I've had this blog site for a while, but have never used it yet... I always made fun of blogs, which you'll know if you read my myspace site! and my opinion hasn't changed. I just have had all these feelings lately on a different topic, and I wanted to get it out.
The Virginia Tech shootings. So wrong on so many levels. How many of us have read about it or heard about it from just about every possible angle by now? So maybe you've heard enough; you aren't interested in reading this. And honestly I debated even writing this because it dredges up so many ill feelings in me that I just want to get beyond it. I really do.
Why do I wish I were a different species? The VT shooter was from northern Va, he went to Tech, and was an English major. That's 3 things I wish I didn't have in common with this man. The truth is, he fit the stereotype of about half of northern Va, and there was nothing that unusual about him, which is why he went unnoticed for so long. The news would love to have you believe he was "not one of us," he was a "loner," a "psychopath." He was South Korean, and from another country. Hello, he was Asian and had been in this country since he was 8. Again, fitting the stereotype of about half of northern Va. How many of us have known someone a little like him: shy, introverted, kind of creepy. We've all had our share of creepy classmates and/or roommates throughout HS and college, and I'm sure not one of us has ever reported any of them. What do you do? You avoid the person like the plague. I was watching Oprah the other day where one of the "specialists" said: what we really needed to do was reach out to this person! Let him know that someone cared! He could have gone through therapy and all this would have been avoided! It's our fault! And isn't that what the killer would have liked us all to believe: it was our fault.
The truth is, he decided he wanted to hate everyone and made everyone into the enemy in his mind. There is no getting beyond that. His excuses about "rich kids" and "trust funds" was seems so completely inane to me. I mean, did he really think people would buy that? It's not like Tech is a rich school by any means, he was with all his peers from northern Va, and half of the people he killed were from other countries and striving for a better living anyway! I guess what angers me so much is how he lamely attempted to justify killing for the sake of killing. And for what. For others to suffer for his own misery? To say: "it's your fault I'm such a loser?" That is the most immature reason there could possibly be.
I'm not saying that counseling wouldn't have helped this man maybe partially. I am not anti-counseling. Honestly, we should probably all be in counseling after what we endured just hearing about this. But would it have prevented this senseless act of violence? I doubt it.
I feel like these types of shootings are only going to continue to happen, and they're only going to get worse. It seems every time there is some record set like this, it is always and inevitably broken. In my mind, there will always be freaks like him. There will always be people who hate other people, and there will always be people who want to get even. And yes, there will even always be videos and movies that glorify violence. What would have made a difference here is his access to a gun.
So, as I see it, just about any idiot out there who decides he wants to kill people can walk down the street and buy a gun. And do exactly that. The people in Blacksburg who sold the gun seemed so astounded the semiautomatic weapon and 50 rounds of ammunition they'd sold to a college student had been used to kill people. It was the most routine background check ever! they claimed. He was a clean-cut kid! He passed with flying colors! Somehow that is not reassuring to me, and I don't understand how it can be to the rest of my fellow Americans.
Why is the entire country not up in arms about the gun control issues, and how guns are completely out of control? Why? Really, let's think about it: Why? I read that as soon as the shooting occurred, VA Governor Tim Kaine condemned the gun-control debate, saying it was "loathsome" that there might possibly be "people who want to take this within 24 hours of the event and use it as a political hobbyhorse." He added, just in case we didn't get it the first time: "To those who want to make this into some sort of crusade, I say take this elsewhere."
What? Seriously, WHAT? Is he high?? I mean, what better time to be up in arms about these things but right when they happen? I guess politicians know that Americans seem to have incredibly short-term memories. Maybe if they let things calm down for a few weeks, a few months, a few years, people will just forget about it, right?
When I was searching for a quote from Bush when I started writing this, I came across an article in gunowners.org. The article pointed out that 50 years ago we never had all these problems with random gun violence, and that now we have more gun laws that ever before. So what's the problem? Well okay, that's about as relevant as saying that 50 years ago we never had as many car accidents, and yet there are more traffic lights than ever before. I mean, seriously?? And anyway, were people in 1950 comparing things to 1900 back then? No, because things change over time. The world changes, and we compensate and grow with the change. And we modify the laws if need be.
The article went on to say that the right to bear arms is our "God-given" right and therefore everyone should be able to walk around with guns, including those students who were sitting in their classroom when the killer walked in. Aha. So everything would be great if we just carried our gat with us everywhere we went! And I suppose that's how God intended it to be. How perfect!
Somehow an armed society is a bit like Communism.... What looks good on paper is not necessarily good in practice. When you throw human beings into the equation, everything goes to shit.
Please think about this next time you have the opportunity to have some [tiny] influence on gun laws. Like voting. Please remember that the only way things will ever change is if we actually attempt to make a difference. And remember England, where even the police don't carry guns. Just think about it.
My heart goes out to the Virginia Tech victims, students, faculty, staff, and alumni, and I can honestly say I was heartbroken the day of the shootings. And continue to be.
How many more times does this have to happen before anything changes??
I might as well get on my political hobby-horse about it. right?
