Tragedy In Blacksburg

by Peter Bean on Apr 16, 2007 12:06 PM CDT

Originally in the diaries.

Reports now indicate there may be upwards of 30 students killed. SMQ is posting regular updates.

Unbelievably tragic. It is now confirmed that this is the deadliest shooting on a campus in U.S. history. The next deadliest was Charles Whitman's rampage in Austin when he killed 15.

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Very Sad

Thoughts and prayers go out to the students and their families along with the entire Virginia Tech University School System

Read it is now up to 25 deaths and expected to rise.

by sportsfan on Apr 16, 2007 12:14 PM CDT reply actions

1 pm CDT, CNN reports

The gunman is dead, as victim #22. They don't know if he killed himself or if police shot him. 29 are wounded in the latest update.

Its been a disturbing year on campus there, following bomb threats the first day of classes in August and 2 last week that cancelled classes.

...til Gabriel blows his horn

by BigTexBD on Apr 16, 2007 12:57 PM CDT reply actions

32 Dead

Now being reported 32 dead.

by sportsfan on Apr 16, 2007 1:02 PM CDT reply actions

Why is it...

...that these fuckers never skip a step and just shoot themselves first?

by DC Trojan on Apr 16, 2007 2:07 PM CDT reply actions

It is ironic to see such an expression of empathy displayed on this website, even though it is quite obvious that this blog has had virtually nothing positive to say about Blacksburg and the VT community around the country:

"One of the top ten things I'm most excited about leaving DC is: no more Virginia Tech fans. They'd be pitiful, if they deserved any pity. It's a gross school, in the middle of nowhere, with nasty maroon colors, and backward fans."

by Frosty on Apr 17, 2007 3:25 PM CDT reply actions

You can't be serious, right?

You really think one thing has to do with the other?

--PB--

by Peter Bean on Apr 17, 2007 3:46 PM CDT up reply actions

message from Frosty

"How dare you be nice!"

by DC Trojan on Apr 17, 2007 9:41 PM CDT up reply actions

Virginia Tech Tragedy

OK - I will admit that was a petty comment. The timing was poor, and I suppose it was kind of a knee-jerk reaction to this ongoing disaster. But, in a very small way, I honestly do believe that one thing does have something to do with the other. It seems that just about everybody out there has an opinion on something or someone, which is fine. There are many people like yourself offering their opinions online that are intelligent and include a wealth of information and even humor. The problem is that there are just as many (if not more) who can’t state any of their opinions without piling on a few unnecessary insults. Their only purpose is to belittle or humiliate others, simply because they offer an opposing viewpoint. Being an avid college football fan, I stumbled upon this website last October. It is certainly one of the few that are worth reading on a consistent basis. So, I was all the more surprised and upset when I found that comment concerning VT on an old posting.

My point is that every time a tragedy like this happens, everyone always promises to start treating those around us with a greater level of respect and caring. But how long does that really last? A few weeks or a couple of months? I’m not doubting your genuine sympathy for the victims of this tragedy, but I know that there are quite a number of people whose supposed outpouring of emotion is purely superficial, or at the very least, strictly temporary. All I am saying is that we all know that no one would ever dare post a comment like that on any website now, but why should Monday’s events make any difference? I don’t expect that any of this will change your opinion of the VT community, and it certainly shouldn’t. I’ll be the first to admit that most VT fans treat their football team like a perennial national title contender, instead of a team that is perpetually overrated and falls apart every November.

Anyway, thanks for giving me a forum to try to make sense of all this.

by Frosty on Apr 19, 2007 9:44 AM CDT up reply actions

Nicely said

I appreciate what you're getting at - I really do. With that said, the slaps at other teams and fanbases, while petty and hyperbolic, are rarely meant to be taken as more than just passing jabs. If you read BON enough, you even know that I have some wonderful Aggie friends. And I rip on them incessantly.

And just like on Monday, when I was horrified at what I saw on the news, I remember being absolutely devastated by the bonfire tragedy. Jokes are jokes, but when REAL things happen - things that matter (not sports) - you'll never see me anything but empathetic toward those affected by whatever the tragedy is.

I think that goes for just about everyone in this community.

Thanks for clarifying your thoughts, Frosty.

--PB--

by Peter Bean on Apr 19, 2007 6:02 PM CDT up reply actions