In Memory, In Honour, In Support

By now we've all heard of the tragedy at Virginia Tech on Monday when 33 people were killed by a 23 year old student. Among the dead are a Canadian professor and a holocaust survivor who died heroically trying to save his students. In sad news, one blogger decided things would have been different if other students had been armed. The moron apparently doesn't get that lax gun control helped facilitate this massacre. The Washington Post summarizes this and other blogs. Finally, the Toronto Star (via the Canadian Press) has this interesting (and interactive) history of violence in schools.

That's the news, now time for my take.

For some reason, the Dawson College tragedy on September 13, 2006 didn't really hit me. One person was killed and 20 were wounded that day. I think it really should have struck me since it happened in Canada (Montreal) at a college not unlike the one I currently attend. But it didn't seem to connect like the Virginia Tech rampage has.

I recall that while attending Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo I always felt perfectly safe. I remember feeling a sense of community there. I was always surrounded by other young people who were there because they wanted to be. There was stress and there was even violence, but I felt safe. There was this sense that everyone around me had the same goals and ambitions. I imagine students at Virginia Tech felt very much the same way. I can't imagine their grief. I was in class when I read the news online. A friend from WLU IM'ed me about the news. He said it was mental. I was still, I think, in disbelief. I said I don't think I could have gone back had it happened at Laurier while we were there.

I was watching a special report on CBC when I was inspired to have my input. They were interviewing students from VT about the incident. One group talked about hearing gun shots in the adjacent classroom and leaping through windows to escape. One student reported that he was the last to make it out of the room alive - the two people behind him were shot and killed. One professor (as mentioned above) died trying to save his students. I cannot imagine having that kind of bravery and composure in such a chaotic situation.

I don't want to turn this into an argument about gun control laws in the United States (though I may already have done that). This is about those who were tragically killed. This about the families and friends who suffered unimaginable loss. This is about those who have to go back to class. This is about a tragedy that will be overcome.

We're with you.