Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Tragedy? Incident? Massacre?

The death toll at Virginia Tech is over thirty. Is that a tragedy or is it a shooting incident? Is it a massacre? How many were killed in Iraq yesterday? Was that a tragedy or a shooting incident or “collateral damage”?

One thing all of these deaths have in common is that lives were lost. Innocent people died through no fault of their own. It sounds like murder in all cases as far as I’m concerned. And it's so wrong.

31 Comments:

Blogger sumo said...

You're right POP...any way you slice it...it's murder and it's wrong.

April 17, 2007 2:11 AM  
Blogger No said...

Thanks for posting about this, POP..You're the first blogger so far...I've debated whether or not I'll post anything about it..people seem so blaze...like we hear about this every day..how sad.

April 17, 2007 2:56 AM  
Blogger Coffee Messiah said...

This dawned on me answering on another blog:

With the escalation of violence under this administration, plus the movies, video games etc, was there also this kind of escalation of death during the duration of the Viet-Nam war???

April 17, 2007 3:06 AM  
Blogger BBC said...

The whole damn planet just keeps getting more crazy, there is an insanity in this line of monkeys. I think I will start spending more time at home.

April 17, 2007 4:05 AM  
Blogger Peter of Lone Tree said...

OT, POP me goil, but you might wanna take a look at Report says warming altering N. America from the St. Pete Times, which begins, "A new study compiled by hundreds of scientists warns that Florida and other coastal states are especially vulnerable to the effects of global warming."

April 17, 2007 4:14 AM  
Blogger FreakyNick said...

You were thinking along the same lines I was today. My post is very similar today. The are both tragedies. In Iraq is has been happening on a daily basis.

April 17, 2007 4:49 AM  
Blogger Undeniable Liberal said...

Just like another day of "progress" in Baghdad. Just sad.....

April 17, 2007 5:04 AM  
Blogger Blue said...

Whether the massacres occur on our own soil or somewhere else, by Americans or others, it's a wholesale tragedy. What will it take to stop it?

On the endless news obsessions yesterday, there was much comparison between V. Tech and the UT massacre in 1970 (I think?). Maybe it's purely coincidental, but both happened during times of horrific American aggressions in illegitimate wars. Maybe there's a connection, maybe not. But IMHO, a violent government breeds a violent society, brings out the worst in its citizens and in others who want to lash out at us.

April 17, 2007 5:22 AM  
Blogger Peacechick Mary said...

I agree with you. I feel like every day I get an emotional punch in the gut - this market bombed, these children shot, this family, this university. Violence begets violence on a global basis and never, ever solves anything, but brings more violence.

April 17, 2007 5:28 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I work on a university campus, one that had a shooting 11 years ago, so you can imagine I was on edge yesterday and will be for awhile. There's always the a-hole who copies some fool because he wants his 15 minutes of fame

This country is still the Wild West without as many horses.

April 17, 2007 6:32 AM  
Blogger robin andrea said...

It is a tragedy. It always knocks me out how one madman can change the lives of so many.

April 17, 2007 7:18 AM  
Blogger Angry Ballerina said...

Its all murder. Thats all it is.

April 17, 2007 7:20 AM  
Blogger Dave Splash said...

If a Republican congressman from Virginia made the (usually bogus) claim that Baghdad was just as safe as his home district...in this case, he would be right. For a day.

April 17, 2007 7:50 AM  
Blogger DivaJood said...

This insanity defies description - both the senseless mass murder on the Virginia Tech campus yesterday, and the senseless mass, and continuous, murders in the Middle East.

We have no sense of decency, no way to value life any longer. It has become so cheap. We're so desensitized it staggers the soul. I'm very sad today.

April 17, 2007 7:58 AM  
Blogger Jim Yeager said...

What's happening in Iraq is an outrage. What happened at Virginia Tech is a complete breakdown of American society.

My 2 cents.

April 17, 2007 8:15 AM  
Blogger Donnie McDaniel said...

It is all just murder. Scary days are here when wackjobs start following the lead of Bush and kill, kill, kill!!!

April 17, 2007 8:34 AM  
Blogger Anne said...

killing is killing. no matter where, whom, or why. it's all connected.

April 17, 2007 8:49 AM  
Blogger TomCat said...

What this nut case did is little different than what Bush is doing. Nevertheless, my heart goes out to the victims' families.

April 17, 2007 10:37 AM  
Blogger Pursey Tuttweiler said...

BRAVO, Patricia,
The only difference is the sponsor. Our war is US Government and Corporation Endorsed.

April 17, 2007 11:36 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Last night on the Newshour Juan Cole made a very good point....the subject was the Shia in the Iraqi government wanting a time table for the US to leave......his point......the Iragi people see tragedies like what happened at VT everyday....and have for years.....

This sort of thing defies understanding......whether it is here....or in Irag....murdering innocent people

April 17, 2007 11:58 AM  
Blogger mommanator said...

This brought me to a different place. When Columbine happened my hubby was in critical condition in Washinton Hospital. I can never forget that and the way I felt- I actually had planned his funeral. I feel so much for the families of these folks who have passed unecessarily. In Vaginia & Iraq!
You have much wisdom to say what you said in so few words!

April 17, 2007 1:43 PM  
Blogger Lou said...

I always find myself agreeing with your post on C&L. I thought I'd drop by and say hello.

April 17, 2007 2:29 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Its just horrible, not only for those lost, but the parents, friends, siblings, teachers, spouses or boy and girl friends, and anyone involved with that school. One person made an impact on our country and it wasnt a good impact

April 17, 2007 2:54 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think it's murder too.

32 dying in Iraq in one day would be a good day.

April 17, 2007 4:35 PM  
Blogger Robert said...

Killing is really bad-no matter how its explained away. Divajood said it- the world is so used to violence and war now, its just a daily occurence. The world really has reverted back to cave man tactics.

April 17, 2007 5:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm speechless that Bush is travelling to VaTech to provide some comfort. If it were me, I wouldn't find his presence comforting in any way. But it isn't me...so WTF do I know.

April 17, 2007 6:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

April 17, 2007 7:06 PM  
Blogger Anon-Paranoid said...

Hey PoP....
Looks like the spammers found your site. See above.

God Bless.

April 17, 2007 8:20 PM  
Blogger Sparky Duck said...

PoP, I will say there is one difference, the victims at Va Tech had no choice, they did not know what they were getting into. Now of course, every death is a tragedy, especially ones that have been ginned up by the govt

April 19, 2007 9:33 PM  
Blogger Michael Bains said...

Is a good point to a great extent, Sparky D. But a majority the Iraqi folks dying didn't have any choice either.

I know you know it, so sorry for not lettin' it pass, but is an important, and not-so-fine point.

April 21, 2007 8:10 AM  
Blogger Rick said...

I totally agree.
Check this out:
http://shutyourdirtylittlemouth.blogspot.com/

April 23, 2007 11:46 AM  

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