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,'...
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The Weight of Tragedy
Posted Apr 16th 2007 2:08PM by Ben Greenman
Filed under: Breaking News, Crime
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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.
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Reader Comments ( Page 6 of 13)
76. It seems to me that the majority of these incidents occur way outside the inner city schools of NYC and other big cities. Then why are my younger siblings treated like would be criminals by having to go through metal detectors in JHS and HS. Now that is racism. White kids are more likely to massacre people.
Al at 12:33AM on Apr 17th 2007
77. Our prayers go out to the families who lost family members. Out prayers are with the other students, facility and employees of Virginia Tech who witnessed this horrible tragedy.
There needs to be an system such as volunteer Fire Departments use. In the event of an Emergency on a campus Administration sounds the alarm. Students know to get off campus.
It is so important that we know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. We never know when our day will come that we will take our last breath. Knowing Jesus is more important than our Education or anything else.
God’s Word says Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. If we confess with our mouth and believe in our heart, we will be saved.
It’s not Buda, Islam, or any other god. IT’S JESUS CHRIST. It’s the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. THER IS NO OTHER GOD!!!
Jesus says, I am the way the truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father accept through Me. (JESUS!)
G at 12:26AM on Apr 17th 2007
78. Sad thing is racists are being racist just because someone decribed the suspect as being Asian... not black or white or indian..... The worst part of about this whole thing is that we now have how many DEATHS? how many INJURED? what was the CAUSE? how many SUSPECTS? is it related to BOMB THREATS? or WHAT? DO THEY REALLY KNOW THEIR FACTS AND DID THEY RESPOND IN THE WAY IT SHOULD HAVE? do they really have a PERSON OF INTEREST OR IS IT ANOTHER SUSPECT? some how , somewhere, someone or somepeople, messed up and they messed up big time.... IT"S A WAKE UP CALL PEOPLE !!! But always remiinder this everybody has an appointed time to go ... no one knows when , where , or how but GOD.... So lets keep all these victims and families in our PRAYERS as they MOURN .. Oh yeah and be careful out there I still have another13 years b4 my baby goes to college
chris at 8:40AM on Apr 18th 2007
79. I just wanted to say that I am horrified by this tragedy,and that my heart aches for all of the families & friends that have been affected by this horrible event. I hope that god gives them all the courage to stay strong and go on with there lives.I will pray for you and god bless you.
Aly at 1:09AM on Apr 17th 2007
80. We need to carry permitted guns. These people that do these horrific things would think twice if they thought they would be confronted by 33 people with guns. They never stood a chance and should have been able to defend themselves. If at least one of the victims had a gun this would not have ended the way it did. This country needs to come to the realization that the world has changed. We can no longer expect to feel safe, no matter where we are be it a mall, airplane or McDonalds. I would rather go down fighting than be a sitting duck for some lunatic that had a bad relationship or bad day.
My heart goes out to the victims and their families but unless something changes we will continue to hold our breath and hope that our children come home safe every day.
Candy at 1:03AM on Apr 17th 2007
81. I am so sorry for all the people involved in todays tragedy. The families must be devastated. It is too bad that we live in such a raw and uncivilized country. this had nothing to do with race. We think other nations are savage or cruel but we are just as bad. We are all living in a world veiled by stupidity.
The children today are raised with violence and murder on tv every day and in their video games. (They actually shoot people.) All morality has been taken out of their lives. We except the murder on the tube as ordinary and an every day occurance. In my opinion we should reinstate prayer and bible reading in schools. No matter what your religion is, when you have a reminder every day that there is a God, there is a different ambience in your surroundings. Hang crucifixes ( I'm not even catholic)in every room and post the ten commandments. I know some don't want to believe in a "God" but maybe in a higher power. Something to put a little morality back into our lives. We are losing the battle. You wonder why some one could do a thing like this why not? There is no consequences for the behavior. The shooter is dead who will pay??? NO ONE. Today was a great loss and it was so senseless. No one will pay for this horrendous crime. These kids died for nothing, for no good reason. We have to wake up and straighten out our lives or this will happen again and again. How many times has it happened already? It will happen again, sooner than you think. And we can thank Madaline Murray O'Hare.
LeeAnn at 1:03AM on Apr 17th 2007
82. All I can say is God be with those affected by the shootings at Virginia Tech and all other school shootings because this is sure to bring back horrific reminders to those friends and families as well. God bless us all.
Jeremy at 1:06AM on Apr 17th 2007
83. Q: Are our schools and colleges becoming a war zone?
Richard at 1:09AM on Apr 17th 2007
84. We have been talking about protecting schools and colleges for a long time. With everything going on at schools and around us, we still have not done anything to protect our children, our future. How many do we have to loose before we realize what we have to protect them not just at home, but at school too! With cost of education increasing every year one would think schools should be able to install metal detectors to protect students and teachers. When are we going to put stop for killing and suffering!
Does it matter how many have been killed? Even if it is only one, it is still one too many.
inna karpov at 1:13AM on Apr 17th 2007
85. i totally agree with comment # 2. stop reporting these horrific tragedies,and maybe those who are suicidal amoung us will quietly take their own life,with out involving the innocent,and outdoing the nut before before them.my sympathy's to all who lost some one they love.
sally bagwell at 1:54AM on Apr 17th 2007
86. THANK YOU,Richiemac for your comment on #7.to #4.white!I was just getting ready to write one about him,too! He's quite a mess,and does need to get a life!Racist,my Lord!Knock it off,already!I remembered hisremarks about Amus,too!
May the Lord Shower Love and Safety to bring peace and tranquility to everyone.May Peace Cup their Hearts and Hold them Gently. Love to all whom have lost a dear and loving child,sibling,father,mother,brother,sister...etc.We have all got to get together through out the world.Too much havic's going on-people are working 3 jobs,don't feel safe,we're stressed by war,homelesses,jobs(low pay)which causes robberies,theft,etc....THIS IS CAUSING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES,THE ONES WHO ARE DOING CRAZY KILLINGS LIKE THIS.WE NEED TO STOP AND HELP OUR OWN PEOPLE HERE.IT'S GOTTEN OUT OF HAND.
The President says"horrific!"He's still sending young ones over seas to be killed,or come back w/mental health issues.Send him,and people in the cabinet!
Steph at 5:10AM on Apr 17th 2007
87. This was a Trgedy, a horrific incident. Now all the finger ponting starts. The college Admin had to act on what info they had. By mid Afternoon all the Media was looking for someone to blame about time and re-action. There are some questions that need to be answered but let's all hold back on looking to blame. Anyone who knows about entering a large university it's like driving to a town. You just enter thru the entrance way. A school the size of VT has thousands of people entering on a daily basis for all kids of business not just students.
frank at 6:46AM on Apr 17th 2007
88. they really should have done something sooner with the earlier shots.........it is a very hard lesson ..the first shooting i agree with most ,they should have done something sooner to protect these poor students.its hard for me to understand why a person does this. but clearly schools need to have something done.fast.
rita at 7:55AM on Apr 17th 2007
89. I think this was just like Columbine. It was someone reaching out for help and when they recieved none they took it upon themselves to rid themselves. However he/she figured they weren't going to hell alone.
Kitt at 6:06PM on Apr 17th 2007
90. My Heart and Blessing to all the parents that are now sitting in there tears and heart trenching lost of there love ones. Sitting wondering how something like this could of happen. LAW'S need to be stronger, they are weak..The parents want to be able to send there children to college to in better themselves, to become something of to days world. Instead so many parents have lost there love ones, there hearts have suffered. there hearts are broke and no one can repair them, NEVER, there lives are turned inside out, They will NEVER be the same. The yearning for there love ones especially when it comes to children will always be within there Hearts. No more will they hear them laugh, cry, get excited over the little things.They will always with hold the thoughts of how there child died and that has to be the most horrible thing to ever in your life time you should have to think about. I bow my head in prey and let God guild you throw this tragedy time in your life, keep you strong in mind. there are no answers to why. we have to except and just go on which to me is and would be the most disturbing thing that I could ever do I couldn't even imagine to be able to do this. GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU for the lost of your CHILDREN on this horrible day...
To the law makers, open your eyes, see what we see, don't be sitting on your butts, REACT, DO SOMETHING...STOP OUR CHILDREN from getting KILLED. Do they deserve this, is this what future holds
this is what we are getting from it...NOTHING IS BEING DONE....NOTHING is being PREVENTED from things like this happening again. PLEASE DO SOME THING! It is time to LQQK and see what is happening to our children.....STOP IT! HELP THEM PROTECT THEM,,DAM PLEASE DO SOMETHING....Media if you want something to write about write about the family's the children... not the shooter he is dead and I'm glad..at least we wont have to feed and clothes him..DEBBIE
TnnBrowneyes at 4:56PM on Sep 8th 2007