Salad, I agree with you 100%. This is a man who found himself weak and alone, despite our hearing from many that any effort to communicate with him was met with complete failure. I'm not just talking about his suite-mates at school (one of whom is still in shock that the shooter didn't come after him), but professors and even his tutor. He didn't WANT to be reached.

Of course, the one solace we have is that the sonuvbitch isn't here to relish it all. In fact, I believe he's experiencing 1000 times the suffering he's caused.

Murder is the killing of one person by another person with malice aforethought. Generally a person who murders restricts his or her act to one victim. Does that make the loss of human life less important? Absolutely not. But usually, when there is an act of murder committed on a person, there usually is premeditation involved. An act of murder could be the result of a crime of passion, an arguement, a robbery or a rape. And again, that does not in any way make the loss of a life in these kinds of circumstances any less important because it was not a quantity of lost lives.

A mass murderer, however, slays three or more victims over a short period of time. If the act takes place in one location, it is usually continuous. A mass murderer kills groups of people at once making his or her "final statement" in or about life through the use of abrupt and final violence. They kill without rhyme or reason.

That is what I believe makes a case like this one stand out more than an islolated murder.

And more importantly it is a time for anyone with even an ounce of compassion to show their support to those who have lost their loved ones in this act.

You may choose not to participate in showing your support just as you may choose not to attend a funeral for someone who was murdered where you live, that is your choice.

Others may pick up their local newspaper and find that someone in their town has been murdered and even though they may not have kown the person, they just might choose to show support to that person's family. That's their choice.

And knowing them personally or not should have nothing to do with showing a little bit of compassion for fellow human beings who are hurting. 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina were perfect examples of how people not knowing those who were affected, still came out in droves showing compassion and giving support in any way that they could.

Backlash to the Cho video has some stations pulling it, others limiting it's use. Some victim's families pulled out of interviews with The Today Show over the video.

http://www.comcast.net/entertainment/ind..._vatechshooting

Hats off to them. I don't blame them a single bit!

Good for them!

I sent an e-mail to the New York Daily News earlier today in regards to their posting this scumbags picture all over the front and first 6 pages and then printing the story of the brave Prof. on the 7th page. I also informed them that I will not be renewing my subscription. Fuck them.

Good for you, DC!

I forgot which online news source it was, but the other day I was clicking around the different articles on Drudge. One online article had a picture of that first girl who was killed with the first line reading, "This could be the face that sparked the worst shooting in US history." I nearly shook with rage! There was a place for comments at the bottom and lots of folks railed on 'em for that. I added my comments, but I doubt they printed it with all my expletives. My last line was, "I hope they sue your sorry asses!"

Media...bunch of whores

Well, I agree with all of the above!! If life has taught us anything, it is that it is too short and too precious to be spent foolishly. It should be spent trying to enrich the lives around us. And if that means volunteering at a local hospital, or showing compassion for the victim of a crime by volunteering at a local shelter for abuse victims, then that is the personal choice that each of us makes. How we choose to do it should be personal as well. If you decide that ignoring the pain of others is the route you want to take, then that's a personal choice, too.

I am glad to hear that these horrendous images are being pulled. It is about time that we stand up and express our indignation. While there are some that say that the images of September 11th or the Holocaust shouldn't be shown as well, that's a different story. Each bears its purpose. Show the victims, let us get to know them and the loss that they represent to this world. However, don't show the perpetrators. It only glorifies them and encourages others to follow in their footsteps.

Well said SB.

I think that when one does give of themselves and resorts to offering support to people in physical or mental need, especially in these type of situations, it is very gratifying for both the giver and the receiver.

Many times we tend to feel helpless when we witness a disaster or a tragedy, hear of one, or see people going through pain. And when that compassionate and human trait arises within us when helping in any way that we can or giving anything that we can, doing so satisfies that inner feeling of helplessness. And at the same time our giving support, no matter what form it is in, helps those who are victims of a tragedy or a disaster deal with their own feelings of helplessness.

I know when we experienced the attacks of 9/11, we felt helpless. Then as the day went on and the stories began to surface of those who lost loved ones, of those responders who were searching for people, etc., a feeling of needing to do something for these people came over many of us. And by doing something, be it comforting someone who lost a husband, a wife, or a child, or filling up your SUV with food, water and socks to send to those working at ground zero, we began to feel whole again and at the same time helped those we were supporting feel needed, wanted and that they were on the road to recovery in some form again.

I believe that giving of one's self is beneficial to both the giver and the receiver. Both seem to learn and grow from each other when experienceing the selflessness shown in these types of situations.

As if these victim's stories couldn't be any more unbelievable. One girl actually survived Columbine as well.

http://wjz.com/national/topstories_story_109153009.html

I am so sick of seeing this scumbags face all over the news. Talk about the victims, lets hear stories about them, the people who matter. The Holocaust survivor should have been front page news, with a little article on page 14 about this piece of shit. We give the kid exactly what he wanted, honor those who fell for no reason, but not this scumbag, let him be forgotten.

Good for you, DC!

The campus may be 2600 acres but this is NOT a 2600 acre area we are talking about. The murder sites were just a few hundred yards away from each other. It's not coincidental that the assassin didn't jog 2600 acres to his next target b/c.....although the campus may be measured as 2600 acres, the heavy traffic at any university is confined to a much smaller space. For example.....UT(a HUGE school), is affectionately called the 40 acres. 40 acres b/c most of the major dorms and school buildings are in a 40 acre vicinity. That 40 acres does not include the baseball fields and nursing school which lie on the opposite side of the bisecting interstate-35 expressway and are separated from the 'main' campus by the football stadium, basketball stadium, presidential library, etc, etc. The 40 acres does not include the bio-med technology building and intramural sports fields which lie some 30 blocks from the 'main' campus and are separated by blocks of student housing and local businesses.

VT authorities did NOT have to shut down the entire 2600 acres,(a large portion of which is open field/pasture reserved for military training ) had they simply shut down the heart of campus(which would have included the engineering school) these particular deaths could have been avoided.

Of course, any thwart of the assassin would have been temporary, he would simply come back next week and try again. Never the less, these particular 31 victims would have been saved had the school immediately shut down the main buildings(most of which were probably still locked at 7:15 on a Monday morning anyway).

I think its safe to say that b/c of this tragedy, ALL schools will now induct a 'lock down' procedure. If this were to happen again the particular university WILL be shut down. First the 'main' part and then the outer levels.

I saw on the news where the VT Marching Band was playing their fight song outside of the hospital where a lot of victims are. It was very touching. I wish I could find a video of it on the web.

WTG kids!

I found a video from my local tv station reporting on Maryland kids injured at VT. It includes footage of the Marching Band playing outside the hospital.

http://wjz.com/video/?id=26884@wjz.dayport.com

Thanks Beth. How touching. I'm glad some students were able to hear and see the support they are getting.

The copycats begin. One school in the city I work arrested a boy who threatened to bring a gun to school tomorrow and kill two girls. And, evidently there was a rumor that my school was gonna go on lockdown tomorrow (Columbine Anniversary). Our Principal had to e-mail us all to tell us that was not true. I have no reason to think things won't go well, but must admit, I'll probably be a little more alert than usual.

Seeing so many students throughout the years, and although most are perfectly normal, I can think of a couple who if I heard did something like this, I might not be surprised. It's sad, but what do you do, who do you tell? How can you tell someone "watch out for him, because he may go bullistic one day. It's impossible.

TIS

I don't think it took a lot of balls, but rather a lot of nerve. Maybe it's a fine distinction. But I think he was a guy consumed by hatred, an outcast from life's feast. He didn't apparently value his own life, and viewed his classmates with contempt. He was selfish and delusional, and knew he would eventually turn the gun on himself.

The guy with balls is the 76 year old Holocaust survivor, who had much to live for and appreciated the value of his and others' lives, by holding the door closed long enough while some students were able to escape.

But I agree about the movie in two to three years.

sorry about the double post.

Wasn't it from "A Bronx Tale" when Lorenzo says "Holding a gun doesn't make you a man, the guy who gets up every morning and goes to work, thats the real man."

I know I butchered the quote but I think its from A Bronx Tale.


No one can call this scumbag a man, he was a coward who resorted to weapons because he knew there was no other way for him to lash out his "anger."

And the real man was Prof. who went to work everyday and then knowingly gave his own life in order to allow those kids to continue living theirs. That's a real man. That takes balls.

Picking up a gun and shooting innocent people randomly does not take guts or balls. No matter what anyone says, to me that's the act of a coward.

The story that amazed me was the young man who had the presence of mind to realize that he was bleeding to death from a gunshot wound to his femoral artery, and fashioned his own tourniquet out of an electrical cord.

I hadn't heard that story SB. I can only imagine how his heart was pounding and hands trembling.

Another victim was apparently playing dead on the floor after being shot. Choi came toward him and shot him again. Then, he heard Choi go to the front of the room and then heard a shot and later found out that's when Choi killed himself. Looks like the victim will survive. There's a video with is mother telling the story.

TIS

Virginia Tech victim

These young people survived hell, and there is not one who has not impressed me with their poise, and their generosity of spirit. They are all incredible, and the word Survivor, with all the triumph it implies, is one that they should wear proudly.

TIS, the boy who fashioned his own tourniquet is the one from this photo, which is one of the first we all saw. His name is Kevin Sterne.

He is the young man that on the first day you saw pictures of 4 guys carrying a young man bleeding from the leg away from the building. That was him. He's an eagle scout and he remembered his training. I believe that young man is from Maryland. They've been showing it on our local news.

EDIT: SB was posting it as I was.

What carnage for these young people. My God. It's inconceivable.

Thanks SB & Beth

I didn't realize that was him. The picture is shown often.

I just want to cry hearing some of these stories, and yet if the victim survives it's sort of sadness/happiness type tears.

TIS

I disagree. This guy was a human being. That's the utter tragedy of it all, is it not? People haven't been gunned down by some kind of robot. They've been killed by a deranged mind and soul.

But yeah, I'm gay like that.

I would never consider him a robot. He was all too human, and terribly flawed. He was a p.o.s. coward who tried to fill the empty spaces with guns, rather than face the deficiencies within himself.

Well, to be honest, I don't consider myself morally or ethically righteous enough to decide who is a coward and who is not a coward. Especially if the only things I know about them are what the Media tells me.

Well, I don't think it's too much of a leap to come to the conclusion that anyone who walks around shooting 32 unarmed people, people who barricaded themselves under desks and leaped out of windows, is a big freaking coward. I think that it's pretty apparent that someone who shoots a 76 year old unarmed man whose only crime in life was trying to survive the horrors that life dealt him, who died trying to hold a door closed so that his young students might live, anyone who would shoot that 76 year old man is a coward.