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
- Roert Dean on General Clark is Absolutely Right!
- Steve J. on Introducing Power Line AOL
- Saint Brian the Godless on Obama and the Reagan Doctrine
- Saint Brian the Godless on Obama and the Reagan Doctrine
- mac on Obama and the Reagan Doctrine
- Saint Brian the Godless on Obama and the Reagan Doctrine
- Richelle 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 May Get Congressional Subpoenas, Top Democrat Warns
- The Yadda Yadda Monologues
- Sandra Tsing Loh: Stealing Wireless and Making Us Feel Good
- Transportation Committee Head Says Infrastructure Spending Equals Jobs
- Desiree Rogers Will Skip Hearing; New White House Social Guidelines
- Lynn Sweet on Hardball: Key Support for Obama's Afghanistan Timetable
- Obama's Timeline No Guarantee of Afghanistan Withdrawal, Senators Told
Reader Comments ( Page 7 of 13)
91. It seems to me that we are not looking to resolve this problem. The U.S.A. has (or did have) a unique identity; at one time people emigrating here wanted THAT identity. Now those emigrating here seem to want to bring their "COUNTRY" here and demand that we take on that identity. It's no wonder there are so many clashes, we are no longer truly united and seeking what this MY COUNTRY was founded to accomplish. The focus is now "me" not "We The People of the United States in order to form a more perfect union..." It was required that we read, absorbed and understood this IN CONTEXT and ENTIRITY when I was is grammar and high school. We are not given the choice as to which fragment of the founding documents we accept, we are given the choice to make changes,those change methods are not through lawlessness and violence. In the end, those intimately affected by this horror will not suffer less than if the incident had occured involving a U.S.citizen perpetrator. There must be some means of truly preparing foriegn nationals for the overwhelming culture shock and/or clash that must inevitably occur. My sincere sympathy and prayers are with all who were so intimately involved. Trying to imagine their grief is overwhelming, I thank God that I am not numbered among the intimate. It seems to me that there are too many "WOULDA-COULDA-SHOULDA pundits out there. The enormnity of this tragedy should place us all in the "I" mode. What can "I" do to make a differece? Who can "I" befriend and encourage? Do "I" need to be more aware of all that is going on around my world? Do "I" need to act for the greater good? After all is said and done, if it's truly all about "me" then it first has to be about "us" all. My prayer is for mercy and peace to overflow to the lives of the intimately affected.
just simple me at 8:36AM on Apr 17th 2007
92. ????? WHY GIVE SO MUCH ANIMOUS TO #4??? PERHAPS HE IS ONE OF THOSE WE SHOULD BE HELPING ALONG TO BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND FUNCTION WITHIN THIS SOCIETY. JUST A THOUGHT,hmmmm
just simple me at 8:53AM on Apr 17th 2007
93. This news is so tragic that it is beyond words. I am so sad for the victims and their families. We do need to find a way to prevent this from ever happening again -- we should have found a way before. I have always thought that every school building needs metal detectors. I don't understand why anyone would be against this -- as long as there are guns -- there will be victims and we can't accept that. We need to make certain that guns never make it to school.
s at 9:06AM on Apr 17th 2007
94. ALL THE VT ADMINISTRATION AND VT POLICE DEPT SHOULD BE FIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
rob at 9:31AM on Apr 17th 2007
95. I want to add my prayers for all the families and friends who have lost someone in this horrible tragedy. Nothing I can say will help because we have all lost someone and know that as much as we dislike the phrase "only time can help" is really all there is to give someone.
We are angry at the news media because they don't use the correct adjective, nouns, or verbs. We are angry because people use bad (soap washing) words in this world today. We are angry because there is such evil in people that they want to take a life. Would metal detectors in the schools, help? I went to a ballet and had to go thru a metal detector and felt a little safer, but was I?
A Grandmother at 9:58AM on Apr 17th 2007
96. To compare would be to check what medications this killer was taking. Was he on antidepressants or a cocktail of psychiatric drugs? This is a very common thread that runs through these series of school shootings. When will we, as a nation, start paying attention to this hufe exponential growth of psychotropic drug use? These are mind altering drugs and one's mind would, of course, have to be altered to do something so horrific as this.
sfagen08 at 10:23AM on Apr 17th 2007
97. My heart goes out to all the victims and their families. This is not the time for BLAME AND FINGER POINTING. Prayers would be more appropriate. Just simple me is correct in saying maybe #4 is one of these types of people. We need to ask them or try to help them get over their hatred or anger towards others in our society. Throwing words and hate filled comments towards #4 might just push them over the edge. This seems to be a MAJOR problem in this country. While we say prayers for those lost, we attack anyone who makes a biased or uninformed comment.
Jim at 10:15AM on Apr 17th 2007
98. When the numbers come in, it will be shown -- if anyone is looking -- that the deaths at VPI, just like those at Columbine and Austin will represent just a fraction of America's children killed by a violent criminal act. Far more of our youth -- of all ages -- will die at the hands of their parents this year (and every year) than will have died at Blacksburg. Even with the VPI tragedy thrown in, our children are far, far safer at school than in their own homes. Of course, I am not counting the hundreds of school children who will die as a result of their parent's (or best friend's) driving. There is some, albeit slight, comfort in my knowing that my kids are safer in school today than they were at breakfast at my table in my home
Tom at 10:36AM on Apr 17th 2007
99. ".....but they don't suspect terrorism at this point" is frequently mentioned by all media, as if that makes a HUGE difference to those who lost a loved one? Here a statement to ponder from a victims' parent, "I'm sad that I lost my son but was so relived when I found out that he did not die at the hand of a terrorist! Thank God!"
Robb at 10:46AM on Apr 17th 2007
100. #14 who said that these college professors would want to be armed?
Dee at 11:49AM on Apr 17th 2007
101. the collage administation and the police are responsible because they failed in thier duty to warn the students and remove them from harms way by simply do thier jobs, more live could have been saved, instead they used the students to flush out the killer at the thier exepense, boy i am glad i don't live in that state where the capture of the shooter is more important than saving lives of thier citizens that they have sworn to protect. but they will find a way to cover thier tracks justifying thier action and save face like they always do.
V at 11:00AM on Apr 17th 2007
102. the collage administation and the police are responsible because they failed in thier duty to warn the students and remove them from harms way by simply do thier jobs, more live could have been saved, instead they used the students to flush out the killer at the thier exepense, boy i am glad i don't live in that state where the capture of the shooter is more important than saving lives of thier citizens that they have sworn to protect. but they will find a way to cover thier tracks justifying thier action and save face like they always do.
V at 11:17AM on Apr 17th 2007
103. Stop making comparisons. Every scene is different, but every shooter is the same a--hole. God knows why these events take place. senseless, senseless
Ellen F. Hanna at 11:00AM on Apr 17th 2007
104. Wake up America! Anyone noticed the music, video games, tv programs and movies over the last 30 or so years? Where is the respect for others? These are lives that will be effected for ever. We live in a very selfish world. Even with some of the comments that are being made. There is always something we would have done better if we would have known the out come. Let's not get caught up in so much of pointing fingers, that we forget the pain these families must be going through. Their lives are changed forever with an emptiness that only God can fill with His presence!Put your-self in their shoes.
Concerned Parent at 11:17AM on Apr 17th 2007
105. GET RID OF GUNS NOW! GET RID OF THE NRA!!! THEY HAVE MADE A NASTY, ABRASIVE AND CAUSTIC SOCIETY. AMEND THE CONSTITUTION, GET RID OF ALL GUNS NOW!!
glennma at 11:09AM on Apr 17th 2007