Shootings at Va Tech....

[SCJJR65]

Just heard the awful news from Virginia Tech this morning.  At least 22 dead (including the shooter)!  Hard to believe this kind of thing could happen.  Makes me scared to even have a child in school!  

[NC Steve]

The toll's now up to 31 and rising, including the shooter, making it the single largest shooting incident in US history.
And, considering it spread out over 2 hours and buildings 1/2 mile apart, it's even more staggering...

[SCJJR65]

I'll bet this has an impact on the future of campus security at every school and college in the whole damn country....

[msbuck]

I have a neice and a nephew in college and it makes you stop and think about all the schools in the country.  What has happened to us?  It is unbelievable.  Never mind fearing terrorist from abroad when this kind of stuff is happening.  

I'm afraid the more it happens, the more it will continue to happen.  Media coverage just puts these kind of actions into minds that shouldn't be exposed...  

[NC Steve]

I stopped by to see The Kid this afternoon, as she's preparing to move off campus and into her first apartment with 2 other girls. She goes to the same U that I did, 30 years ago, and although the campus still looks amazingly similar, the atmosphere is completely different.
These kids wouldn't dream of taking off like we used to, walking around late at night, crashing others' keg parties, etc, etc.: although they have fun, there's such a fear & distrust of strangers, and of the unknown out there these days. This isn't just among the young women, either.
And, perhaps rightfully so, unfortunately.
It is still very sad, though, and such a waste......

[thrang]

My sympathy's go out to the poor family's who've lost their kids, they must be absolutely devastated.

[BooG]

How do you guys feel about the coverage in the media? Over here (UK), there is a big debate going on as to whether or not it was/is right to show the tapes that the guy made. Some people think that the media have turned him into a notorious celebrity in exactly the way he was wanting..others think that they have the right to see the footage because it helps to understand what was going on in his head.
At the moment, I think that if one of my kids had been killed, I would not want to see his nastiness all over the screens. Also, it seems like he bought his guns in a store. Maybe guns shouldn't be sold in stores? I'm not sure that would have made such a difference to this guy.........very sad...

[Justin B.]

Where he bought the weapon is irrelevant, as well as what the weapon was.  Someone as twisted as this would have constructed a pipe-bomb, drove their car through a large group at high speed, or whittled a machette out of something if they had made up their mind to go on a rampage.  Then again, how far would the little creep have gotten if there had been some armed SANE person close at hand at the beginning of this tragedy who could have taken him out?

The debate between media pundits on this side of the pond is pretty much the same.  To show, or not to show, that is the question...  I pretty much agree that the people directly affected have found/would find the airing pretty distasteful and I would imagine I would as well were I in their shoes.  But, this is one of the hazards of a free press in that it IS news and I suppose people have a right to see it if they are so inclined.  At least the various media haven't played it to death due to their realization it really is an extremely touchy subject.  At least the little bastard saved the taxpayers the expense of housing and feeding him for the rest of his natural life, as well as a virtual nose-thumbing to survivors, after he would surely have copped an insanity plea.  Mustn't execute crazy people, you know, even if it would never be safe to turn them loose...

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Well said, Justin.

[nhmaf]

I agree with the fellows above, too.   Unfortunately the news media is making a bigger fuss of
the sick, twisted killer than his unfortunate victims, and I think that the airing of the video and
pictures is only making things more painful for the victim's families, and likely to provoke
another sick, glory-seeking, twisted individual into doing something similar.   The media
over here seem to relish the opportunity to stir up more proverbial hornet's nests, and many of
us (though apparently not enough of us) are quite sick of it.

So, now we apparently have some sort of incident in the Johnson Space center..

And this week, there were at least (3) (fortunately turned out to be hoax) bomb threats in
schools in my state, most likely done by the typical teenage malcontents seeking thrills or a day
out of school...    when will we learn not to glorify the violent, the controversial, the profane/obscene,
and get back to honesty,  keeping your word, and helping your friends ?  We are definitely
losing our way, as a society, I think.

[Ed Miller]

I like the approach my local classic rock radio station uses:  they won't mention the name of John Lennon's killer, because he deserves nothing more than to be forgotten.  He's a nobody, and this guy back east is the same.  

I wonder how it happened, on the hijacked flight that crashed into a PA field rather than it's intended target, that unarmed passengers got up the courage or motivation or what ever, to attack and defeat armed hijackers and, while not saving the plane, at least preventing their murderers from achieving their goals.  And I wonder how it could have happened at the college:  what has to be present?  Not just an armed citizen like Justin correctly pointed out, but the will to attack in the face of overwhelming odds to prevent further evil.  I think I'M willing to do it, but I can't know because I've never been there.  It's sad that people can be so defenseless.  

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

We have had several generations of coddling security in this country.  We get soft.

[SCJJR65]

... And then something horrible like this shooting happens to cause a swift knee-jerk reaction in the other direction...

[airhead]

I'm kind of watching the whole thing from afar with a certain amount of incredulity, if not confusion. I am from a country that had fairly strict gun laws, but after the Port Arthur massacre (we have had only one, not counting the Aboriginal massacres of our past history) in Tasmania just over ten years ago, instigated without any real opposition, even tighter gun laws. This included a nationwide moratorium on the surrendering of unlicensed weapons, and compulsory surrendering of automatic and semi automatic weapons. Licensing, registration and regulation of existing guns and gun owners were also toughened.
Ok, I know it's not perfect, and there will be illegal gun ownership out there by loonies, but we stand by our record on massacres. Make gun ownership difficult, and if it saves at least one life, isn't it worth it?? I read above (and elsewhere) that if everyone has a gun, the massacre perpetrator would be taken out before he manages to kill anyone else!!! Sorry, are we talking running gun battles by people taking the law into their own hands and deciding who is to be shot, what if someone else comes in and then decides to pop off the person shooting the loon?? Where the heck does it all end?? Wild west again???
I think the US has to do a major rethink on gun laws and the second amendment, even if it means prising the gun from the dead hands of Charlton Heston, as I'm sure innocent bystanders have rights as well. Heck, you don't have anymore Redcoats or Redskins to fight any more do you?
Hope I didn't offend anyone with this, I didn't intend to, but like I said, as an outsider I'm really confused.
Bill........................;-(

[Bob_Roller]

No , we are not fighting the British anymore, by I extend a welcome to you to the southwestern US for a little eye opening  first hand experience on rampant drug and illegal alien smuggling. Where any and all human life is expendable! I refuse to ride or drive without being 'properly' armed ( 9 mm hand gun and or 12 gauge shotgun). It is legal in Arizona to carry an unconcealed weapon ( except for a few restricted venues), and until it is illegal, I will always be ready to defend myself.