~ April Issue ~
 

Massacre at Virginia Tech: Learning from the Tragedy
By Zack Roddy, Editor-in-chief      

           On Monday, April 16, 2007, at Virginia Tech University, thirty-two people lost their lives in what has gone down as the most devastating mass shooting in American history. In the wake of this great tragedy, the United States has now begun its mourning period as the families of the victims and the students and staff of the campus tries to cope with their loss. Each day the news reports another new development determining the psyche of the killer, and the truth is, we shouldn’t want to hear, nor care, about the psyche of the killer, as it only succeeds in giving him what he probably wanted in the first place: attention. It’s disgusting to see the lengths in which people will go to just to see their name go down in history, and as he throws out blame to all of those around him, it is clear to everybody else that nothing could have happened to him that could be worse than what he did early on Monday morning.
            So instead of plastering and publicizing a heartless murderer on the small screen for all to see, what we should be doing is finding ways to connect ourselves to those around us, including the families and friends of the victims, and we should be trying to find ways to better enjoy our own lives, because if this event has proven anything, it is that we are not in control of them. It’s amazing that with all that goes on in the world today, it takes an act of violence to really put it into perspective for people how sacred life is. The little things suddenly seem huge, like telling your parents you love them every night, taking your dog for a walk, having fun with your friends, enjoying the sunshine. This is good, because it allows you to appreciate that these are the things that are really important in your life that you may have lost sight of, but it should not have to come at such a high price.
            If Virginia Tech has taught us anything, it is that we need to slow down for a moment and really look at what we are doing with our lives, and try to live each moment of them with conviction and honesty to the people and things we care most for. We owe the students and teachers of Virginia Tech that.