Another School Shooting

[RollerC]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/16/vtech.shooting/index.html

 

 

Very sad and it pisses me off that the gunmen shot himself. It seems like the easy way out for him...that was not justice.

[thrillrideseeker]

OMG I SO DID NOT WANT TO KNOW THAT. Ok so like that is bad, and I go to school and I do not want to hear about school shootings I think the gunman was a dumb a$$ for killing himself. He just did not want to take responsibility for what he did. OMG I HATE PEOPLE LIKE THAT. Plus people who take the lives of innocent people. Grrrr that just pi$$es me off.

~Matthew

[TheLastGunslinger]

I saw it on CNN when I was walking through the student center between classes. My condolences go out to everyone involved.

[Scaparri]

Not to sound insensitive in this time of tragedy, but the media is really driving me nuts right now. A few details have come in about the gunman from today's massacre at Virginia Tech. They keep reporting that he is a 19 year old "Asian man". It was an "Asian man". Seriously, what difference does that make? What does it contribute? I feel like being informed that he is 19 years old at least has a little point to it, like, that he's probably a student. However, the fact that he's Asian does jack at this point. I can't imagine them saying, "Again, it is a 19 year old white man." Maybe, but doubtful. All they are doing is creating the possibility of stereotyping and prejudice/racism. It's really ridiculous.

 

Anyway, sorry about that rant. This really is an awful tragedy. Its stunning. I wish I had more to say, but I don't right now. It's just awful. Really messed up that somebody would do this.

[gnewton34]

This is just horrible.

 

I don't understand why noone is holding the school partly responsible for the deaths of their students. I'm watching all the news reports and reading the articles. It's like they're ignoring the fact that this school totally dropped the ball. They knew there was a gunman on the loose who had already shot two people yet they chose to send an email that only said there is a shooting being investigated. No classes cancelled, nothing. The gunman is on the loose for 2 hours on campus. The gunman starts killing people in another building and then the school sends out an email for students to stay inside. They should have a system on campus that automatically leaves voicemails and messages for their students. The school I went to did. They should have had police posted warning people not to go to class. Most people aren't even going to look at their email before going to class. They had even already gone through this once when at the beginning of the semester they had an escaped convict on the loose on campus. This school's administration are apparently idiots.

[tngdiablo]

I got back to my apartment from campus at 3 and turned the tv as soon as I got in, since I had heard about a shooting earlier (at the time it was one killed and one injured). Then I turn it on and they're saying 31 dead. I thought about that for a second and then I just started crying. As a college student (UNC Chapel Hill), it just deeply saddens me that my peers' lives are taken away so needlessly and so violently.

 

This has been a very tumultuous (school) year in terms of school shootings. Rivalries aside, my thoughts go out to everyone in Hokie Nation.

[ConleyKE]

My brother is a freshman at Virginia Tech in the Corps of Cadets. I'm releaved to report that he is okay. My mother recieved a phone call around 11:30 am from him that he was safe and in lock down in his dorm room. He is in the engineering program and has many friends who were in Norris Hall during the second shoting. He has yet to hear from them all and we are all praying for the best. This horrendous act of insanity has left my family and I, as well as the rest of the nation in shock. So Please, pray for all of the Virgina Tech students, faculuty, and families. My family is very fortunate that my brother has been reported safe, however, others will not be so lucky. Thanks,

 

Kevin Conley

[Ccron10]

I kind of think that schools aren't doing much for security these days. Just how many of your schools have metal detectors, security cameras and a security guard or two altogether? Heck, my high school has none of that stuff, the only places that they have them are in one of the computer rooms (in which it got stolen), and one or two outside. Our junior high is a different story, they do have security cameras, but nothing as far as metal detectors!

As far as the media, I do think that it's all screwed up these days. And I'm taking a bet that if it was a white person, they wouldn't say white. These days, news stories vary between which stations you watch. Some like to "spin" the story, but there are a small few that tell it like it is. This goes for newspapers too.

Some of this stuff gets me angry!

[Corkscrewed]

Do we want to turn schools into prisons? Or airports?

 

Think about how much it would cost to equip every junior high/ high school with all that stuff. Think about how much time it would take as well. It's just not feasible.

 

Tragic as these events are, we cannot let things like this scare us into totalitarian living. That's not the way this country has developed, and I sure as hell don't think we should overreact now.

 

And with universities, it's practically impossible, since they are open campuses.

 

I'm not saying we shouldn't care about school safety, but in my opinion, metal detectors and security cameras everywhere is just beyond reasonable. That's all.

 

 

 

Anyway, this is just senseless. I don't see why anyone would do this. But the world is just fucked up these days.

[ConleyKE]

I understand that more could have been done to prevent the intensity of this situation, but I believe that it's not the time to be pointing fingers. As for the uninforced lock down and classs cancellations after the first shoting, we all agree that more could and should have been done. However, this whole media argument is unnessesary. They are doing the best they can to release only accurate information at this time as to prevent mass confusion and inaccurate facts.

 

And for the "asian man", it is just for identification. They are not trying to be racist or anything, its just a discription. If it were a white man, they would surley identify him as a white male, not that they are calling anyone out. So please calm down your rants here. This is a tradgic day and all of this blaming is unessesary. What is done is done, and even though we should have learned from these mistakes before hand, it is not the time to critisize their efforts. This event was completely unexpected and can happen to anyone anywhere. So please just show your condolance for these students and their families. Thanks again,

 

Kevin Conley

[IceDragon]

I kind of think that schools aren't doing much for security these days. Just how many of your schools have metal detectors, security cameras and a security guard or two altogether? Heck, my high school has none of that stuff, the only places that they have them are in one of the computer rooms (in which it got stolen), and one or two outside. Our junior high is a different story, they do have security cameras, but nothing as far as metal detectors!

As far as the media, I do think that it's all screwed up these days. And I'm taking a bet that if it was a white person, they wouldn't say white. These days, news stories vary between which stations you watch. Some like to "spin" the story, but there are a small few that tell it like it is. This goes for newspapers too.

Some of this stuff gets me angry!

 

 

we have fake security cameras (just the shell, nothing else), but we do have one inside the 'detention centre' (a room where you go if you get de-classed... it has full working air-con, computers, some educational games and everything...) which has a working security camera, just in case the teacher doesn't see the kid pull out a knife or a gun...

 

we have had cases like that, bomb scares (someone planted a possibly real fertilizer bomb which (apparently) could have taken out a good 100ft... if it had gone off, over 5000 people would've died... that was scary)

 

 

its hard to believe how someone could've just walked in, shot at innocent students, then shot himself without caring for anything... whats worse is they didn't send anyone in to help the stranded people still in classrooms... surely, that would've been the safest thing at that time?

[TheLastGunslinger]

Not to sound insensitive in this time of tragedy, but the media is really driving me nuts right now. A few details have come in about the gunman from today's massacre at Virginia Tech. They keep reporting that he is a 19 year old "Asian man". It was an "Asian man". Seriously, what difference does that make? What does it contribute? I feel like being informed that he is 19 years old at least has a little point to it, like, that he's probably a student. However, the fact that he's Asian does jack at this point. I can't imagine them saying, "Again, it is a 19 year old white man." Maybe, but doubtful. All they are doing is creating the possibility of stereotyping and prejudice/racism. It's really ridiculous.

 

Anyway, sorry about that rant. This really is an awful tragedy. Its stunning. I wish I had more to say, but I don't right now. It's just awful. Really messed up that somebody would do this.

 

The media coverage of events like this is always messed up. The identity of the shooter isn't know yet and already Jack Thompson (the infamous anti-video game lawyer) is blaming the events on video games. What makes it worse is that the Fox News Channel is actually taking this guy seriously despite the fact that he's on the verge of being disbarred (finally).

 

When an event like this occurs I tend to ignore everything except for basic coverage because nobody has all the facts and therefore is just speculating. Once the dust settles I'll turn on the TV (or more than likely check out BBC News or CNN's websites).

[krouvi]

I live in Israel and sadly kind of used to see terror attacks in the news and be careful about it all the time. I just can not understand how someone which is not a terrorist will do something like that.

I know that ever since 9/11 the U.S./SA is on alert mainly on airport, but school and public places should be secured too. In here we are used to have security at the gates of every public place including restaurants, cinemas, buses, schools etc. They do look inside our bags and got metal detectors. This sounds like too much but when you get used to it you see it's better than any violence.

I am sorry for you and hope no one here knows anyone from there. Poor familiesand students. You shouldn't face such things while you're 19, or 45 or 120.

[snuggles]

This is really sad and shocking to hear.

[gnewton34]

The media coverage of events like this is always messed up. The identity of the shooter isn't know yet and already Jack Thompson (the infamous anti-video game lawyer) is blaming the events on video games. What makes it worse is that the Fox News Channel is actually taking this guy seriously despite the fact that he's on the verge of being disbarred (finally).

 

When an event like this occurs I tend to ignore everything except for basic coverage because nobody has all the facts and therefore is just speculating. Once the dust settles I'll turn on the TV (or more than likely check out BBC News or CNN's websites).

 

Fox News is a joke.

[TheLastGunslinger]

The media coverage of events like this is always messed up. The identity of the shooter isn't know yet and already Jack Thompson (the infamous anti-video game lawyer) is blaming the events on video games. What makes it worse is that the Fox News Channel is actually taking this guy seriously despite the fact that he's on the verge of being disbarred (finally).

 

When an event like this occurs I tend to ignore everything except for basic coverage because nobody has all the facts and therefore is just speculating. Once the dust settles I'll turn on the TV (or more than likely check out BBC News or CNN's websites).

 

Fox News is a joke.

 

Good to see that I'm not the only one that thinks so.

[Masked_Maverick]

The media coverage of events like this is always messed up. The identity of the shooter isn't know yet and already Jack Thompson (the infamous anti-video game lawyer) is blaming the events on video games. What makes it worse is that the Fox News Channel is actually taking this guy seriously despite the fact that he's on the verge of being disbarred (finally).

 

When an event like this occurs I tend to ignore everything except for basic coverage because nobody has all the facts and therefore is just speculating. Once the dust settles I'll turn on the TV (or more than likely check out BBC News or CNN's websites).

 

Fox News is a joke.

 

Good to see that I'm not the only one that thinks so.

 

Why do you think that they are taking that guy seriously. You know all it is about for this guy is publicity and for his "glory". I hate people scapegoating other media outlets like that as for the Gunan he is already in Hell being punished for what he did.

[rcoasters]

I was pretty sad to hear about it in the news when I came back. It reminded me of the shooting we had in Montreal last fall, except that the one that occurred today is not 1-2 people, but like 30+

[Masked_Maverick]

Just as I was reading this thread the song A New Hope started playing on my Itunes. Here are part of the lyrics:

 

Amy's going back to school today

Elation, jubilation screams from her face

Did the halls smell of gunpowder still

What made the human mind dark enough to kill?

 

A new hope

Where is your freedom

A new hope cast off your burdens

 

A darker world was behind this one

Cryptic it hides beneath perception

We all saw it on that day

 

Stunned we stood stuttering

What did the news say?

 

They just seemed fitting on a somber day like this.

[snuggles]

When someone does something like this, you don't want them dead. You want to see them suffer a fate worse than death.

[Masked_Maverick]

as for the Gunman he is already in Hell being punished for what he did.

 

Dude did you not read my post? the guys IS suffering a fate worse than death.

[Corkscrewed]

I hope this thread doesn't get derailed into a religious argument just because of the above post. Just saying it now, because I've seen it happen way too many times.

[RollerC]

I live in Israel and sadly kind of used to see terror attacks in the news and be careful about it all the time. I just can not understand how someone which is not a terrorist will do something like that.

I know that ever since 9/11 the U.S./SA is on alert mainly on airport, but school and public places should be secured too. In here we are used to have security at the gates of every public place including restaurants, cinemas, buses, schools etc. They do look inside our bags and got metal detectors. This sounds like too much but when you get used to it you see it's better than any violence.

I am sorry for you and hope no one here knows anyone from there. Poor familiesand students. You shouldn't face such things while you're 19, or 45 or 120.

 

You should add 12-18 in that. Most school shootings in America happen at the Middle School and High School level. About 15 some years ago, some guy went into a High School in the next city and shot the principal and janitor killing them.

[Luxo]

When someone does something like this, you don't want them dead. You want to see them suffer a fate worse than death.

 

"An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind" - Martin Luther King Jr.

 

Just saying...not that he wouldn't have deserved punishment, but wishing that someone is "suffering a fate worse than death" is a terrible thing to think, IMO.

 

But, as with Corkscrewed, I don't wish to derail this topic. My thoughts go out to the families and I hope they can continue on as best they can.

[CommanderLock]

Jack Thompson has already jumped on this like a kid in a candy store that just opened. He could care less. All he wants is kids to become mindless machines that do the same thing every day...no games, not even those kiddie games...

 

My condolences go to the families of those who were killed.