i know i've been bad about posting. and there are a couple people who have expressed curiosity about what i've been up to. but. the whole virginia tech thing. holy crap. i feel that it pales in comparison to any news i could write on here about myself. my partner's little sister goes to VT and one of her favorite teachers is thought to be dead. she wasn't near the area where it all happened. i think my heart skipped a couple beats when i realized the shooting was at her school. thankfully she's ok.
it's interesting the different reactions people have to the whole thing. given that i study higher education, some classmates and colleagues have started talking about the effect this event will have on colleges and universities around the country. higher security in residence halls? more cameras in classrooms? more police on campus? but then how can you possibly react when something happens so incredibly quickly? i have an interview with a school on monday. i had been planning on asking about their plan of action for crisis situations, in light of what happened at bluffton university.. but now with this having happened, it makes it even more relevant. the two events are traumatic in different ways, but students will certainly have some similar needs to help them cope. anyhow. to get off the geek pedestal and reflect on another reaction.
some people have asked why no one did anything to stop the guy. someone i knew in high school posted the following in a myspace bulletin:
"Ok, the Virginia tech thing. First of all, very sad, really.
But GIMME A BREAK, that fucker managed to shoot 50 FUCKING PEOPLE and no one tried to take him down? It would be wrong of me to say that it is their own fault, but I will tell you right now, in IL the guy would have been lucky to even raise his gun before someone was taking him down. I find it strange that absolutely NO ONE acted the hero, at least trying to stop the gunman. The worst shooting incident in US History? Well, maybe next time someone will react when they see 30 of their classmates die and try to put a stop to it. I am sorry, and I am sure I will get flak for this statement. But it wouldn't have been the worse shooting in history if people acted with the survival instinct they are supposed to, aka ATTACK.
And for those who think I am hypocritical and would run away just like all those other people, I learned a long time ago that I can't run fast and I can't hide behind things. All that leaves is offense, so there."
i still dont know what to make of that. ..i think it's going to take me a while to process it all. ..i think it will take a lot of people a while to process.
