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Terrible thing. Also the dude pom linked to above wasn't the shooter. He matches the shooter's profile in many ways (guns, asian, recently broke up with girlfriend, goes to VTech, and hadn't updated his lj today) but he just updated his lj. Some folks are crazy. Why would you even scream at a dead dude's profile anyway unless this event was directly related to you? The dude is still kind of crazy but he's not shoot 33 people crazy.
I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body? |
Thats gotta be a serious shock to log onto your LJ, and find out you apparently just got done shooting up a college and taking your own life.
I was speaking idiomatically. |
As for the security system for the dorms here at Virginia Tech, I believe it's a bit more lax than other places. The doors to the dorms will only open if you have your key card. However, they are unlocked between the hours 10:00AM and 10:00PM. I would have to say he planned this out rather well. Then again, anybody who comes down and opens the door usually lets people in too, so he probably didn't need much of a key card, just waited for somebody to come down to open the door for like a morning jog or something.
What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now? |
I thought about that earlier. We had the same system at OSU Okmulgee. It's all pretty pointless.
FELIPE NO |
In listening to the news coverage, and reading articles online, I've observed an unsettling trend toward knee-jerk stupidity. Granted, everyone is shocked and disgusted, and we're all seeking answers in our own way. Yet, the media has this nasty habit of inundating the airwaves with useless filler; they have to say something because saying nothing (due to lack of confirmed information and respect for the deceased) is bad for ratings.
"Was this attack premeditated?" - Offhand, I'd say hell yes. I don't understand how this is even a question. He chained a classroom door closed; he had chains. Not to mention multiple clips of ammunition. This isn't the sort of thing that's kept in a gym bag, alongside sweat socks, a water bottle and "Jock Jams Vol. 16", just in case a situation arises and you really wish you could take a few hostages. Of course it was premeditated. "How could he just freely walk into a campus classroom?" - Virginia Tech's campus is public, the very definition of which is that everyone has open access to the facilities. With the thousands who come and go daily, it's nigh impossible to inspect everyone. The greater outrage would be if all basic presumptions of innocence were abandoned and every campus entrance was treated like airport security. "How come the entire campus wasn't alerted?" - Allow me to speak as the voice of reason here, but how could anyone know that a single, isolated gunshot in a dorm would become a bloodbath, two hours later, in a random building across the campus? Is it now a matter of saving ourselves from all liability that we need to incite widespread paranoia at the first sign of trouble? If a smoke alarm goes off, should all buildings be evacuated for fear of a potential arsonist? In all reality, it probably took that first couple hours for campus security to confirm that there'd been an early morning gunshot, at which point there was nothing to prove a subsequent assault would occur. A cautionary e-mail and advisory to all dorms was a sensible reaction. It's only in hindsight that we know it was inadequate. Nobody fucked up. Nobody dropped the ball. We're simply not all psychics. "Was the gunman shot or did he kill himself?" - I fail to see the direct relevance of this question. The end result is the same: he's dead. I suppose the only reason it's asked is so the media knows whether it can call into question the efficacy of the police who responded to the scene. If the police shot him, why did it take so long for someone to act? If he killed himself, who can the media scapegoat into resigning from his or her position as police chief? Either way, it's a loaded question. "What could've been done to prevent this tragedy?" - This is a completely ludicrous question that's been asked on television umpteen times already. Nothing! Nothing could've been done within plausible reason to stop this. It's unsatisfying but true. People, especially those close to the victims, will expect changes to be made so that these things aren't repeated elsewhere. I don't know what they expect that won't result in systematically converting our nation into a police-state. Crazy people do crazy things; this is why they're considered crazy. Trying to predict the actions of the imbalanced is futile. Enacting safeguards that restrict and punish the innocent only serves to erode what few basic freedoms we have left. All the metal detectors and security cameras in the world won't stop a determined assailant. I say it's better to go about life as normal than trying to change our surroundings in capitulation to our fears. "This was a gruesome act of terrorism." - A fantastic, knee-jerk reaction by an over-sensationalist media. This man was not a terrorist. He was a jilted lover and a obsessive whackjob. This wasn't an act of political or religious significance; he wasn't trying to make a profound statement to the world. He was angry and wanted others to suffer too. The media has become too quick to latch onto the term "terrorist" to describe anyone commiting a damaging act. Timothy McVeigh was a terrorist. The Unabomber was a terrorist. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were terrorists. These people had sociopolitical agendas. The Virginia Tech shooter, not so much. An act against one's fellow man may be terrifying, but it's not necessarily terrorism. I guess merely being "crazy" isn't so newsworthy these days. They'll be discussing the ins and outs of this tragedy for months. They'll examine the uncanny timing, how it's only within days of the anniversaries of the Columbine High School shooting and the Oklahoma City bombing. They'll try to psychoanalyze what went wrong in the life of a spurned gun lover, as if it's that difficult to determine. Every guest expert under the sun will be called in to give meaningless testimony on the events. It's the sort of parade the networks love. Personally, I'd like to go about living my life without fear of everything that could conceivably, possibly, perhaps, someday, maybe, ostensibly kill me. But that's just me. Most amazing jew boots |
My mom came in today and said, "It's pretty scary."
And I go, "Not really." "You're not scared?" "No." "Why not?" I guess it's easier for me to not feel scared despite being a college student, as my mom teaches special education at the local middle school (you know, all the 7th grade autistics and the 8th grade arsonists). On the other hand, I also intend to become a teacher myself. It sort of makes me wonder what kind of attitude we'll have in regards to school safety down the line. All I know is that by the time I become a teacher, I'll be able to arm myself on-campus. Concerns aside, the likelihood of being shot to death at school, is still smaller than dying from a bee sting despite the recent Bee Holocaust. I've got better odds of living to 100. There's no reason to be scared. For anybody. Edit: Oh great, they just tied in Imus with the shooting on CNN. Wonderful. Jam it back in, in the dark.
Last edited by Bradylama; Apr 16, 2007 at 11:10 PM.
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There's nowhere I can't reach. |
Chocobo |
This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it. |
Crash - I agree with most, if not all, of what you typed (I'm still skeptical as to whether it was pre-meditated or not, but you make it sound like it definitely was). I couldn't have worded it as well as you did, even though I have similar feelings regarding the whole event. Don't get me wrong, I do feel immense sympathy for all of those tied to this event, but I think things are being unnecessarily sensationalised (a bit of a redundant statement, I know).
The accusations made against the security of the university are extremely erratic, and I also believe that they did the best that they could have done. Overall, a horrific tragedy, but I'm not wanting to touch what the news says with a ten-foot pole, however I guess I'll have no choice in order for me to learn more about this matter. I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?
Last edited by Muzza; Apr 17, 2007 at 12:11 AM.
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Dateline is doing a special on this right now, if anyone cares to watch.
I was speaking idiomatically. |
What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now? |
I heard about this earlier at work... All i got to say about this is... I'm gonna sound selffish but I'm glad that it didn't happen to me or anyone that i know...
How ya doing, buddy? |
What, you don't want my bikini-clad body? |
I guess Furby must be in a constant state of gladness.
Jam it back in, in the dark. |
There's nowhere I can't reach. |
Crash's description of the cable news blather about this doesn't surprise me one bit. They're a bunch of vultures, for the most part.
But what pains me is the utter loss that was incurred because of one man's angst/selfishness/whatever. My God. It really makes me sad thinking of what the families of the victims have to go through now, because one bastard couldn't deal with his life. My workplace had a disgruntled worker scare in February -- the entire facility was evacuated when somebody spotted a gun among the belongings of a laid-off employee. Thank goodness he didn't do anything with it, but reading about this, I've realized that it could have been far, far worse. How ya doing, buddy? |
*Sigh*
This is NOT the way I envisoned my birthday. Tech is about three hours from where I went to college and our college had a friendly rivarly. Furthermore, I had, and still have friends who are going there. I still remember it. I went to bed sad about the one death, then woke up to see in big letters, thirty-three deaths. I go out and come back home and see 'biggest tragedy in recent school history'. My condolences to all those out at tech. Thankfully, no one I knew personally had anything happen to them, but I can only imagine it might not have been the same for others... Most amazing jew boots |
My deepest condolences to everyone involved. It's a shame that I did not even know about this until my friend told me on MSN earlier, due to constant studying. I couldn't even imagine something like this unfolding and I certainly hope it never happens again I was speaking idiomatically. |
Oh man... that scream during the last seconds was disturbing. What could that have been? The gunman? The officers?
Most amazing jew boots |
It was an officer running up behind the student taking the video on his cell phone. The guy was starting to go closer to the building, and an officer ran up to stop him and force him to leave the area.
FELIPE NO |
Fuck you assholes |
Can't really say anything that hasn't been said before, but likewise my thoughts and prayers go out to all the families and friends of the victims. I never thought things would ever be worse than Columbine.
And thank you, Mr. Thompson, for using the murders of over 30 people to push along your anti-videogame agenda. What, you don't want my bikini-clad body? |
In the unlikely event that I am EVER am within reaching distance of Thompson after this shit, he's gonna need a new set of teeth. Opportunistic pig. It's not even about video games, it's about the exploitation of all of those that have suffered from this tragedy.
Jam it back in, in the dark. |
Somehow I would not be stunned if this kid played Counter-Strike in his spare time.
There's nowhere I can't reach. |
How ya doing, buddy? |
Read in wikipedia that the guy was a South Korean student named Cho Seung-hui. He also left a note criticizing "rich kids", "debauchery" and "deceitful charlatans". Link to note.
Disturbing shit. I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body? |