Editorial: Virginia Tech faces aftermath of tragedy
CT Editorial Board
April 17, 2007
Yesterday's events escalated far beyond any of us ever imagined when the campuscommunity received an e-mail at 9:26 a.m. indicating that there had been ashooting in West Ambler-Johnston Hall. That in and of itself was a tragedy.What transpired after that was an inconceivable disaster. With 31 deaths inNorris Hall, and two more in the dormitory, the pain and heartache blanketingthe entire campus community is very much alive. All 33 deaths that occurred oncampus yesterday were senseless.
Thinking about the day's events leaves us all with so many unanswered questions,and feelings of confusion. After the shootings in West Ambler Johnston Hall at7:15 a.m., administration should have closed down the campus community, for thesafety of the student population. An e-mail sent out to the student body was notreceived until a little over two hours later, well after many students had leftfor class, or were in class. Perhaps if the administration had taken moredrastic action sooner, things would have been different. But hindsight istwenty-twenty; no one person or group of people is to blame.
Yesterday our school was invaded by unwarranted violence. Blacksburg has alwaysbeen a place where students can feel safe to pursue their educations andpassions in a safe environment. In wake of yesterday's events, Virginia Tech isstill that same place. We are still a school that cares about one another, evenin the aftermath of such a tragedy. Institutions are looking to our schoolacross the country, and no one's lives will ever be the same as a result ofyesterday. Especially not the lives of the families of the victims' families,who are mourning the loss of their loved ones.
Thirty-three people on the Virginia Tech campus died for no reason. When theywoke up yesterday morning, they got up and dressed and walked to class, justlike the rest of us. They sat in their classrooms, prepared to learn. They didtheir jobs as students, and in turn they were not protected. But how can anyoneknow what was to come. People always want to place blame, but in this case guiltfalls on no one but the shooter, who brutally took the lives of so many, andthen selfishly, his own.
To receive a phone call as a parent, pronouncing that your child has been hurtor killed, is unimaginable. The friends and family of the victims are the oneswho need to be in our thoughts and our prayers.
Virginia Tech is an extraordinary school that doesn't deserve this tragedy, justas the innocent victims did not deserve to have their lives abruptly ended. Thisentire situation has given each of us a new perspective on life and its brevity.This tragedy could have happened at any school, or in any classroom on campus.It affects us all, not just at Virginia Tech, but all over the country. Thevictims of this senseless violence could have been any of us, and that is thesaddest part.
All words seem inadequate when attempting to convey the heartbreaking sorrowfilling the hearts of so many. The university's major focus should be onhonoring those that died, and valuing their contributions to Virginia Tech.These were students who came to Blacksburg to better their lives. They werehere pursuing the greatness of a higher education, and their presence will bemissed. We lost a lot when they were taken from us and their absence is atragedy.
When considering the number of deceased victims, 32 is devastating, but thoselives are not just a number. They were 32 unique individuals, each one a memberof our community. For those that were injured, our thoughts and prayers are withyou. For the rest of us, now is our time to band together, and rise to thechallenge we are facing. God bless all of the victims at Virginia Tech.