It’s hard to really blog about anything else today. All the news stations and far better blogs out there I’m sure will be talking about violence in schools and security and whatnot, and after the shock has worn off, we may be able to look at what happened objectively. I’m doubting that will be any time soon, and my emotional reaction and questions are meaningless when compared to those of the students and families that have been affected.
However, I’ll offer my feelings just the same, because that’s all I can do. The initial thoughts I often have when such startlingly tragic events such as this happen is about the perpetrator. Why did they do this? I vividly remember my initial thought as I saw the World Trade Centers on fire was "Why do they hate us so much?" I believe so much in the goodness of people that when someone crosses the edge and makes a tragic and awful decision, I wonder with crushing disappointment why they did. I haven’t heard anything yet about who the shooter at Virginia Tech was, but I’m crushed that whoever that person was chose to do this. I just can’t understand it. We all feel lost, forgotten, shunned, betrayed, unloved, and unforgiven, and we all sometimes dream of getting revenge or making a statement or at least doing something rash, but someone yesterday morning actually did that. After committing acts out of passion rather than reason, we often realize that it was a mistake, but none of us take it this far. I can’t help but wonder if that person felt regret at some point or clearly realized how wrong what they just did was. Can someone really do something this wrong and believe it right to the very end?
It’s overwhelmingly shocking and sad, and my thoughts and prayers are with all those involved, including the victims and perpetrator. Monumental tragedies like this can do a lot to shake anyone’s faith in humanity, but I feel I have no choice but to continue to believe in the goodness of people, despite the sadness and shock that can come with that faith.
I feel the same as you, but can’t say it as well as you did. I was at a loss for both words and thoughts, as any human with belief in the essential goodness of man might be. Yet the press, whose job it is to go on and on and on and on, finally using some very inappropriate (even inflammatory) observations because they’d used all the other words already, does not have the sense nor sensitivity to observe even a half-moment of silence. Trying to make sense out of senselessness is an unrewarding and futile task, and doing it in the public arena is the height of insensitivity. We need a few quiet moments for grief, for support of those who are grieving, and for realization of our finitude and powerlessness.
Love ya,
Pop