, many times kids have a way of either being cruel, or making something more than it is. Eventually, if the authorities are overrun with "suspects" you end up with a crying wolf environment and the real problems may slip through the cracks.

This is a fine line to walk, just ask a Arab/American citizen after 9/11
Last edited by rz1
RZ1 I would agree with some of what you say because I had lots of scary lookinhg friends in college but I can tell the difference between scary looking and evil minded. 20/20 after 20 horrific events is not a knee jerk reaction. Doing nothing is unthinkable and this guy showed violent tendancies that fore shadowed this tradjedy.
I live in St Catharines Ontario . If that doesn't ring a bell maybe Pail Bernardo and Karla Holmolka does. Karla is as free as a bird after her killing 3 teenage girls, chopping their bodies up and throwing them in a nearby lake. One she killed was her own younger sister. You want to see evil you just have to look in her eyes.
She has people wanting to marry her and seems to have developed celebity status. I guess society is sicker that I realize.
I am in agreement with rz.
On every college campus you will find students of multi cultures, backgrounds, religions, etc. What you may think will be abnormal, is normal for others. I have learned that from living 30 years in a multi cultural society here in South Florida.

I understand the families are upset with NBC for releasing the tapes, I most likely would be too. Unfortunetly this is it now, if it is not on TV, radio, it's on the internet. Our use of technology can be overwhelming. I wouldn't be surprised if someone makes a movie about it. Frown
Columbine has left more of a mark on our society than we could ever imagine. There will be many more copycats to come.
But hopefully, like all tragedies, something good will come out of this, I don't know what, but it will. Maybe realizing just how vulnerable we are in the world today will help to bring changes to protect us and our children better in the future.

What really bothers me, is that this person HAD a history of instability and was still able to purchase a gun. System needs an overhaul, though I suppose those that want to, will find a way to get a gun.

Add Reply

Post
.
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×