Tragedy at Virginia Tech

[Theophrastus]

Apparently a way to show support and good will towards the families of victims is to wear orange and maroon. Maybe a small two tone set of color bars at the bottom of peoples' sigs or something? I feel for them, as the thing seems so needless.  

[Fuzzy Kittens]

I find myself grieving for Cho Seung-Hui. He was obviously a very troubled young man, and judging by the spiteful things he says in his video he must've been bullied quite a lot growing up.

It was reported that he voluntarily went to a psychiatric hospital for help and that they evaluated his responses as "normal" and allowed him off-site treatment. I wonder, what could have been done to help him?  

[Theophrastus]

I made a simple image to put in your profile.



URL is http://i12.tinypic.com/333vj7p.jpg.

A polite, subtle way to show concern.  

[Arios V]

Theophrastus

Apparently a way to show support and good will towards the families of victims is to wear orange and maroon. Maybe a small two tone set of color bars at the bottom of peoples' sigs or something? I feel for them, as the thing seems so needless.

I feel deeply for those who died. It was especially scary for me, since I live in Virginia and know a few people at VT (Thankfully, no one I know got hurt). Tomorrow at my school, we are doing a remembrance thing where everyone is going to wear Orange & Maroon and or things with a VT logo on them. I don't have anything Orange & Maroon or that has a VT logo on it, but I will make do  

[=X-Sparker + AquaKiller=]

dude that school's hella stupid. even if it was an isolated incident, they should have had the lockdown and evacuate the students. any normal person with a brain and certain extent of knowledge of how to use a brain would know that they must close the school immediately. just for the sake of safety, ya? see what happens when they don't? 31 more ppl get killed. and those 31 lives could have been saved if only the school was smart enough to execute the lockdown.

i'd be scared to death if i was in that school.  

[Sanguvixen]

=X-Sparker + AquaKiller=

dude that school's hella stupid. even if it was an isolated incident, they should have had the lockdown and evacuate the students. any normal person with a brain and certain extent of knowledge of how to use a brain would know that they must close the school immediately. just for the sake of safety, ya? see what happens when they don't? 31 more ppl get killed. and those 31 lives could have been saved if only the school was smart enough to execute the lockdown.

i'd be scared to death if i was in that school.

Grieve now, blame/judge later.

Yes, I disagree with the mentality of "Lock them down to save them." because that just makes people a better target for a shooter when they are grouped together with no-where to go.

 

[Jessica Malatori]

Sanguvixen

=X-Sparker + AquaKiller=

dude that school's hella stupid. even if it was an isolated incident, they should have had the lockdown and evacuate the students. any normal person with a brain and certain extent of knowledge of how to use a brain would know that they must close the school immediately. just for the sake of safety, ya? see what happens when they don't? 31 more ppl get killed. and those 31 lives could have been saved if only the school was smart enough to execute the lockdown.

i'd be scared to death if i was in that school.

Grieve now, blame/judge later.

Yes, I disagree with the mentality of "Lock them down to save them." because that just makes people a better target for a shooter when they are grouped together with no-where to go.

Yes it is a pretty dead end scenario. The schools are not fortifications. An automatic weapon could shoot through the walls. Locking the door is futile now since they have a "mandatory" window in it in case of fires. You could just shoot out the middle and open it from the inside.

But running could also become a dangerous situation. You have the possibility of stampede. If you escape out of the windows, you might just fall to your death. Or get shot by snipers... (if they were that well prepared).

Either way you are screwed, though one more then the other.  

[Six Billion of Spades]

Call me insensitive, but I get literally sick of people telling me that I should, for whatever reason, be grieving this incident. I apologize if anyone here had friends who died in the massacre, but this needs to be said. I'll be willing to concede that the kids probably didn't deserve what came to them, but you have to be honest... neither do the people killed each year by the tobacco industry. It has killed far more people than any kid (or two kids, for that matter) with guns, and yet you never see anyone preaching about the insanity or troubled nature of the behavior of the CEO's.

The only difference is that they're a little more subtle in their dirty deeds, so we just passively sit by and let it happen. Plus, think about it. What's more inhumane? Killing someone quickly with a gun or killing someone slowly through their lungs? Maybe when second hand smoke and cigarettes stop killing people, I'll start giving more of my obligatory s**t about the deaths involved in these school shootings. Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying that this wasn't a massacre. All I'm trying to say is that it pales in comparison to what the tobacco industry has been doing all along.  

[God of lunchboxes]

The fact that Cho was this crazy and still obtained a gun boggles my mind. This was all on file, however he still obtained a gun. The right to bear arms should be revoked in so many cases.  

[Sanguvixen]

Semper Fiasco

Call me insensitive, but I get literally sick of people telling me that I should, for whatever reason, be grieving this incident. I apologize if anyone here had friends who died in the massacre, but this needs to be said. I'll be willing to concede that the kids probably didn't deserve what came to them, but you have to be honest... neither do the people killed each year by the tobacco industry. It has killed far more people than any kid (or two kids, for that matter) with guns, and yet you never see anyone preaching about the insanity or troubled nature of the behavior of the CEO's.

The only difference is that they're a little more subtle in their dirty deeds, so we just passively sit by and let it happen. Plus, think about it. What's more inhumane? Killing someone quickly with a gun or killing someone slowly through their lungs? Maybe when second hand smoke and cigarettes stop killing people, I'll start giving more of my obligatory s**t about the deaths involved in these school shootings. Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying that this wasn't a massacre. All I'm trying to say is that it pales in comparison to what the tobacco industry has been doing all along.

I'll have to say this...when one dies by cancer stick they choose that path. It is thier path, no one chooses it for them but them. They are the ones who picked up a cancer stick and spent thier lives smoking plants and filling thier lungs with crap. So if they die of lung cancer...that is how they chose to die.

However, when people die by gunfire they don't choose to be killed that way. The didn't wake up and think "I want to be shot by some mentally disturbed person, so let me find someone and get him or her to shoot me." They never had permission asked...it was just someone taking thier life, and they had no say so at all.

No...the comparison...doesn't work. Please, if you have anything to say like this just keep it to yourself, at least for now. It's too soon to saying things like that.

 

[[Hollow Point]]

I just hated the media going after gun laws. He used two pistols that are legal for any non-felon over the age of 21 to own. But not a ******** word was said about the irresponsible administration who allowed 31 students to die by not alerting them of the initial dormroom shooting that took place TWO HOURS before he went on the rampage in the classrooms. After Columbine all schools are supposed to assume a state of emergency at the first sign of trouble. Those kids should've been evacuated after he shot his ex and her new b/f in the dorms, while he was going to the post office to mail his pointless message of revenge to CNN.

Although I highly doubt any of the administration at VA Tech will be reprimanded for their lack of action, I think they should all be charged with involuntary manslaughter. At least. Seriously people, this is a tragedy that ******** could have been avoided.  

[Theophrastus]

[Hollow Point]

I just hated the media going after gun laws. He used two pistols that are legal for any non-felon over the age of 21 to own. But not a ******** word was said about the irresponsible administration who allowed 31 students to die by not alerting them of the initial dormroom shooting that took place TWO HOURS before he went on the rampage in the classrooms. After Columbine all schools are supposed to assume a state of emergency at the first sign of trouble. Those kids should've been evacuated after he shot his ex and her new b/f in the dorms, while he was going to the post office to mail his pointless message of revenge to CNN.

Although I highly doubt any of the administration at VA Tech will be reprimanded for their lack of action, I think they should all be charged with involuntary manslaughter. At least. Seriously people, this is a tragedy that ******** could have been avoided.

Smartest comment I've heard in a while.  

[Arios V]

[Hollow Point]

I just hated the media going after gun laws. He used two pistols that are legal for any non-felon over the age of 21 to own. But not a ******** word was said about the irresponsible administration who allowed 31 students to die by not alerting them of the initial dormroom shooting that took place TWO HOURS before he went on the rampage in the classrooms. After Columbine all schools are supposed to assume a state of emergency at the first sign of trouble. Those kids should've been evacuated after he shot his ex and her new b/f in the dorms, while he was going to the post office to mail his pointless message of revenge to CNN.

Although I highly doubt any of the administration at VA Tech will be reprimanded for their lack of action, I think they should all be charged with involuntary manslaughter. At least. Seriously people, this is a tragedy that ******** could have been avoided.

I agree that in retrospect a warning, class cancellation and campus wide lockdown should have been instituted at the moment the investigation the first shooting happened. However, like they said, at the time they were assuming it was an isolated incident and that they didn't expect this to turn into what it did. I know what you're gonna say, and yes it doesn't excuse them for their failure to take adequate action to ensure safety.

You are right that the administrators may never face complete justice for their negligence, I do however suspect that the President and a few other people may be forced to resign. Though that may not happen for a little while.

Also, the Gun Control publicity is being/was used mostly as a scapegoat/diversion to lead people away from the issue of the admins negligence. It seems to have worked on quite a number of people.  

[Six Billion of Spades]

Sanguvixen

Semper Fiasco

Call me insensitive, but I get literally sick of people telling me that I should, for whatever reason, be grieving this incident. I apologize if anyone here had friends who died in the massacre, but this needs to be said. I'll be willing to concede that the kids probably didn't deserve what came to them, but you have to be honest... neither do the people killed each year by the tobacco industry. It has killed far more people than any kid (or two kids, for that matter) with guns, and yet you never see anyone preaching about the insanity or troubled nature of the behavior of the CEO's.

The only difference is that they're a little more subtle in their dirty deeds, so we just passively sit by and let it happen. Plus, think about it. What's more inhumane? Killing someone quickly with a gun or killing someone slowly through their lungs? Maybe when second hand smoke and cigarettes stop killing people, I'll start giving more of my obligatory s**t about the deaths involved in these school shootings. Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying that this wasn't a massacre. All I'm trying to say is that it pales in comparison to what the tobacco industry has been doing all along.

I'll have to say this...when one dies by cancer stick they choose that path. It is thier path, no one chooses it for them but them. They are the ones who picked up a cancer stick and spent thier lives smoking plants and filling thier lungs with crap. So if they die of lung cancer...that is how they chose to die.

However, when people die by gunfire they don't choose to be killed that way. The didn't wake up and think "I want to be shot by some mentally disturbed person, so let me find someone and get him or her to shoot me." They never had permission asked...it was just someone taking thier life, and they had no say so at all.

No...the comparison...doesn't work. Please, if you have anything to say like this just keep it to yourself, at least for now. It's too soon to saying things like that.

Why are the Saw movies coming to mind...?

Anyway, I agree with your statement. Ultimately, it's the person who decides to smoke, and when they buy the cigarettes, that's their responsibility. But, think about this. Imagine that a market for home suicide kits were to pop up suddenly. Each kit would contain a number of harmful solutions which would slowly kill the consumer over a long period of time. Now, the corporation in charge of creating and selling them could argue that they are not responsible for who dies as a result of using the product, and that ultimately, it is the customer who is responsible for his own use of the product. While I agree with the statement in general, I disagree here, because the product can only function as a detriment to any consumer. Thus, there is no reason the product should be on the market, unless the suicide kit corporation has a specific reason for it. And what reason could you have to market a product whose only conceivable function is to harm the consumer?

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with people smoking. If you want to smoke, then by all means, do it. But as for smoking in public, it might not be murder, but it could at least be considered involuntary manslaughter. Although no malice or intention to kill is involved, the death is still happening. Do the people who breathe second hand smoke choose to develop their lung complications? Not likely. Besides, guns can actually be useful in certain situations. Self-defense with a gun is very practical; unfortunately, the same can't be said of a cigarette. If your life is threatened and you wave a cigarette and a lighter in your attacker's face, chances are you'll get nothing out of it except a nice laugh from him and a sliced jugular vein. But point a gun at his face (even without the intention to shoot) and you might just see some results. I'm not saying it always works... it just seems to work a little more than a cigarette could ever hope to.

The point I'm making is that the difference between guns and cigarettes is that guns actually have a practical use. They can be used to kill people, to be sure, but they can also be used for self-defensive purposes. Good: 1 / Bad: 1. But what about cigarettes? What good do they do? I suppose if you like health problems, then you might consider cigarettes to be good. Good: 0 / Bad: 1. Personally, I consider cigarettes to be assisted suicide with a side of manslaughter (in public) and a price tag.

And as for your last statement, I'm sorry if I sound a little less than sentimental, but I tend not to let the majority's opinion of events like these dictate what I have to say about them. If someone wants to say something, let them say it.

I know, I know... I'm rambling. And I'm tired. So excuse me if I seem a bit incoherent.  

[[Hollow Point]]

Arios V

[Hollow Point]

I just hated the media going after gun laws. He used two pistols that are legal for any non-felon over the age of 21 to own. But not a ******** word was said about the irresponsible administration who allowed 31 students to die by not alerting them of the initial dormroom shooting that took place TWO HOURS before he went on the rampage in the classrooms. After Columbine all schools are supposed to assume a state of emergency at the first sign of trouble. Those kids should've been evacuated after he shot his ex and her new b/f in the dorms, while he was going to the post office to mail his pointless message of revenge to CNN.

Although I highly doubt any of the administration at VA Tech will be reprimanded for their lack of action, I think they should all be charged with involuntary manslaughter. At least. Seriously people, this is a tragedy that ******** could have been avoided.

I agree that in retrospect a warning, class cancellation and campus wide lockdown should have been instituted at the moment the investigation the first shooting happened. However, like they said, at the time they were assuming it was an isolated incident and that they didn't expect this to turn into what it did. I know what you're gonna say, and yes it doesn't excuse them for their failure to take adequate action to ensure safety.

You are right that the administrators may never face complete justice for their negligence, I do however suspect that the President and a few other people may be forced to resign. Though that may not happen for a little while.

Also, the Gun Control publicity is being/was used mostly as a scapegoat/diversion to lead people away from the issue of the admins negligence. It seems to have worked on quite a number of people.

Ha. And yet last year a kid jumped out the window at my sister's college (2 rooms above hers) and there was a campus wide lock down for that. Somehow I dont see how they can respond like that to a suicide attempt but cant do the same when a guy is gunning down people.