Gunman kills 32 at Virginia Tech
Recently elected Govenor Tim Kaine has announced that Blacksburg is in a state of Emergency after an alleged lone gunman allegedly killed two students, one male and one female, early this morning at 7 a.m., and later allegedly massacred Norris Hall, an academic building raising the death toll up to 33. Two hours after the first shooting the gunman was seen inside the second floor of Norris Hall allegedly searching for someone. At around 9:15 this morning the shooter began opening fire on students and faculty in classrooms, who attempted to barricade themselves inside their classrooms. The alleged murderer had apparently planned his move into Norris Hall after police reported he had chained entrances closed to prevent easy exit for potential escapees.
Like most Americans, I’m in a state of shock at the news from Virginia Tech. I find it difficult to wrap my head around the idea that such a horrific tragedy can happen in such a bucolic, open, and welcoming community as a public university. How can any sane person possibly come to grips with a tragedy of such epic and senseless proportions?
I’ve been to Blacksburg, VA, and while I have no real experience with Virginia Tech, Blacksburg and it’s environs are about as beautiful and harmless as any college town I’ve ever seen. Set in some of Virginia’s most beautiful and serene woodlands, Blacksburg is the kind of place where you just feel safe. You’re in a bucolic college town in scenic rural Virginia; what could possibly go wrong?
When I heard the news, my first thought was about Eric. He’s a sophomore at William & Mary in Williamsburg, which is probably 3-4 hours away, but it’s still in Virginia, and where you hear news like this, rationality isn’t the first instinctive reaction. Eric is fine, of course, which is more than many Hokie parents and families can say about their loved ones. I cannot even begin to imagine the depths of sorrow that now consumes so many families. I also cannot fathom the evil that could conceive of and execute such a horrific massacre. Thirty-two innocent men and women, whose only transgression was being in the wrong place at the wrong time, are dead at the hand of a murderous nutjob with more weapons and ammunition than compassion and simple human decency. As more details begin to emerge, we’ll no doubt learn that this heinous crime was even worse and more monstrous than initially reported. Imagine being one of the parents and having to learn that your child was executed. How does a reasonable, sane person even begin to process that reality?
As the days go by, we may learn more about the gunman responsible for this brutal violation of a community that didn’t deserve to be ripped asunder in such a violent manner. We may even learn more about what led the madman to kill so many innocents. I don’t know that anyone will ever be able to fully explain WHY. And perhaps that’s the worst part of this tragedy. So many died so tragically and in such an evil, brutally sadistic manner. Why?
Why, indeed….
In the true spirit of proving that politics knows no compassion, guess what the first thing Sen. John McCain and Our Glorious and Benevolent Leader © discussed after the perfunctory expression of condolence? Yep, that’s right…both of them reaffirmed their support for gun rights, ‘cuz Lord knows you wouldn’t want to lose the support of the gun lobby, capice?
Jeebus, you’d think these two mental midgets could at least wait for the bodies to cool before politicking as if votes and, more importantly, political contributions were at stake….
