Saturday, April 21, 2007 Libre: Virginia Tech massacre and other killings By Mel Libre Seriously Now
JUST when we thought that we had enough of the daily dosage of news on bloodbaths in Baghdad, we were shocked by the horrific Virginia Tech University massacre that claimed the lives of 32 innocent people, mostly students.
Similar incidents have happened in the past, only this time the number of bodies that piled up is higher. As expected, what followed was the finger pointing.
Anti-gun campaigners argued that easy access to firearms in the US has become a threat to public safety. Gun enthusiasts, proclaiming their constitutional right to bear arms, called instead for better security in campuses and universities.
Others condemned campus officials who failed to warn the students, faculty members and staff about the first two murders in the campus dormitory two hours before the mass shooting happened in another building.
Since the incident is the hottest topic for the moment, here are some lessons, if only to honor those who died:
1. Guns kill. Let’s cut the crap that guns are meant to protect people.
How many soldiers have been killed in the battlefield? How many leaders have been assassinated? How many robberies have been staged? Their common denominator: guns.
In many instances, the possession of a gun makes the holder feel superior and when rage comes, pulling the trigger becomes a natural thing to do.
2. Violence can happen anywhere. There is no sanctuary of peace on earth. In homes, we hear of violence between spouses and against children. In offices and factories, we know of violence between workers or between employees and employers.
In the streets, we witness violence between gang members and fraternities and criminal elements against ordinary citizens. Even in the corridors of power and in the halls of prayer, violence can likely occur.
What brings about violence? It could be any of the following: sin, greed, lust, jealousy, ambition, power and need.
3. Mediocrity is no excuse. In a materialistic society, mediocre individuals make short cuts and do bizarre things to attain recognition. An example is Paris Hilton, who is famous for doing nothing except by being “famous.”
The advent of Internet forums such as My Space and YouTube allow non-entities to show off outrageous stuff to gain attention. While the computer is a useful gizmo for many, it has likewise become a junkyard for vandals who have abandoned their graffiti writings on walls in favor of high-tech idiocy.
4. Media can be exploited. Whoever gets to be in the front page of the local newspaper or in the cover of Time Magazine is made.
When NBC News got the package of videos and photos compliments of the deranged killer in Virginia Tech, the network used these for its own end: to maximize its lead over its competitors. It knew that it was unethical and wrong, but what the heck.
5. Life is precious. When one reads the newspaper, listens to the radio or views the television, one discovers that no day passes without reports of violent deaths in the community, in the nation and in the world.
We sometimes become immune to news on deaths, both natural and man-made. We must realize though that if we treasure our lives and those of our loves ones, so must we respect and celebrate the lives of others.
In closing, do pause for a moment to say a prayer for those who died in Virginia Tech University, in the streets of Baghdad, in the villages of Darfur and also those in our community.
