VT Shootings

I, like the rest of the world, watched yesterday’s story unfold at Virginia Tech and, while there are questions and the need to blame someone, why don’t we start at the root of the problem? Who sold these weapons and a large number of "magazines” to this young man? Until America wakes up and stops making assault weapons available to the general public—with no questions asked--we will continue to see this violence. And what about all the violent videogames that children play? Games where you are knocking “people” over, slashing them with swords, “shooting” them? And the violence on TV, in the movies, in the music?

And I don’t want to hear “guns don’t kill, people do.” If the weapons weren’t so easily accessible, then someone would not have a trigger to pull. Sure, a person could come in with a machete or knife, but I hardly think you would have 33 people dead with such a weapon, do you?

Violence has been glorified in our culture and our children see it and are desensitized. Diplomacy and communication have been left by the wayside and violent means are learned at an early age to settle differences.

How very sad for these families; so many futures obliterated; so many great minds forever silenced. How sad for the shooter’s family. They, too, are victims of this tragedy. And we must remember the University officials, campus police and all other members of law enforcement who were faced with this trauma. To see members of law enforcement shaking with sobs is a scene not lost on this writer. May God have mercy on VT and the Blackburg community.