Tragedy at Virginia Tech

[mmmdk]

Words cannot describe the horror that happened today. I feel awful.

Columbine & the tower shooter at Texas - similar shootings has happened in Germany years ago. 15 years ago six students were killed at my university (Aarhus University) by a former student; only time such a tragedy happened in Denmark.

Damnit.

[MJZiggy]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/16/AR2007041600533.html?hpid=topnews

Senseless. My heart goes out to the families of the victims and the students on the campus.

[oregonpackfan]

Tragic, senseless, horific... These are just the first few words that come to my mind regarding this incident.

[packinpatland]

Makes you want to go gather your children, regardless of age.

This makes me nauseous. Let's pray for those families.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Hard to fathom how messed up somebody would have to be to do something like this.

[LL2]

Hard to fathom how messed up somebody would have to be to do something like this.

Not only that, but would drive someone to do something like this. It’s something I can’t comprehend, and sure none of you can either. The person that did this had to be thinking about doing this for a while and planned it out. So, it’s not a momentary “Well, I’ll smash your face in!” type of thought. It definitely has to be deep rooted anger, but why kill innocent people you do not even know. It’s so senseless. I know many of you will disagree, but I do believe a lot of it has to do with the music and content in movies that sing and show senseless violence. Is it the cause of it, not necessarily, but it is fuel for their thought. I do not even watch horror movies. There is no point to them. Some may be angry at God, like the man who killed the Amish school girls, and others seek revenge but why take it out on innocent people. All of this will just leave the victims families want to know “why?”

[HarveyWallbangers]

The first thing people will do when this happens is blame guns. More than likely, this guy didn't have a gun legally and if one of those 29 people had a concealed weapon, there might not be 29 dead. Sorry I even touched on that, but I know that will come next. I won't get into that argument any further. I think your point is a good one. Personally, I think the bigger issue does have to do with Hollywood. I just think it breeds this type of culture. It's obviously not the sole issue. Parenting is the biggest issue, but I do think Hollywood and the like (movies, music, video games, TV) have a role in this. My wife was just commenting about how every other movie that's out right now seems to be a horror movie. And the horror movies that are out now are extremely demented. It's a combination of everything with parenting being at the top of the list. It's quite depressing.

[Patler]

I'm sure I will be ridiculed for this, but I am extremely concerned with the violent nature of video games. Game after game has people walking through neighborhoods, buildings, whatever, shooting everyone in sight; or driving and killing pedestrians, other drivers, whatever.

Too many kids, even very young kids, play these types of games for hours each day, almost everyday, for years and years. We as adults can hopefully differentiate the right from the wrong, entertainment from reality, etc. Children are not always capable of that. Many adolescents do not understand the physical finality of death. I have to believe that being barraged by this type of imagery and activity as a young child influences their attitudes as a young adult. For some, even a very small number, it teaches them the wrong way to deal with their problems.

Some say I worry too much, but this concerns me greatly.

[LL2]

Yes, your right parenting is the biggest issue. Hollywood does play a role, and your right not the only one. If anyone blames guns they are an idiot. It’s like the movie “Runaway Jury” where they sue the gun company. I like the movie, but hate the politics behind it. In places like Australia where they have outlawed guns crime has actually gone up, but yet many democrats would love to outlaw guns in our country too.

I will say this, someone at Virginia Tech is going to take some serious heat. The first shooting was at 7:15 am, and then the second round was 2 hours later. Someone should’ve killed that guy while he walked 4 blocks across campus to kill more. Maybe that sounds easier said than done, but what happened during those two hours?

[packinpatland]

Patler, I am with you 100%

Strange as this may sound, we have long been a society that finds hurting each other a form of entertainment.

[Zool]

I'm sure I will be ridiculed for this, but I am extremely concerned with the violent nature of video games. Game after game has people walking through neighborhoods, buildings, whatever, shooting everyone in sight; or driving and killing pedestrians, other drivers, whatever.

Too many kids, even very young kids, play these types of games for hours each day, almost everyday, for years and years. We as adults can hopefully differentiate the right from the wrong, entertainment from reality, etc. Children are not always capable of that. Many adolescents do not understand the physical finality of death. I have to believe that being barraged by this type of imagery and activity as a young child influences their attitudes as a young adult. For some, even a very small number, it teaches them the wrong way to deal with their problems.

Some say I worry too much, but this concerns me greatly.

Its way more about parents explaining right and wrong and using TV and video games as babysitters than the games themselves.

[Chubbyhubby]

This is very tradgic. 31 people including the shooter is now confirmed dead. This is the worst school shooting in US History.

[LL2]

Patler, I am with you 100%

Strange as this may sound, we have long been a society that finds hurting each other a form of entertainment.

I 2nd this! It’s not so much as parents teaching their kids right from wrong, which they should do, but no parent should let their kids play video games where the player shoots someone in the head and the head explodes. Anyone, no matter the age, that finds that “entertainment” needs their head examined. My wife and I do not plan on buying our kids any video game system. Our first is only 2, so we will see how it will go, but the answer will be no. Fortunately we know 2 other parents that take the same position so hopefully their kids playing with our kids will be helpful influences.

[MJZiggy]

That does help a lot LL2. The closest thing mine has to shooting games is Lego Star Wars where if someone gets "shot" the lego bricks fall apart. It is possible to get gaming systems that don't have shooting games, it's just a matter of checking out the games you get.

[Partial]

This is absolutely horrible. My goodness. 33 students killed and many more in critical condition. Why didn't they cancel classes and tell people to stay in their rooms after the first shooting?



At least it was at college where not everyone knows eachother. At a high school I don't think those students would ever recover since everyone is close with one another.