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More Campus Carnage: Analysis Begins Too Soon After Tragedy
The killing of more than 30 people and wounding of at least 30 at Virginia Tech on Monday leaves many shocked and relatively speechless. Regrettably, some are not as speechless as one would hope.As the scale of the rampage became evident, the ghastly scenes emerging from Virginia struck knowing eyes in Colorado, which have seen this before: grim SWAT teams leaving a blood-spattered school, the stunned and saddened face of officialdom trying to speak about the inexplicable, white ambulances with red lights waiting beside the bright-green grass of spring to carry off the dead and dying.
The shooting had barely stopped before commentators in the blogosphere began wrapping the event in their own world views for rhetorical purposes. People lambasted the National Rifle Association, or, alternatively, rebuked proponents of gun control.
One side said America's pro-gun culture provides too-easy access to deadly weapons. Another responds that if guns were legal on campus, someone would have shot the killer, thus saving lives. A third says America kills far more innocent people in Iraq every day, and where's the outrage over that? And don't forget the Hollywood liberals' glorification of sex and violence, yet another opines.
Beneath the bombast, each of these observers might have an actual point. But as the discourse flips into the stratosphere, it becomes progressively less germane, right now, to where we are and what we know. There is a time and place for robust political debate. Surely, the appropriate time is after the blood is fully dried.
Now, it suffices to say that this tragedy is deeply saddening. It should not be asking too much to hope that the nation could shelve its partisan divisions long enough to agree on that.
In the White House Monday, President Bush said, "Schools should be places of safety and sanctuary and learning. When that sanctuary is violated, the impact is felt in every American classroom and every American community." This is true.
In the coming days and weeks, much will no doubt be said of the gunman, the university, the warning signs and the lessons. For now, it is enough to note that once again - for perhaps nothing saner than "I don't like Mondays" - there is mourning in spring.
Clint Talbott, for the editorial board
© 2006 Daily Camera and Boulder Publishing, LLC.
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13 Comments so far
Show AllThere may be some connections between increasing violence in the world on many levels and on many fronts.
US national leaders who promote invasions, violence, torture, the killing of half a million innocent Iraqi civilians (including children) and similar activities don't exactly contribute to an atmosphere of peaceful problem-solving.
Food for thought on this at:
"Events at home and overseas trouble our souls: New directions provide opportunities"
PopulistAmerica.com
October 13, 2006
http://www.populistamerica.com/events_at_home_and_overseas_trouble_our_souls
I'd like to thank Clint for this piece. I was thoroughly disgusted this morning, as the cable news analysts continually replayed footage and graced us all with their meaningless observations, placing blame and suggesting how this or that reaction by local authorities should have been different. Before local law enforcement and other legitimate authorities can even begin the full investigation we have to be subjected to these worthless talking heads and their useless conjecture.
Number of people killed at US schools since September 12, 2001: 49, plus four shooters who took their own lives.
Number of people killed in the US by Al-Qaeda since September 12, 2001: 0.
Like a Santa Claus distributing bits of wrapped candy to small children, death once again got handed out, casually, indiscriminately and, except for the cough of the guns, in a total mask of silence.
Brace yourself: once again, we are going to be subjected to a chorus of hand wringing well salted with hypocrisy from political and religious leaders.
When freedom, such as it is in the US, exists without the constraining effects of a well-developed human culture which respects life above all things material, these kinds of devastating events are the result.
Though some pieces of legislation aimed at gun control have been reported to be somewhat effective, there is scant value in the effectiveness of man-made law to curb the violence. As door locks serve and secure only those who will not break and enter, man-made laws, arguably, serve only those who know right action.
Without a higher vision of life to help people see that life does not have to be lived in this dark realm, that real wealth lies inside every man and woman rather than inside a store or mall, there is no hope. Religion does not work because religion produces no lasting, growing change in human consciousness, offering only words of hope and good intent, which quickly become lost in the mad rush of days.
However, there is hope, and I hope thoughtful people will have a look at this site:
www.uspeacegovernment.org.
And let us not forget the role HOLLYWOOD plays in sexualizing violence. I have to admit, I am repelled by violence, but the GUN scenes in THE MATRIX were unbelievably stylish! Of course one could "accept" the carnage as what was targeted were robotic computer chip Mr. Jones clones. How often has the gun been an extension of some macho clause to righteous contempt. One year the Academy gave best picture award to THE UNFORGIVEN directed by Clint Eastwood. I have never liked his films as he showed such contempt, as if he had a RIGHT to kill. I was really angry that I went to see the film on my birthday thinking it must be something NEW that Clint did, but it was the same violence, unapologetic. Cowboy-Indian films, bombs bursting, long shoot-out mafia hit men scenes, I mean our society is practicalled weaned from teat to gun. What's wrong with this picture? But then again, if your nation mostly makes weapons and arms the world, some PR is necessary, right? (Being facetious here)
In an increasingly overcrowded, over-advertized, over-stimulated, over-competitive and over-weaponized global society, many more of such psychiatric breakdowns and mass murders perpetrated by both citizens and statesmen are inevitable, probably culminating in World War Three.
To stop it, we need to reduce the human population with the help of family planning clinics, shrink the economy and establish continental networks of eco-villages that surround themselves with miles of healthy wilderness, using whatever technology is helpful. What terrible, self-inflicted disasters will persuade people to do so? None, I fear.
Clint Talbott's comments are really helpful. I think it's a mistake to call the various commentaries 'analysis'. They were comments. Perhaps analytical words formed part of the comments. Perhaps they were words used by media who had to fill airtime. Or administrators trying to regain control. They were not, however, analysis. As Talbott writes, it's 'way too soon for analysis.
In addition to the need for analysis later, there needs to be a requirement that people MUST READ the inevitable reports. Reports were written after Columbine and Taber, Alberta. Obviously people in authority and in security didn't read them. I know that because if they had read the reports and learned from them, the errors committed at Virginia Tech would have been new ones, not the same as before.
Yeah, I'm tired of our culture glorifying the gun. Its made out to be such an elegant weapon. Meanwhile, most of the people who use them on other people are cowardly, scared, and desperate. I always get angry when pro-gun people say that a gun is a "tool". A tool for what? Intimidation and destruction? We've turned the gun into a remote control on/off switch for human beings.
This is disgusting. I have to wonder how many of those kids had parents who were working two jobs to send them to school or were accumulating debt themselves just trying to get a degree in something so that MIGHT get a decent-paying job somewhere doing something they like. Now they have to worry about getting shot by some insane kid who just decided to snap and become the ultimate in first-person shooter gaming.
I know it's not politically incorrect, but I hope that this person burns in hell. I can't sympathize with violent criminals. Maybe it's a flaw of mine, but I cannot. God, these people amaze me. They always hurt the innocents. They never ace the ones that cause problems for everyone else, the ones at the very top.
I think I have issues with revenge. As much as I detest this sort of thing, I get swept up in it. Maybe I'm Stone Aged too. I just want to go after the right people. But that just makes me part of the problem doesn't it?
to iwarrior: I think every sentient human being struggles with the issue of justice. We know there's more to our being than the finite body we inhabit. When I spent time at a Buddhist monastery in Nepal, we spent a day contemplating our own death to understand the impermanence of human life. Also, we were asked to delve into what the MIND is, and is it HOUSED in the brain. I prefer SOUL to mind, but we ARE more than our bodies, and part of being in a body is a search for that spiritual link to that which is beyond us and transcends us. Most define this as GOD. The ant cannot, nor is it equipped to, recognize OUR human psychology and nature; nor can we, in finite form understand the Infinite, or Divine intelligence. Therefore I find it useful to accept that there IS a higher justice, i.e. the law of karma. Then the Bible's verse that JUSTICE belongs to the Lord, makes sense. So this may help you to alleviate any impulses towards vengeance. In addition, men are taught to be tough, etc and I know this causes all kinds of internal dichotomies, as we human beings in general must learn to embrace the principles of Venus: peace, understanding, beauty, harmony, justice as much as Mars: ego, self-centeredness, aggression, libido and raw passion. (Hope this helps)
Thanks for the post Siouxrose. Part of it is that men are taught to be "tough". We have this thing about not taking any guff from people. We are taught that we have to fight for our honor. We often feel that we have to protect.
I think that sometimes I read too many comics. :) I want the villian to be vanquished. I want vindication. But if smashing one knave doesn't prevent more of them from cropping up, doesn't the smiting of the guilty just perpetuate the battle?
Look at Don Imus. We savaged him. I actually delighted in it. I wanted to see him ruined, and maybe he has been. Limbaugh, Savage, and others even worse than he is are still on the air spreading lies and nastiness though. And likely someone will replace Imus.
I think one thing we all need to learn, and me included is forgiveness. If the kid who went on that shooting rampage was able to know how to forgive, he may not have committed such an atrocity. And in turn, we need to forgive him or else his hate will poison us as well. I definitely need some sort of detox. Especially right now.
I am a pacifist in my personal life. I am aware of how my line of thinking has been used to justify war. Our government has gone after the Arab world because in a sense our elite thinks like me. But my "good vs. evil" worldview (at times) puts the onus on Bush and Co. I want to see Emperor Dubbya and his entire cabinet impeached, jailed, and hell, even executed for treason. I've even prayed that he falls down hard in some way. I've wished bad things on him. In that case, am I no better than the guy who just shot up a college campus? Should I forgive the powers-that-be for what they have done to the people of the world?
Oh yeah, I do believe in karma too. I have seen it in action. So maybe I should just relax and wait things out?
no iwarrior, do the right thing.