First, my thoughts and prayers to the families, friends, and loved ones as well as the survivors of this tragedy. Having attended college (Bluefield College), something like that would be the last thing on my mind happening. Growing up 15 minutes from the campus of Virginia Tech, and watching the airport beacon from my bedroom window puts it close enough to literally hit home.
I have been reading and watching people talk about what could/should have been done differently. I am not qualified to say so myself, but I can certainly not bring myself to blame the leadership and police force at Tech.
I believe that if I were a student anywhere, and a shooting like what occurred at 7:15 Monday morning in the dorm happened and I knew about it, I would most likely head out to class or breakfast without fear, thinking that it was truly domestic in nature, with the suspect long gone from campus. What person would hang around after doing such a thing, so why should I worry that he/she still be around to carry out another round of killing?
I remember the sniper killings that put fear in the hearts of us in DC, Maryland, and Virginia in 2002. The one shooting at the Exxon station at the Massaponix exit of 95 hit home hard as I must have been driving by as the trigger was being pulled. I had only made it less than 10 miles up the Interstate when police came out of nowhere with lights and sirens to cover the exits. That Exxon was one of my main fueling points back then (a new job and different travel directions has me getting gas elsewhere). That was a situation that people didn’t feel safe anywhere. People don’t usually hang around after a domestic shooting, so I would have felt relatively safe going to class.
What about the gun issue? Somebody like Cho Seung-Hui, with the hatred he felt against his fellow man would have found a way to kill no matter what. When a person is so bent on killing, he/she will find a way to do so. I hold no hard feelings against the pawn shop or gun shop, they fulfilled their legal obligations as far as has been released. I only wish there was a way that his mental status could have been part of his record that may have prevented his getting a gun. Again, however, if he were prevented from buying any guns, he would have found some way to kill, in my opinion. In his mind set, from what I read of his actions, he could have taken the role of a suicide bomber if kept from guns.
I wish people would stop and think about their responses to this tragedy. In situations, we need to not react to what has happened, but, rather, to act to prevent it from happening again elsewhere. I do look forward to the probe into this event, and hope that something will come out of this that will prevent it from happening elsewhere. Virginia Tech has asked for a probe/review of this, and I know that improvements will be mentioned, but I cannot see any blame being officially levied against the college or its leadership or police force.
I should have said this first, or should edit it to go above, but I want to put it here, anyway; The acts of bravery and sacrifice show the best in human nature in such trying times. This includes people barricading doors with tables, and themselves so that the students will have a better chance of surviving as well as those who had the presence to apply first aid to themselves as they knew that they were in no condition to help others, but they still refused to give in without a fight. I also believe that those who played dead showed raw courage. Everybody except for the gunman in my book is a true hero.
I want to add that this is the act of one person, and I have absolutely no malice toward any Korean for this act. It could just as easily been a “good old boy” from what we consider our “heartland” going on a rampage. We have had plenty of born and raised Americans going on killing sprees, so we cannot blame any particular race, except maybe the human race in general if we insist on issuing blame, I don’t.
Again, my thoughts and prayers go out to the victims’ families, loved ones, etc., and the survivors. I pray that they rejoice in surviving, and not feel any guilt. They could not help what had happened, or changed anything. I pray for the staff at Virginia Tech, citizens of Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Radford, and all areas near or not affected by this. My prayers are for peace, forgiveness, wisdom, patience, closure, and protection throughout the healing period. I ask that you remember all involved yourself in prayer.
