FLavius Valerius Constantinus Posted April 16, 2007 Report Share Posted April 16, 2007 A gunman opened fire in a Virginia Tech dorm and then, two hours later, shot up a classroom across campus Monday, killing 32 people in the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history. The gunman committed suicide, bringing the death toll to 33...LInk Wow...I was on a field trip, then I heard about this. My God. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mosquito Posted April 16, 2007 Report Share Posted April 16, 2007 A gunman opened fire in a Virginia Tech dorm and then, two hours later, shot up a classroom across campus Monday, killing 32 people in the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history. The gunman committed suicide, bringing the death toll to 33...LInk Wow...I was on a field trip, then I heard about this. My God. Damn! What did he use? Machine gun or handgrenades? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Divi Filius Posted April 16, 2007 Report Share Posted April 16, 2007 I really hate hearing of this stuff... especially considering the fact that I am a student. This is just horrible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mosquito Posted April 16, 2007 Report Share Posted April 16, 2007 I really hate hearing of this stuff... especially considering the fact that I am a student. This is just horrible! Well, thanks God consitution of my country dont give the right to have weapon as personal freedom so I can go outside without need to consider if the people walking on the street are armed or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Porcius Cato Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 I really hate hearing of this stuff... especially considering the fact that I am a student. This is just horrible! Well, thanks God consitution of my country dont give the right to have weapon as personal freedom so I can go outside without need to consider if the people walking on the street are armed or not. They must not teach statistics in your country either. Since 1993 the U.S. handgun murder rate has decreased 48 percent, even as the number of privately owned handguns in America has increased by more than 20 million. Meanwhile, your beloved Poland has a higher murder rate than the US. Gee, come to think of it, they must not teach Roman history in Poland either. Did you know the Romans had NO GUNS yet found plenty of creative ways to kill one another? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Well, thanks God consitution of my country dont give the right to have weapon as personal freedom so I can go outside without need to consider if the people walking on the street are armed or not. The law says that no one may own a gun, so you feel safer because you know that the bad men obey the gun control laws. Is this a Polish gun control joke? -- Nephele Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docoflove1974 Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Regardless of the stance on accessibility to handguns and other weapons, this day is a black one. To answer an earlier question, it is believed that the gunman had 2-9mm style handguns, either with a standard or an extended clip. He didn't just go into one classroom, but at least 2; this is after he went into a dorm and shot 2 people. As of yet he hasn't been identified b/c he shot himself in the head, blowing off half of his face, and seemingly didn't carry any ID on his person. Several major news agencies are covering it, naturally; I know ABC and CBS are on the scene, and I'm sure many others are, too. I'm currently sitting in the cafeteria of my campus, watching students of all types come in and out. If something like that happened at my campus right now, who knows how many would be affected; the population right now is sparse, and since it's a community college there are no students living on campus. But just the thought that this can happen is freaky and bone-chilling. I'll be fine to teach tonight, but who knows how many students will come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docoflove1974 Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 I think what's bothering me about the whole situation is the lack of awareness. By that I mean: there are always nutty people about, and if a nutter wants to shoot up the town, well, he's gonna try to do it. That's just the way it is. You can't really prevent the intention of a chemically-imbalanced person. But there are always signs...dude's all of a sudden taken a major interest in guns and the layout of his 'target', whatever that may be. Spending too much time on his fascinations, and not so much time on 'reality', whatever that may be. 'Odd' behavior, or at least behavior which isn't normal for that person. So, where in the **** were those observations about this dude? Where were the voices of those around him, who saw him every day, and who would have noticed that he was not quite right? How could they not know that he was up to no good, so to speak? Are people walking around with their heads up their arses, just ignoring what they see? Those people who I see regularly--friends, family, students, dude at the local coffee shop--I would know if something was 'off'. Their body language changes. Their manner and thought process is different. Then again, I'm observant. I know this. I also know that many, many others are not, that they just go through life so focused on themselves and perhaps those immediately around them, that the sky could be falling and they wouldn't know. Some are going to say that this event is a wake-up call for stronger gun control in the US. Meh, that's BS...not with our constitution, not with the lobbyists for the NRA and others. Besides, what does it solve? If a nutter wants a gun, dammit, he's gonna get that gun. Or at least he's gonna exhaust every avenue he can think of to get it. It our job as a society to watch out, and to tell someone when we notice something's not right. This is tragic...obviously for those whose lives are immediately affected. But also for our society, for it once again shows that we need to pay attention--not in a paranoid fashion, but in an awake fashion--to the world around us, and not always be so concerned with ourselves. Well, at least that's my $.02. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Some are going to say that this event is a wake-up call for stronger gun control in the US. Meh, that's BS...not with our constitution, not with the lobbyists for the NRA and others. Besides, what does it solve? If a nutter wants a gun, dammit, he's gonna get that gun. Or at least he's gonna exhaust every avenue he can think of to get it. It our job as a society to watch out, and to tell someone when we notice something's not right. Absolutely, Doc. Everything you wrote was spot on, but especially the bit above. In NYC the motto is: "If you see something, SAY something." You hear it announced on the trains in Penn Station, you see it on posters in the subways. But I'd go even further by amending that to: "If you see something, DO something." Just as those students at the Appalachian School of Law did something back in 2002, when a gunman opened fire in their school. Two of them pulled out their OWN guns and disarmed him. Surprised the crap out of the gunman. -- Nephele Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rameses the Great Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Imagine the anguish in the families of the victimized children now. I know a friend of mine who's sister attends Virginia Tech, can you imagine how that family is feeling when this comes on the news? This reminds me of the Columbine and I hope people realize if you give some nut job a gun and he/she wants to shoot up a place he/she is going to do it. Too many people who don't realize what kind of people are out there and we often find out too late. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docoflove1974 Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 But I'd go even further by amending that to: "If you see something, DO something." Just as those students at the Appalachian School of Law did something back in 2002, when a gunman opened fire in their school. Two of them pulled out their OWN guns and disarmed him. Surprised the crap out of the gunman.-- Nephele Oh, we have those signs posted all over the mass transit stations in the SF Bay Area...no idea how many people actually do something, but at least the word is out. All I know is, I was brought up to not just glaze over and pass out while travelling or sitting or walking...sure, we all have our tired moments, but as a general rule one has to keep alert. If nothing else, than for you own safety! As for the foiled attempt...heh one in a million! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLavius Valerius Constantinus Posted April 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 But I'd go even further by amending that to: "If you see something, DO something." Just as those students at the Appalachian School of Law did something back in 2002, when a gunman opened fire in their school. Two of them pulled out their OWN guns and disarmed him. Surprised the crap out of the gunman.-- Nephele Oh, we have those signs posted all over the mass transit stations in the SF Bay Area...no idea how many people actually do something, but at least the word is out. All I know is, I was brought up to not just glaze over and pass out while travelling or sitting or walking...sure, we all have our tired moments, but as a general rule one has to keep alert. If nothing else, than for you own safety! As for the foiled attempt...heh one in a million! Oddly, this situation "might" possibly also have been averted if the campus allowed concealed weapons, meaning students can protect themselves. It's just odd, just when we figure that it's bad to promote gun ownership, we then find out that hard way that it is useful in some ways to own a gun for self-defense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theilian Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Wow, this place is a bit 2nd amendment-friendly! People having guns around may have minimized today's events, but I feel that they will lead to far more problems especially with young people. I am all for rights to bear hunting rifles, but I don't see justification or need for any other kind of arms. But leavng politics aside, what a tragedy today! I always felt such a connection with college campuses that I was really affected by what happened today. I hate to think what students and their families went through let alone the victims. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonlapse Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Diseases are not cured by treating the symptom. Unfortunately, this tragedy will become a stepping stone for ideologues, if recent history is any indicator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julius Ratus Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Diseases are not cured by treating the symptom. Unfortunately, this tragedy will become a stepping stone for ideologues, if recent history is any indicator. There may be attempts at more GC, but the prez will probably veto them, and for once I would support him. The constitution has the second amendment for a reason and it isn't to support sport hunter's rights, but for the defense of the people. This recent instance just shows, the police are NOT there to protect you, they are there to clean up the mess after the incident has already taken place. On to the topic at hand, I was at school today when this happened. The talking heads on the news even were interviewing people about the time I was there. I grew up under the spectre of Columbine, it took place while I was in middle school. Getting shot at school never scarred me, living in fear does. Besides, a classmate once told me, with all the Bloods and Crips at my school, if any depressed suburban kid brought a gun to school, he would have been taken down bwfore he got a shot off. Needless to say, there were no shootings at my school, though a few kids got caught with 9's. Armed society is polite society. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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