In Response to the Tragedy

Tragedy. That's about all you can call it.

We were just starting a "last day of CHEM lab" party at around 13:00 Monday when we heard the news, interestingly from our TA whom we were celebrating. We observed a moment of silence and said all that we could say at the time, knowing little then about what had transpired: We were glad we weren't there.

Quickly, though, the full magnitude of the events that occurred in Blacksburg, VA that day was realized, and our world got a little bit smaller as people came together to show their support and prayers for those grieving. Emulating Joseph Giordano, who just before operating on a wounded President Reagan reassuringly said that "today, we are all Republicans," the thought has spread through the wonders of the Internet that for this period of mourning, we are all Hokies. Banners looking just like the one shown here have popped up all over, pairing the black ribbon and the Virginia Tech logo with logos from countless colleges, as well as the phrase that, by shrinking our world, will help so many people through these tough times.

Pitt's Chancellor, Mark Nordenberg, sent a message Tuesday to members of Pitt's community. An excerpt:

Under any circumstances, ... a substantial loss of life would trigger feelings of disbelief and deep sorrow. [Monday's] events, though, have brought an even more intense form of pain to many of us, as they have to others. After all, most of those killed were young people actively engaged in the process of building the foundation for lives, ... and [these lives] were taken in the middle of a campus, a place that should reflect the best of human nature and not its worst.

Some have called it a massacre, and perhaps Monday's events are indeed deserving of that title. But the bottom line is that 32 innocent lives were taken that fateful morning, dozens of others injured without reason, and thousands or even millions have been affected in other ways. It's more of a tragedy than anything else, if you ask me.

A website has been set up in memoriam of Monday's tragedy. Please take the time to sign the online memorial, and reflect upon what others have written. During these next few weeks of healing, the families and friends of all the victims, as well as the entire Virginia Tech community need to especially be in our prayers.

More information about my own life coming soon, as finals week approaches...