Comments | bnl52577: Musing On What Happened At Virginia Tech (The Human Element)

bnl52577

Musing On What Happened At Virginia Tech (The Human Element)

Apr 17, 2007 23:23

I realize now how cynical I used to be; I see the difference in my reaction to what happened at Virginia Tech and my likely reaction a few years ago. I don't become as unnecessarily angry about people's attempts at memorials ( Read more... )

opinions, musings, rants, television

Comments 5

courtknee April 18 2007, 03:33:29 UTC

I agree with you, and I do think the media's been handling this wrong for the most part. I did notice, however, the way CNN was handling it verses MSNBC (as those were the two channels I watch). all afternoon CNN was interviewing friends and families of victims talking about the people they lost, and even some woman who'd aparently gone to high school with the shooter (though she didn't know him personally, this may have been as close as they could get). MSNBC had an FBI profiler or something like 2 hours. There was a pronounced difference and I found it... well, weird, I guess. Not really sure the word I have for it ( ... )

bnl52577 April 18 2007, 20:09:14 UTC

No, no, I got what you're saying. I agree and it was on CNN where I saw the interviews with family and friends.

Mourning for the loss of the shooter as a human being doesn't mean that we're condoning his actions. There's no reason to kill others. Still, people should recognize that the loss of a human life is a loss of human life.

-Paul

rubyashes April 19 2007, 01:14:00 UTC

I think you've gone in the wrong direction with the "Today, we're all Hokies." People are attempting to show their support, their sympathy for what has happened and what could have happened anywhere. They are united with VT in their concern. I think relatively few people use the phrase with the intention of claiming that, they too, were personally victimized by the event.

bnl52577 April 19 2007, 15:44:35 UTC

No, I still have a problem with it. I'm tired of people being fake about this stuff. Too many people want to feel good about this and declaring "Today, we're all Hokies" is an easy way to do this. Instead of fully investing themselves in showing their support for the college (through donations to a recovery fund, the creation of scholarships in their name or another monetary investment), they cry out a stock phrase that can easily apply to any other disastrous situation (Today, we're all from New Orleans etc ( ... )

rubyashes April 19 2007, 19:57:21 UTC

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I am a Hokie, but at the same time I'm not overly offended when others do. Because although there may be better ways to show their support, many of them are sincere in their meaning ( ... )