Virginia
Tech Massacre Virginia
Tech Massacre
A Blackdog Editorial
The horrific tragedy that unfolded earlier this week on the
campus of Virginia Tech in beautiful Blacksburg, Virginia, obviously is the
worst school disaster in our history. It has left families grieving over loved
ones who were killed, it has left students in the hospital who were seriously
injured, it has changed the entire tenor of the campus and how the students,
faculty and staff will carry on in the future. It’s not like, “Well, by
summer semester people will have forgotten about this and we can get on with our
lives.” People will NEVER forget about this. I still remember quite vividly
the shootings at Kent State University in Ohio by our very own National Guard.
Senseless, ridiculous and criminal. I don’t recall anti-Vietnam War protesters
shooting at the National Guard!!
The first question everyone asks is, “What could we have
done to prevent this?” Or “How did this happen?” Or “Should we have
anticipated this?” The last question is the easiest to answer: Yes! This
tragic event never had to happen and never should have happened. And once it
began early in the morning in the dormitory, it never should have gone any
further. I place the blame for this tragedy completely on the University itself,
for there were far, far too many signs that something was going to happen.
On Wednesday, April 18, 2007, NBC News in New York received
a package containing videos made by the killer and many pages of his writings.
While investigating these materials, officials finally began looking into this
individual’s background. His writings were horror stories, but that didn’t
trigger any alarm. He was thrown out of an English class and sent for
counseling, but that didn’t trigger any alarm. Roommates said that he was
aloof, never looked them in the eye, never talked to them, acted very
strange…and THAT didn’t trigger any alarm. There were so incredibly many
clues that this student could be extremely dangers, and yet no one got it. Why?
Because in such a peaceful paradise like Virginia Tech, no one could believe
that any such event could possibly occur. Sadly, they have learned the hard way.
In an article on this Web site, I have an article about
school security in general, which covers the basic tenets of keeping schools
safer. But it certainly does not address an issue like this. So let’s talk
about what went wrong. First, as I noted above, this was indeed a very sick
individual, and there were more than sufficient signs of his mental illness. But
no attempt at any real, lasting intervention was made, and now it’s too late.
This is really the only way to prevent such things from happening. If you think
your roommate is mentally deranged, tell someone please! And even though many
people did report him to counselors and other officials, he still fell through
the cracks.
Second, there were 33 deaths, including the perpetrator who
shot himself. I don’t think anyone cares about him, frankly, but 30 deaths
were totally preventable, and I blame those 30 deaths 100% on both the top
management of the University and the campus and city police departments. What do
we know? We know that at 7:15 a.m. he went into a dormitory and killed two
people. The University authorities and police knew this immediately thereafter,
but considered it an isolated incident and believed he had left the campus.
Indeed he had. He went to the local post office and mailed the video and
writings to NBC News. But then he
returned! At 9:26 a.m., 2-1/4 hours
after the first shooting!!! That’s where the University let its community
down so so very badly! Immediately after the first shooting in the dormitory,
the entire university should have been notified (not two hours later by e-mail)
and the entire university should have been locked down. Every police officer
within 25 miles or more of the campus should have been there and surrounded the
university so this man could not have returned and perpetrated the senseless
carnage that he did.
Instead, the police dug their heads in the sand and said
“He’s gone. We’ll deal with the tragedy (of the two deaths) and try to get
on with life.” The University officials said, “Gee, we should notify the
students by e-mail and let them know about this.” Most students hadn’t
received or read that e-mail until after the second horrible round of shootings.
A campus alarm should have been sounded immediately that every student could
have heard—akin to a tornado warning siren. Announcements should have been
made over intercoms and other devices. This is not some little podunk school;
this is a major institution of higher education that has the ability to notify
everyone in this kind of emergency. The campus failed its students, without any
question in my mind. Imagine if the alarm had been sounded. Every building on
campus would have been locked. The entire school would have been surrounded by
police officers. No one would have been allowed to come onto the campus, and
maybe, just maybe, the police would have nailed this idiot when he did try to
return. Two people being fatally shot is horrendous enough. But if action had
been taken immediately, there might be another 30 still alive and no one in the
hospital. I am thoroughly disgusted with the lack of response at Virginia Tech.
Now everyone is talking about gun control. That’s a silly
and stupid reaction. The tired old phrase “Guns don’t kill people, people
kill people” is still very true. I own several guns. I have them for two
reasons. The first is self-defense. I’m well trained in how to handle a gun,
and if someone breaks into my home while I’m there and tries to hurt me, I
have guns for protection and will use them. The second reason I have guns is
that I simply enjoy going out and target shooting. I am NOT a hunter. Although
there are some very good reasons for hunting, I do not believe in it. But I
thoroughly enjoy shooting tin cans off a log up in northern Michigan. Many
people wouldn’t understand that, but those of us who like to shoot well
comprehend the fun it can be. And gun control accomplishes nothing. I couldn’t
begin to tell you how many people I know who have illegal handguns.
Being alert to situations such as the moods of this
individual, his behavior and such as that is probably the best intervention you
can take. Campuses are open institutions, and there’s really not anything you
can do to prevent someone from walking onto campus and wreaking havoc of some
kind or other, though not necessarily something this tragic. Any crime, however,
is still tragic and should never happen. Pay attention to your fellow students.
Better safe, better to mention him or her to the campus police, better to
mention them to the school authorities—even if you are completely wrong—than
to take any chances at all.
Finally, this morning’s Detroit
News had a major article about the South Korean community in metro Detroit
(about 20,000 strong) being worried about backlash because the perpetrator was
from South Korea. If anyone thinks that way, they are just as bad as the
perpetrator. This was an individual of South Korean descent. That’s it. He
certainly wasn’t representing his country or any such foolishness as that. He
was one person who just happened to be from South Korea. If anything, we should
patronize our South Korean merchants and tell THEM how sorry we are that this
happened and that we certainly have no bad feelings toward them. I have a wealth
of good friends from South Korea, I have very good and old friends from here who
have visited South Korea, and I even drive a Hyundai (made in America by a South
Korean company) because I find it to be an excellent product.
Yes, we must exercise more caution. No, Virginia Tech did
not handle this situation very well. But maybe now we can understand it can
happen anywhere at any time if we don’t pay attention to what’s going on
around us. It will be years before the Blacksburg, Virginia, community recovers.
And that is the real tragedy. It will be a lifetime before the families of the
slain students and faculty recover. And there are no words that can express how
tragic and sad that is. Such incredibly promising students and wonderful
professors cut down in the prime of life. Only God can sort that all out now. My
prayers go to those families and friends and the community. We can only hope
something like this will never happen again.
Blackdog
