Dark days in Virginia and America.

As a lifetime resident of Virginia, and Graduate of James Madison University a few hours north of Blacksburg, the horrific attack by the psychotic student yesterday has me reeling.

As people search for some reason or meaning in such vicious acts, we can and must ask ourselves for what purpose do we unite in community if it cannot sheild us from such pain. And the reason is simple, to unite in order to endure through such hardship and survive. I feel for the families and their friends. Some of my best friends are graduates and are more shocked than I even.

You then realize that such things will happen in an open society so throroughly addicted to violence and sex as we are. Picking up the pieces, everyone, especially the media searching for the next big tragedy, preys on peoples' anger and fear to coach their answers and find a cause for blame.

Next Congress will come forward with more gun laws, which won't work anyway. The District of Columbia has the most draconian gun laws in the nation and never is less than 5th in homicide rate per capita, sure worked now ONLY THE CRIMINALS have guns... great.

I always wonder why they can't summon the courage to just end their own game not end the lives and loves of others.

 

VaRollOn:

I too hope and pray the families can find hope and peace at the end of the healing process...if they can find the end. God willing, they will.

The sad thing is, and Varollon has already begun touching on it, no real change will happen. Politicians will hold hearings and suggest legislation to make us feel safer, but no one in power will discuss what truly is at the core of our problem as a nation.

The problem is ourselves. We have no respect for others, we charish entertainment that really is not entertainment...the lines of fantasy and reality are blurred. And most important, its all about me and how "me" feels. Our society has jettisoned personal accountibility...its always someone else's fault.

I am not going to soapbox this too hard, but I do want to make this point. It's the small things in our society that add up to the big VT type things. And if you don't think its true lets look at some of the small things that we all can relate to or know someone like this(I'll use motorcycling):

Loud Pipes: Ask someone why they have loud pipes and they say:"It saves lives and its MY right to have them!" Then bring up the fact that they have really pissed off everyone who's around their bike and the response goes something like this:"SO? Its MY bike and F them"!

Crashing on the street: A rider you know goes down. You ask what happened? "O man I was going through that awesome 35 mph turn on Andrew's Lake Road at 60 mph and DOT had salted the hell out of the road and corner and I low sided!" You say: 60mph? Man you know DOT salts that area why didn't you at least scope out the corner first, or slow down?" They say: "Its not my fault! Damn DOT! They don't need to use that much salt! I am going to talk to an attorney about suing them cuz my bike is totalled and insurance won't cover it! My insurance said it was MY fault! Can you believe that! I am not the one who put the salt on the corner!

Now these two examples arn't going to take guns and shoot up some place, but just think...take these to the extremes and watch the VT shooters manifesto video and you see it. He talks about how everyone wronged him, its all about how he feels. No accountiblity.

When we live in a society where a large number of people think cell phones, loud pipes, and "how they feel" are constitutional rights...that should answer our question of why this shit happens!

If you want change folks...be the change yourself.

If we lived in a society that valued personal accountibility, this is what it would sound like:

Loud Pipes: Hey Joe, you bike has new pipes...what's up? Joe:"I was pissing the neighbors off pretty bad, so I just put these nice grumbly pipes on and you know what? I got a small Hp gain too! My neighbors still hate motorcycles, but at least they can't take me in front of the HO assocociattion with a legitimate bitch anymore! And they are talking to me again!

Crashing: Hey Chris, I heard you went down? Chris: Yea, dude the weather was awesome and I just had to hang off and drag a knee on Andrews Lake Road, but DOT had salted the road pretty hard and I took the 35mph turn at 60 mph, hit a ton of salt and went down. The bad this my insurance my won't cover the bike because of my own dumbass...well that's what I get trying to use the street for a track day".


BZ

 

Unfortunately things like this expose the fragile underbelly of democracy and freedom. God knows I love all that this country gives us, but unfortunately some may use these freedoms to evil ends. No one should hassle you for your opinions, but what about when your opinions get dangerous, who can draw that line. It is a difficult thing and a tragedy that no one drew that line for this individual in VA before it was too late.
My heart goes out to those who are part of this tragedy. We can talk about all the violent video games, gun laws, and so on, but it all boils down to the fact that a violent psycho is going to find a way to hurt people one way or another. We can only hope that this gunman burns for eternity in the fires of hell for his wicked actions.

 

Hey Guys,

the tragedy at VT was not preventable at least not the first two killings. This Psychopath killed 2 people, walked off, went to the Post Office, mailed a package, and the proceeded to kill thirty other people. This all took place over a 2 hour period. I am afraid VT's Police Dept. dropped the ball on this one. " We can handle this there is no need to involve outside agencies think of the bad press we will get." They should have locked that campus down and had every SWAT team in the county on site looking for this lunatic. BUT NOOO, we are too worried about how it will look (PR) rather than take some action that might make us look bad.
Fact: 4% of the population will need to be hospitalized for some form of mental illness.
we as humans are imperfect but we can use some common sense and take appropriate action when the real us happens to show up.
This boy had a history. Each of us has the capacity to do horrible things to ourselves and others. We are fortunate that it happens as little as it does. We can only hope that those affected by this can/will learn to accept(deal with) it and move on with their lives. My parents would blame it on television. A cop out. it is not our society's fault, it is a human fault. This sheit has been going on forever. I don't think we will ever change. It is a good thing that we will become extinct one day. we don't need to spread this crap beyond our own world. We aren't ready to move off this planet. There are always more steps in evolution to take.

I often wonder why We call it "common sense" since it is apparent that not everyone has it. and the media, never forget, It is entertainment. when you stopped having to read it and just started watching it became entertainment (Ratings)

 

Danimal:

Totally true my man, and your statement of what that your parents would blame TV just backs up what I tried to soapbox about...its the shooters fault, not society.

And true, this stuff happens all the time. Back in the 1920's a school teacher or parent (can't remeber at moment) got pissed off and stormed a school with lots of guns and dynamite, shot people then blew himself and part of the school up. So I know its not a new thing. I know this is part of the price for living in a supposed free society, and I would not have it any other way. I just question our societies general values. And I truly do not think we value whats important.

I think you all know what I mean because we are all, or it seems, like minded freedom loving indivuduals. I base this statement on the many threads on this site.

BZ

 

As the facts come out it is becoming pretty clear that this could have been avoided. The hospital releasing the psychotic student(will not utter his name)and the University allowing him to live amongst the population while in possession of his evalution IMO opens them up to litigation on every level.

The Police did their job, they saw an individual that needed serious mental help. After that the system completely broke down. I can understand us not wanting to vilify mental illness, I admittedly must deal with it in an aspect of my life(not me) and no one wants to go back to Sanitarium days of abuse, but this guy should have been in the hospital for at least a week non-voluntary after his stalking incidents and violent tendencies in the evaluation process.

If they had actually remanded him to treatment he would have been flagged in the gun purchase. Blame the F'Ing judge YET AGAIN.