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?
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Posted Apr 16th 2007 2:08PM by Ben Greenman
Filed under: Breaking News, Crime
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Reader Comments ( Page 5 of 13)
61. our thoughts and prayers to the families to the friends ...
elsie at 10:24PM on Apr 16th 2007
62. Heads up! I am not Mr. White # 4 he does need some help. But the rest of my post stands with this correction. Take out the this in the last line.
John White at 10:25PM on Apr 16th 2007
63. As a victim of a shooting incident myself, my heart goes out to those who directly, or indirectly, experienced this tradgedy today. There are no words to describe the feelings that these people are feeling. The media will try to capture them, but will fall shorter than they can imagine. Blame will be dished out, especially on campus security, as it already has been - but, as i learned the hard way - security is really only a state of mind...and placing blame anywhere other than with the person responsible for pulling the trigger will not do anybody any good, especially for those who firsthand heard the trigger being pulled...
JJ at 10:39PM on Apr 16th 2007
64. First, let's say a pray for the victims, their families and friends, and the faculty and staff at Virginia Tech. If and when credible information regarding what may have driven the killer to act is established, let's try to learn how to get help to someone who may be comtemplating a terrible act such as this. Unfortunately, if history is found to repeat itself, we'll find that the warning signs were present, but no one connected the dots, or they failed to get involved or take action.
Ken Jarzynski at 10:45PM on Apr 16th 2007
65. My son, Nate was in the Columbine shootings when he wsa a Freshman. He/we never got over it and the relentless press coverage attendant to the trajedy. Nate contracted Leukemia 4 years later, and I am convinced, that somehow the 2 incidents are related.
He was never the same after Columbine, and died of his cancer 21/2 years ago......on his 21st birthday.
Much will be discussed the next few days on the "why". Everyone has a pat explanation; but the only real "truth" is these massacres would not be of such magnitude, if guns of "Mass Destruction" were not so easy to obtain. That is INDISPUTABLE!
I am not a "gun control crusader", but we have always had people who harbor intense anger.........it used to be they would express it in a fist fight or something relatively minor. Dylan Klebold saved his allowance for ONE MONTH to buy the $200 "Tec 9" weapon, that killed MOST of the students.
We will never know why people "go postal", but there is no doubt that their anger is expressed in a most deadly way, because they now have these horrible weapons, that have NO OTHER CONCEIVABLE USE except to efficiently KILL PEOPLE.
Bush and others will show dismay and sorrow for this incident; but will he raise one finger to do the OBVIOUS, and start to remove these destructive weapons off our streets? Are people so blind that they can't see: these guns are not for hunting, they are for killing large numbers of human beings, PERIOD.
Steve Cawelti at 1:14AM on Apr 17th 2007
66. AOL comparing tragedies to others is not called for. Yes there were others, but what is the point???Lifeless bodies are on the ground and now somebody at AOL wants to compare this to other history events that were simliar?????? Stay on subject and stop pulling for straws to compare to. This is not a painting of art. This ashame that it happened and the non thoughtful process of AOL reporting. Its too soon to even think of comaparing. Its not the same people. AOL reporters suck and have no sense of the of the drama these parents and friends of students are going through. AOL reporters should be ashamed for even mentioning the past. I guess it means that this will continue because of reporters like this, that want more events like this to happen in future.
God be with parents and friends of Virginia Tech.- PERIOD.
kirk at 11:17PM on Apr 16th 2007
67. ok First off,
I think comparing one unspeakable killing spree to another, is pointless, and does nothing but up the ante for the next mass shootings.
The media is blowing this out of proportion to the point that, these gunmen try and out do eachother. This whole thing is about fame to them, and the media just hands it right to them, makes them the infamous legends they want to be.
Columbine was tragic, sure, but it's constantly being brought up when it comes to ever shooting that is school related, every gun law when it comes to children, and this is exactly what these kids wanted.
These tragedies, should be recognized for the pain they cause, and the victims, the family's that lost a daughter, or a son, or a brother, or a sister, or a mom, or a dad, or an uncle or a cousin, There are 33 families out there, that are going to bed tonight, without a child, that they brought into this world, and sent to college with hopes of them having a brighter future, that is completely down the tubes. 33 Victims, millions, if not billions of broken hearts, and all the news can focus on is 'how deadly this killing was' and how it can be 'compared to columbine.'
And to #10, wow you're dumb. How can you tell the law abiding citizens from the psychopaths? Whose to say a teacher can't snap, and decide to shoot all the kids, the guns right there? Whose to say a kid can't go and take the gun out of his teachers desk and it goes off.
Do you think the psychopaths that murder people look any different from law abiding citizens? NO! If they did, these crimes would be prevented and taken care of. Sure guns are used for sport, but guns need to be made harder to gain access to. Thousands of shootings go down every single say, in the ghettos, and nobody ever thinks of the victims then, only when its the schools, or when there is mass numbers, what will it take for America to wake up, and realize there is something seriously wrong with this country, Guns shouldn't be so easy to get, gun laws should become more strict, this shouldn't have happened.
My heart goes out to all the broken hearts, to all the family members, that lost a loved one, to all the victims, and yes to the shooter as well, how ever sick and twisted he may be, he was loved by the lord, and whatever caused him to do this, I hope he is finally at peace.
12344321 at 11:20PM on Apr 16th 2007
68. This tradegy doesn't have anything to do with racism. It's about a stupid ass person who went on a campus and killed as many people as he could before killing himself. The asshole who did this is dead and so are the innocent people he took with him. Now the parents have to see there kids in a coffin and the friends have to say goodbye because of the actions of a heartless bastard. I send my prayers to the families and friends of the victims. God Bless!
lynn4chase2 at 11:24PM on Apr 16th 2007
69. First and foremost my heartfelt prayers and condolences to the victims, their families and all the students and faculty of Virginia Tech.
My first born is attending college this fall of 2007. I agree with Mike, #5's, comment. Why is security less important on the college campus, in general. We have let our guard down. I went to college in Virginia and in NJ. All the dorms had lobby entrances with a person at the desk and security cameras. This creates less of a chance for someone to follow behind the student, or get in to the hallways of the residence. Nowadays the students just wipe a card and enter the dorm. There are no cameras, no desk personal and no lobby entrance in most of the campuses we visited on the North East Coast.
We need to re-think student campus security on every level. We can never control the mind of a killer but we can try to hinder them in any way possible.
With faith, it is time to make a change for the better. This has to end. It is heart breaking.
PS: #4 Research and get educated before you Blog on a topic that does not pertain to this shooting.
L.S. in NJ so sad at 11:27PM on Apr 16th 2007
70. Some "bad" professors and adminstrators can actually drive a student to taking their future into their own hands.
Chris at 11:27PM on Apr 16th 2007
71. I followed this tragedy throughout most of today, even though there were times when I received updates from several different sources. Since 9/11, practically all schools, agencies, and companies have taken very proactive measures to inform their constituents of what to do in case of a situation necessitating a Code response. AS I listened to the radio on Monday afternoon, one person (perhaps it was a professor) made the comment that he had heard of a shooting on campus, and apparently, this person was speaking to colleagues in some office location on another part of the campus. But it was what he said that truly boggled my mind as he recounted the initial report of a campus shooting. Basically, he said,"when I heard of the shooting, I did not take it too seriously", etc. If memory serves me, I believe this was a person that had taught at the university for 30 years, or so. Well, if there are people that are allowed to have that kind of cavalier attitude in times of crises, and are mindless enough to even articulate that kind of attitude, then students, parents, teachers, and administrators are truly at risk because anyone that thinks like this, more than likely does not see the value in having procedures in place so that people know what to do in such times. I was ABSOLUTELY APPALLED that anyone could have that kind of attitude, especially after 9/11. That professor needs to come out of his ivory tower and get with the program of teaching his students how to survive beyond the textbook. My prayers are with the families, students, and the Virginia Tech community at-large. I sincerely hope that the sun will again rise above the clouds that have overtaken your community this day. May God continue to be with you all.
B.Grogan at 12:21AM on Apr 17th 2007
72. Correction to my entry #49, it should say "swipe a card" to get into the dorms.
It's late. LS
L.S. in NJ so sad at 11:35PM on Apr 16th 2007
73. This is for #4 White, YOU DUMB ASS to bad the gunman did not get a chance to shoot YOU!!!!
It look's like your an ass and I'll bet your all by yourself in this world (GOOD this way you can't contaminate the rest of us).
To everyone else who is saddened about this hang in there things will always get better. STAY STRONG!!!!
Bill at 11:38PM on Apr 16th 2007
74. Our prayers go out to the familys and victims. People who are putting rude comments on the internet, get a heart. Maybe the world would be a better place if you all stop putting ignorant comments on here.
donna at 11:43PM on Apr 16th 2007
75. Touché to No.#53.
L.S. in NJ so sad at 11:51PM on Apr 16th 2007