The horrific shooting on the campus of Virginia Tech this morning isn't all sorted out yet. Early reports put the death toll at 21, or 22 counting the gunman, though it's not clear whether he was shot by police or whether he killed himself. Then it was 26, then 27, then 32, not counting the shooter.
Coverage at this point in the media lifespan of a tragedy is a very strange thing. There's misinformation and speculation, along with attempts to mark the events as somehow unprecedented. In this case, early reports called it the deadliest campus shooting in U.S. history, topping the famed University of Texas clock-tower murders in 1966, which claimed 16 victims before the gunman, Charles Whitman, was shot to death by police. The reports are also comparing today's Blacksburg massacre with the Columbine killings in 1999, in which 12 students and a teachers were shot to death, along with the two teenage gunmen. Then there was the 1991 Luby's Cafeteria massacre in Killeen, Texas, in which 23 people were killed and 20 others wounded. That wasn't on a campus, and so, for as long as the Blacksburg count was 21, that was still the worst mass shooting in American history. Now, it looks as though Blacksburg has topped Killeen.
This comparison business is a strange phenomenon. The Blacksburg shootings, obviously, are the worst shootings in American history for anyone even remotely involved: anyone who will end up with victims in their family, with friends who had victims in their family, faculty and staff at Virginia Tech, and even college-age students currently enrolled, who will feel a great deal of reflected terror and sorrow. But there's a need in media to comparatively weight things. Is this better or worse than the incident last September when a man killed himself and his two sons at a West Virginia college? Better or worse than Kent State? How are these things measured, anyway? By the stark casualty count? By the numbers of families affected? By the total amount of psychic pain? By the long-term effects on the communities? There is an entire industry -- Critical Incident Stress Management -- that handles assessment and treatment after these kinds of events. Is there any point in comparing them? And if not, why does the media do it? Is it just to bulk up ratings, or is it a professional version of the human phenomenon of not knowing exactly what to say?
Mo Rocca has appeared on a bunch of shows, including 'The Daily Show,' 'I Love the 80s,'...
Mo's Blog Roll
Resources
The Weight of Tragedy
Posted Apr 16th 2007 2:08PM by Ben Greenman
Filed under: Breaking News, Crime
Mo's Video
The Sound of a Smoke-Free Barack...Almost two years ago we speculated on how Barack Obama's voice would change if he stopped smoking. ...
Most Popular Stories
- Don't Like Goodbyes...
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Is it Time to get some Cheerleaders?
- How NOT to give an Oscar Acceptance Speech
- Could Jim Belushi Win the Nobel Peace Prize?
- Spring Break Sexy T-Shirt Removal Training!
- Quest for the Crown 5: Plastic Wrap to Make you Less Fat!
- Quest for the Crown 4: Work Those Heels!
Most Commented On
-
Coming Soon
Recent Comments
- Ryan Anderson on Obama and the Reagan Doctrine
- Botts on Obama and the Reagan Doctrine
- not-pboyfloyd on Obama and the Reagan Doctrine
- Ryan Anderson on Obama and the Reagan Doctrine
- Roert Dean on General Clark is Absolutely Right!
- Saint Brian the Godless on Obama and the Reagan Doctrine
- Saint Brian the Godless on Obama and the Reagan Doctrine
Mo's Bio
Mo Rocca appears on a bunch of shows, including CBS News Sunday Morning (with the indescribably wonderful Charles Osgood), The Tonight Show on NBC, and NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! He's a sometime judge on Iron Chef and was featured on Telemundo's Amore Descarado. Last year he starred on Broadway in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. His expose "All the President's Pets" was published by Crown in 2004.
Top News Headlines
Political Machine Blog
- Salahis Subpoenaed To Appear Before Panel Probing Party Crashing
- Will George Stephanopoulos Go Better With My Omelet?
- $1 Billion Spent on Political Ads in '09
- In a Political Popularity Contest, Hillary Clinton Wins
- Tiger Woods' Transgressions and the Gender Split
- Jimmy Carter's Grandson Runs for Office in Georgia
- Of Babies and Boners: Boxer Compares Access to Abortion to Access to Viagra
Reader Comments ( Page 4 of 13)
46. Until people raise their kids with respect, and caring for others, this will continue to get worse. Value for human life is nothing anymore. This is so horrible. And it's not going to get any better anytime soon. Race doesn't matter. Age doesn't matter. Sex doesn't matter. It happened and it's awful. And I'm sick of the media portraying the school as the bad guys for not warning people soon enough. Try going through something like this and see how well you respond. You do the best you can and pray for the best outcome you can have. It's not their fault there are wackos out there. It's just horrible. But notice how everyone believes in prayer now? My prayers are with the families.
Lori at 9:30PM on Apr 16th 2007
47. I don't understand why adults have to sit there and weigh the tragedy in their heads, as if they have the scale of justice. It's a killing of more than 30 people and all people can do is compare and analyze. Can anyone live in peace or does this world have to constantly fight to make a name for itself?
confused at 9:23PM on Apr 16th 2007
48. A Symptom of our "Chain Letter Society"?
Read an analysis of the influences in our "Chain Letter Society" that may be precipitating events like the tragedy at Virginia Tech and how our focus on winning and being number one may be fostering a generation of children with fully inadequate coping skills who have a misguided sense of self-worth...here:
http://www.thoughttheater.com/2007/04/chain_letter_society_on_the_virginia_tech_tragedy.php
Daniel DiRito at 10:07PM on Apr 16th 2007
49. This is a tragedy of epic proportions. I can not think of a worse and sadder situation than this shooting at Virginia Tech. Because this happens so frequently now, I think it is time for us to have a stricter gun control similar to what is used in Europe. No compensation can be paid to any parent for the loss of their college son or daughter caused by these shootings. I say this as a lover of guns. I won a sharpshooter medal at Fort Hood while in the Army.
Edward Saenz at 9:34PM on Apr 16th 2007
50. God what a horrific trajedy.. one that could have been avoided. What I dont understand is why there has been such a surge of murderous rampages at educational facilities? Whats going on? Anyone making comparisons of motives? Why are so many people going "beserk on campus?" Seems to me, something disturbing is happening to make people snap. (Oher than their being clinically "disturbed" as it is to seek answers to problems via murder- though sadly we do that in warfare).
Wonder what the criminal psychologists are saying about this...
Very sad in Pa, MJS
Melanie Simms at 9:45PM on Apr 16th 2007
51. o breathe, dear family. we can all get through this. love is.
it seems the world is not right... has humanity ever been without this violence-dis-ease... what is it? can we make it better?
historians may have past models to help answer these questions...
what kind of horrible self-destruct button is this? do we people of the world foster violence to a point that would create such deranged personalites?
is it our water?
our food?
our media?
Water at 10:08PM on Apr 16th 2007
52. I 100% argree with the paragraph written by Ben Greenman. I couldn't have said that any better. I was just thinking that today when I heard all the news. It is heart breaking that there are ugly monsters out there doing this to get attention in the worse kind of way. This world is all about money and how much the media can get attention and everybody seems to give it to them. Wake up AMERICA! This is unbelievable. Where am i going to send my kids when I have some? I'm worried now.
Jena B. at 9:50PM on Apr 16th 2007
53. this is for #4white or whatever you call yourself you have no right to throw the race card in a situation like this.Whoever did this was a very sick person (mentally)and it didnt have nothing to do with weather they were black or white,blue ,green, or purple.Now i didnt know anybody at that school but it doesnt matter cause my heart goes out to them the viticms and there famliy may god rap his arms around them and be with them in there time of need and have mercy on the person who commited this crime and as for you i hope he has mercy on you also cause with a mind like that your no better than the person who commited the crime.
godsent at 9:54PM on Apr 16th 2007
54. Could we reserve our comments about this when we have all the facts? We are all in shock and should be concerned for the families of the victims and those that have been wounded. My heart goes out to all those students who will have to deal with this tragedy in the coming months. Virginia Tech stay strong and faithful.
Melody at 10:01PM on Apr 16th 2007
55. This is a tragedy. But I can't believe what some people are saying. Gun Control is B.S. First I do not own a gun. But I am smart enough to wish someone had a gun besides the nut case. The no gun zone around schools only applies to the law abidding citizens. I do not plan on buying a hand gun. But the only way to stop this from happening again is this more consealed and carry permits.
John White at 10:13PM on Apr 16th 2007
56. My comments are: why did not the university take action when the first shootings began??????
Goobriant at 10:19PM on Apr 16th 2007
57. I'm sure that when everything settles down the university will re-evaluate their procedures. But initially they were faced with a shooting in a dorm on the other side of the campus and the shooter had fled. They did the correct thing. Maybe the e-mail was a little slow, but it was morning with students, instructors, and other staff coming to work. And apparently they had no description of a suspect. They made a judgement call that I would support, based on what they knew at the time and as so far reported by the news. I also agree that the less press/tv coverage, among other things,these events get, the less likely someone else would be to committ or out-do them. An issue that should be considered - Virginia is a "must issue" state for a carrying a concealed firearm permit. Yet carrying a firearm on school property is unlawful. Now before everyone goes off on a "gun control" binge here is something to keep in the back of their minds. A few years ago there was another east coast (Virginia or N. Carolina ??) university/college shooting. 2 students, who had carry permits, ran back to their cars, armed themselves and confronted the suspect. He stopped shooting and they held him for police. In 1991, in Texas, you could carry a firearm in your car, but not on you. At the Kileen, Texas shooting, a lady (pretty good shooter by all reports) was in the place and left her firearm in her car (being lawful).
She lost her mother. She campaigned for Texas to become a "must issue" state. While I don't think everyone should have a carry permit, I do think the requirements should be loosened a bit. I base that on 34 years (just retired) of law enforcement experience with a city pd and state police/highway patrol, and having responded to a school shooting in 1973 and other similar incidents..
Ray Meyer at 10:21PM on Apr 16th 2007
58. I'm sure that when everything settles down the university will re-evaluate their procedures. But initially they were faced with a shooting in a dorm on the other side of the campus and the shooter had fled. They did the correct thing. Maybe the e-mail was a little slow, but it was morning with students, instructors, and other staff coming to work. And apparently they had no description of a suspect. They made a judgement call that I would support, based on what they knew at the time and as so far reported by the news. I also agree that the less press/tv coverage, among other things,these events get, the less likely someone else would be to committ or out-do them. An issue that should be considered - Virginia is a "must issue" state for a carrying a concealed firearm permit. Yet carrying a firearm on school property is unlawful. Now before everyone goes off on a "gun control" binge here is something to keep in the back of their minds. A few years ago there was another east coast (Virginia or N. Carolina ??) university/college shooting. 2 students, who had carry permits, ran back to their cars, armed themselves and confronted the suspect. He stopped shooting and they held him for police. In 1991, in Texas, you could carry a firearm in your car, but not on you. At the Kileen, Texas shooting, a lady (pretty good shooter by all reports) was in the place and left her firearm in her car (being lawful).
She lost her mother. She campaigned for Texas to become a "must issue" state. While I don't think everyone should have a carry permit, I do think the requirements should be loosened a bit. I base that on 34 years (just retired) of law enforcement experience with a city pd and state police/highway patrol, and having responded to a school shooting in 1973 and other similar incidents..
Ray Meyer at 10:19PM on Apr 16th 2007
59. Mr. Bush kills more than this in a month.
Abdul at 3:51PM on Apr 17th 2007
60. our thoughts and prayers to the families to the friends ...
elsie at 10:23PM on Apr 16th 2007