skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Cripple of Inishmaan
by Martin McDonagh
"Set on a remote island off the west coast or Ireland in 1934, THE CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN is a strage comic tale in the great tradition of Irish storytelling. As word arrives on Inishmaan that the Hollywood director Robert Flaherty is coming to the neighboring island of Inishmore to film Man of Aran, the one person who wants to be in the film more than anybody is young Cripple Billy, if only to break away from the bitter tedium of his daily life."
It's fun and dark and its the last play of the year! Opening night is tomorrow, Thursday April 26th. It shows through this weekend and then next weekend. Here's a sneak peak:
  
 Photos taken by Nicolas Tan
Okay, so you might think its all cool and funny, but scrawling your name in the wet concrete of fresh sidewalk on campus is not kosher.
I'm talking about the walkways between the JC and Science and Tech. I, and towards Enterprise. I saw TWO students a matter of minutes apart from each other scratching with either stone or stick their little 'tags' into the just-made sidewalk slabs. One guy was moronic enough to use his own name.
This is NOT like chalking some message across the the wall or where we walk; this is permanent folks - until campus feels it safe to shell out more of our tuition money to repair the affected slabs.
This is probably part of why we have a designated area for chalking - beneath the walkway between the Robinson buildings - not to fringe upon freedom of speech, but to protect our campus from becoming a nightmare of a trashed frat house straight out of "Animal House."
So when you feel the need to leave your mark - DON'T SCRATCH!
I, like any other red-blooded American, am guilty of the most cardinal sin of our democracy. But I'm not taking the blame alone, the rest of you are coming along with me. You too are guilty of the same sin, all of you. But don't worry; I'm going to make the confession for you. Here it comes … are you ready?
I Hate Free Speech.
Oh, I know, you've just winced, or jumped in your seat. Chances are, if you are like me, you're already composing angry replies. You already have your stack of reasons why you and, if you're a kind soul, I am not guilty of this horrendous thing. If you’re the tactical sort, you may be thinking that I'm talking about Them. You know which Them, if you’re a Democrat, They are Republicans. If you’re a conservative, They are liberals. You have numerous examples of why They are guilty of this, but you are not. Chances are, you're right, They are guilty of it. But so are you.
We all have the best of intentions. In our good intentions we know that free speech does not apply in this case. This case is the exception. You don't believe me, I know. But take a moment in your growing angst and think. Have you never thought something like "How could they print that!" or "I wish someone would do something about my biased professor" or (and you may have been thinking this one quite recently) "That speaker is offensive and shouldn't be allowed to speak at my College."
Did I detect a swallow of apprehension?
At some point in our lives everyone is guilty of this. We've all wanted to quash free speech beneath our righteous heel, taking the first decisive step on the road to hell. The irony is that we liberals are the guiltiest of denying free speech. That's not to say that the conservatives don't have a hand in paving over free expression, they do it in the form of ratings and censures, the little bleeps that make the world safe. It is a horrendous and unjust injury. But make no mistake, we liberals are worse. We are far more subtle and, therefore, deadly in our infringements. We censure to seek political correctness. Liberals enact speech codes, we write angry letters, and we call the ultimate fouls: "Bias! Racism!"
It takes a moment of reflection, but our liberal victories these days are far too often found when we kill off free speech. Bias is bad. Racism is wrong. And being offensive, well that just isn't nice! But we cannot remove people just because we find them so. Allow me an appeal to the conservative economist here, free speech is like that famous utopia - the free market - it hurts a bit, it leaves people behind, but in the end it can do more good then bad. Its conflicts work themselves out, if left alone. Legislating against them is only a mistake, and a big one. It is this mistake, compounded through legalities, suits, and funding machinations, that has put us where we are today, the Spin Zone known as the United States.
Liberals are just as guilty as conservatives of the state of the news media today. We have all pushed the news into airing innocuous idiocies or pure stupidities. By seeking to shut the other side up, you've forced them into employing a radical outlet. I want you all to take a step back from your computer and bow your head in repentance. Now, if you are a conservative, repeat after me: "Keith Olbermann is my fault entirely." If you're liberal, intone: "I am wholly responsible for FOX News."
I know, it hurts. But a lesson must be learned: There is only one reason to prevent someone from saying anything – if it will result in immediate deaths. Let Ann Coulter or Howard Stern say what they wish, they'll get their comeuppance when they loose their fans, and when the media itself hangs them. But the only reason they should not speak is because they don't want to. I'll declare it here and now; they may be filth but let them always have an outlet! I, as a liberal, would gladly throw another pie in Coulter's conservative face, but only after she's finished talking. To do anything else would only be to destroy the most important value we, as a country, have – Free Speech.
Next time you see an ad for an offensive speaker, or see an offensive book, or take offense at the language of a TV show, I want you to stop your initial impulse to force legal action on the person, or violence on the medium. I want you to take a deep breath, calm yourself, and remember the following:
I Love Free Speech.
"No one feels another's grief, no one understands another's joy. People imagine they can reach one another. In reality they only pass each other by."
- Franz Schubert I'm not saying that the guy is either right or wrong, for if I could (with authority), well then I wouldn't be merely human. Just something to consider when trying to comfort others. We can be there for those suffering, but we cannot take the pain away by attempting to stretch our minds to comprehend what they are going through - just as much as we would not expect others to ever understand what we go through. Not in the full at least. It takes time, and much patience.
All students are invited to join university administrators at a town hall meeting Monday, April 23, at 4:30 p.m. to discuss issues related to the Virginia Tech incident.
Moderated by Chief of Staff Dr. Tom Hennessey, this meeting will convene in the Johnson Center, Room 133, in front of the student government office.
-Sandy Hubler, VP of University Life
We continue to be moved by the events that occurred at Virginia Tech on Monday. We send our deepest wishes for healing for the victims, their families, and their communities. We also wish to assure all our communities, particularly our Asian and Asian American community, as well as our Korean students, that we are committed to creating a learning environment where all our students can experience safety,
respect, and support.
As is true throughout the year, the variety of co-curricular programs we offer reflect the rich diversity of views that exist on our campus and in the world. Many of those programs facilitate freedom of expression, critical thinking, and conscious examination of difference. As the semester soon comes to a close, we hope you continue to engage in dialogue and share knowledge in a manner that embodies civility for yourself and for other individuals. With your participation, we will continue to create a strong spirit of community for Mason students, faculty, and staff.
from,
Peter Stearns, Provost
Sandy Hubler, Vice President University Life
9:00PM: a small group has stayed gathered around the Mason statue, standing before a wreath and quietly placing their own candles and flowers. Though this group is far smaller, but all the same is quiet and respectful. The only sound is the gentle fall of water from the statue.
All stand in respect and silence to honor the memories of those students who fell.
7:48: We Are Virginians performed and written by Laura Mays.
The song is soft low and perfectly fitting, with lyrics that touch the moment exactly. Right now, as the state, and indeed the world, stands and watches us and our reactions, it is our unity, the same unity displayed by the hundreds standing here in the growing cold, holding their candles close. Tonight, the nation is made of men and women who are all Virginians.
And for us? We stand as Hokies.
7:53: Dr. Maurice Scherrens returns to the stand. "Raise it as high as you can, I know that they will see it. We love you Tech."
A slow and solemn rendition of Taps, played by Patrick O'Connel reverberates, strong, above the crowd. Ever so slowly, all walk down to the the Mason statue, to lay flowers in the memory of those who died.
7:39: "Light this candle."
Ross Alameddine
Jamie Bishop
Brian Bluhm
Ryan Clark
Austin Cloyd
Jocelyne Couture-Nowak
Kevin Granata
Matt Gwalney.
Calin Hammaren
Jeremy Herbstritt
Rachael Hill
Emily Hilscher
Matthew La Porte
Jarrett Lane
Henry Lee
Liviu Librescu
G.V. Loganathan
Partahi Mamora Halomoan Lumbantoruan
Lauren McCain
Daniel O'Neil
Juan Ramon Ortiz
Minal Panchal
Daniel Perez Cueva
Erin Peterson
Michael Pohle
Julia Pryde
Mary Read
Reema Samaha
Waleed Shaalan
Leslie G. Sherman
Maxine Turner
Nicole Regina White.
Each name is enunciated, each name sees hundreds of candles. They glow, some dimly, some brightly, but all the same they stand as light to represent those sparks that were lost. Almost everyone is standing, candle in hand, and it is quiet; all but the names, still echoing into the wind.
Photo by Courtney Erland
7:21: Thomas Epps performs a stirring rendition of Amazing Grace to a somber audience. The American flag stands still directly behind him.
7:25: "I pray that you would all keep the victims and the families of the victims in your thoughts and prayers […] for as long as they feel it is necessary and you feel it is necessary." said President Merten. "Be vigilant in all you do, not only for yourself but for all the members in your community. […] Love your neighbor as you love yourself."
7:27: The Anointed Voices of Unity, Mason's Gospel Choir, stands in front of the stage. Their voices and refrain echo down the campus.
7:33: The Campus Ministry Association Representing: Bahai, Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Orthodox have taken the stage as one. Their first representative begins to talk about faith in a broken world. "We talk to god, whose love offers hope. […] release our anger over the murder […] we come face to face with our emptiness and know that god cares. […] we come to comfort and support each other in our common loss." Each representative comes in turn. Quoting from their religious texts: "Let us pray."
"Let us carry the memories of our teachers, of our friends."
Tonight, people began to gather at the area outside the JC, gathering under tents with flowers, signing letters and notes of care. A young child is standing next to me, giving out ribbons. Soft and slow music is playing over the speakers while I stand in the fading light. Already the number of people here is far more then the number at the previous vigil and, though some students simply pass through on their way to dinner or class, for the great majority the attitude is the same. A somber gathering of people. In all ways, people are leaning on each other tonight, be it physical or emotional. It seems that, in some ways, the gap between now and the tragedy of this monday is infinite. That is part of the reason why people are here today I suspect. It is not only to honor the memories of those lost, but also to make sure we all remember the 33 who died.
7:10PM: A lot of groups are here, along with a far better setup resulting from the advance planning that went into this event. The crowd grows with ever minute, while people are waiting for the first speaker to take the Mason podium.
7:14: The first speaker takes the stage. Dr. Maurice Scherrens. He speaks to a huge crowd which is completely quiet. "It makes me mad [...] All we can do know is keep those victims in our thoughts and prayers. [...] A bad thing happened to great people at a great university and I don't know why. [...] I still feel the disbelief, the anger, the sorrow. […] I know there must be something here we are supposed to learn." 'A bad thing happened to great people at a great university and I don't know why,' Dr. Scherrens pronounces the refrain over and over. "Live today as if you were going to die tomorrow […] Their death has told us that we must act." Dr. Scherrens talks of how we must live "passionately instead of passively," and his words are like poetry. "A bad thing happened to great people at a great university and I will never know why."
7:20: The student body president and president-elect have taken the stage. Al-Mudallal reminds us to not let our perceptions bias us, while Shelnutt reminds us of the essential properties of our security.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Virginia community tonight," the president-elect said.
Beta Alpha Psi at George Mason is shocked and saddened by the recent tragedy down at Virginia Tech. I had the opportunity to meet with the President of Beta Alpha Psi from Virginia Tech at the reginal meeting this semester. Virginia Tech is a great school composed of outstanding students. We offer our most sincere condolences to all those affected from this tragic event.
Justin Park
President, Beta Alpha Psi
George Mason University
On behalf of SSA, we would like to send our deepest condolences to the families and friends who have suffered as a result of the massacre at VA Tech. They are in our prayers and we hope God will bless them with patience -- stay strong, this can only bring everyone closer. Noon Salih Sudanese Student Association, President
On behalf of the Bengali Patriots Association, I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to all those hurt by this catastrophe. Furthermore, I would like to show my admiration for all those who acted courageously in the face of tragedy and did what they could do help one another. Thank you for allowing me to express my feelings on this issue.
Sincerely,
Shagor Rahman
Chi Alpha Christian fellowship is deeply saddened by the tragic event in Blacksburg, VA. As an organization and as individuals, we have been praying for the victims, their families, their friends and their fellow classmates, asking God--a God who cares--for His perfect peace to enter the hearts of everyone affected and to comfort those who are experiencing the loss of someone they loved. While this evil act leaves us unspeakably confused, disturbed and apprehensive, we can be confident that God is good and will help us through this time of need.
Like millions of people worldwide, we in the Environmental Science
and Policy Graduate Student Association are deeply saddened by
the senseless violence that ended in the tragic loss of 33 lives
Monday morning. Our organization includes several members who
know Virginia Tech alumni or are VT alumni themselves.
Regardless of university affiliation, the pain of Monday's events are
felt by all. The loss of so many bright students and well
accomplished faculty is a setback to the academic community at
large. The research and contributions of the 5 faculty members
(Drs. Bishop, Librescu, Granata, Couture-Nowack, and Loganathan)
and 6 graduate students will be sorely missed. The academic
potential of the intelligent and driven undergraduate and graduate
students can never be measured. Our thoughts and prayers are
with the families and the Virginia Tech community.
Thank you,
Sarah Johnson
President of the ESP-GSA
The events that occurred at Virginia Tech on Monday, April 16, 2007 are a tragedy. As part of the student body of George Mason University, the Korean Students Association grieves for their losses. GMU KSA offers condolences to families, the Virginia Tech community, and friends. Many KSA members have friends at Virginia Tech and remain concerned about their friends and families. GMU KSA hopes that the healing process will be swift for those affected. We believe that all students have the right to feel safe on campus, and that parents should feel comfortable sending their children to school. GMU KSA’s mission is to listen to and help its members become effective civic leaders to serve GMU and the greater Washington D.C. area. GMU KSA hopes to provide a collegial environment between undergraduate and graduate students and offer friendly environments. No words can appropriately describe our sorrow. Once again, GMU KSA offers condolences to families, Virginia Tech communities, and friends. On behalf of GMU KSA members,
Mike JooHyun Lee
President
Korean Students Association
George Mason University
Thursday at 9 p.m. there will be a vigil on the JC North Plaza in remembrance of the victims of the VT shootings. Student Body President-Elect Drew Shelnutt will announce it at the 7 p.m. Mason community vigil and ask the community to gather once again for a "period of remembrance and solidarity" with the VT community.
 The community at George Mason University extends our prayers and deepest condolences to our friends, family, and colleagues at Virginia Tech. The shared sense of tremendous loss is one that is very difficult to communicate with words—words seem inadequate given the magnitude of this tragedy.
But ultimately healing must begin, and we must go on. I want to commend our students, student leaders, and our Office of University Life for how quickly they mobilized on our campus to offer assistance to their friends at Virginia Tech, and for their quick action to organize prayer services and vigils so the Mason community could remember and honor the victims. A schedule of the events and activities taking place on our campus is posted on Virginia Tech Outreach Efforts. I also want to thank the dedicated professionals at our Counseling Center who are working round-the clock to address the needs of our students. Anyone who wishes to seek services from the Counseling Center can call 703-993-2380 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. After 5 p.m. please call the University Police Department at 703-993-2810. They will page the counselor on duty. Faculty who are seeking advice for classroom discussion can visit an excellent web site, counseling.txstate.edu/crisis.htm which is highly recommended by our counseling staff. I also want to address the inevitable question of safety on our campus. Like most universities across America we are compelled in the wake of this tragedy to review our security procedures. I have asked members of my administration and our security team to undertake this review so I can be assured we are taking every plausible precaution to maintain a secure and safe campus. George Mason University has a well-trained police force; we are currently utilizing state-of-the-art security systems across campus, and we have highly experienced professionals on our staff with extensive crisis management backgrounds. I am committed to providing the safest campus possible for our students, faculty, staff, and all those who visit George Mason University. Once again, I extend my deepest sympathies to my friend and colleague, Dr. Charles Steger and to all the students, parents, faculty, and staff at Virginia Tech. Sincerely, Dr. Alan Merten, President George Mason University
In the midst of all the confusion of the last couple days, I've had some time to think. A lot of people have "Today we are all Hokies" icons of various forms on facebook and livejournal. People are organizing events to mourn. But I don't feel it would be fitting for me to involve myself. I am not grieving. I am extraordinarily sad that it happened, and can't imagine what it must be like to have lost someone, but as far as I know, nobody I know or knew was hurt. And aside from the general shock that anyone would feel at the knowledge that it even happened, I don't feel I can involve myself in the general mourning that is going on. I can show respect or even sympathy, but for me to grieve would be to appropriate someone else's tragedy and minimize the very real, personal, and direct impact it is having on their lives.
It reminds me of an episode of "Rescue Me" that I saw last summer, when one of the guys in the firehouse went to a PTSD support group regarding World Trade Center collapse, to read the poetry he had written about it. He was a firefighter who had been on the scene and lost members of his firehouse, while none of the group members had even been in the city at the time. He was disgusted that while he was holding himself together (albeit by writing apallingly bad poetry), they were falling apart over a tragedy that didn't even belong to them. Who would have thought I'd find insight in a Dennis Leary creation?
I don't think there's anything wrong with talking through the events at Virginia Tech, or in showing respect and honor to the deceased and wounded with sympathy notes, half-staff flags, or displays of the Tech Hokie. Still, at the end of the day, this tragedy is not mine to own. I am extraordinarily grateful to have not been personally affected, and extraordinarily saddened for those who were. But today I am not and cannot be a Hokie, because even in my worst nightmares I can't imagine what they must be feeling or living. I think those of us who were fortunate enough to be spared personal tragedy on Monday should bear this in mind.
As tragedy broke yesterday, many people sat down and watched the reports on TV. However, the blog world was doing more then just watching, they were writing. Hundreds of blogs, ranging from LiveJournals to news reports, from conspiracy theories to psychological examinations, were posted from the beginning of the tragedy onward. I've selected a few of the ones that stood out from the rest, including Blogs from mainstream news sources and one from a GMU graduate student.
Captain's Quarters has two well written posts in reaction to the massacre. The first is about the heroism of holocaust survivor and VT Professor Liviu Librescu, who gave his life to save his students. The second is about the issues that arose from the tragedy.
Jurassicpork puts up a post at Welcome to Pottersville talking about the effect of violence on our psyche and the horror that the survivors must face when they return to classes tomorrow. [Pottersville]
The Volkh Conspiracy, well known pro-gun site, put up a series of thought-out articles on the shootings. [Volkh]
The Huffington Post's Taylor Marsh wrote out an extended post on our preparation as a country for tragedy. [Huffington]
ABC's The Blotter has a short post on the weapons used. [Blotter]
A quick look at the pro-gun reactions in the media to the VT shootings. [MediaMatters]
Tech Alumni and current GMU graduate student writes on the events of the day. [Thinking on the Margin]
Chicago Tribune's blog The Swamp takes a quick look at the letter the killer left behind. [The Swamp]
A professional psychologist posts instructions on how to deal with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. [The Moderate Voice]
Hotline's blog On Call has McCain's and Edwards' comments. [Hotline On Call]
Finally:
The Collegiate Times, VT's student-run newspaper, had their website go down early in the day. As a public service College Publisher has taken over hosting the digital side of the paper and VT's student writers, editors and reporters have done a laudable job keeping their fellow students, and the world, informed.
The VT Administration and local Police force are slowly releasing the names of victims to the public. You can find a number of names, pictures and descriptions at the following sites:
CBS's List
Herald Tribune's List
ABC's List
After a very long day for those of Virginia Tech and for many others, President Alan Merten yesterday addressed a candlelight vigil beneath the Mason clock tower just nigh of midnight. He spoke briefly yet with clear intention to the collective of students who fought against the wind both to keep their candles lit and to remain themselves despite the cold.
This was the advice he had to give:
"First of all, I want to thank Jacob [Jenkins] and others for organizing this event this evening. It's very important that we at George Mason University reach out to the entire Virginia Tech community. These are our brothers, these are our sisters, these are our friends, these are people that are now going through an enormous, an enormous, amount of stress.
I watched today on the television, I'm sure as you did, to watch how people are struggling with this. We have a responsibility - I feel it personally, I hope you feel it personally - if we know people at Virginia Tech that our next, not just days but weeks or months, that we reach out to them and we ask them, 'How can I help, how can I help? How are you feeling?' And if they don't give us an answer right away we ask them again.
Because in a sense, I don't think that people are going to really realize what they are going through for a long period of time. And we have a responsibility to work with them.
I'm very proud, I'm so proud of being president of George Mason University because of our students and tonight, having you all here, is just one more reason that convinces me that we at George Mason are doing something right; and now we have the opportunity to show it again.
I hope that over the days and weeks that we have more of these vigils to remind ourselves and to remind our friends at Virginia Tech that we care about them.
Keep the people of Virginia Tech in your thoughts and in your prayers. I know that's what I'm doing."
“Times like these, we need to count our blessings,” said a Mason student wearing maroon and orange. After she suggested that those present name the things that they’re thankful for, there was an initial silence, and then an outpouring of thanks.
“Parents.” “Strength.” “Family.” “Love.”
Male and female voices called these out from all corners of the crowd.
“I’m thankful that on a night like this we can gather together. God is here.”
Some shouted loudly, others were barely audible.
“That the world cares.”
Some shook with the cold and others rang out with confidence.
“Unity.” “Resiliency.” “Compassion.” “Charity.”
But all of them named these things with grateful hearts, taking heart in finding the good still left.
“Sisters,” one girl said as she gathered her friends closer to her.
“That it ended when it did.” A sentiment greeted with sighs of agreement.
A sense of community spread throughout the crowd as more and more chimed in. Once, two spoke at once, but then stopped, letting the other speak.
“I’m thankful for all of you.”
“For the health care workers,” one said. “The Red Cross,” followed right after.
Many of the thanks were touched with a solemnity earned by worry.
“That my brother still has a future.” The crowd silenced briefly.
“For every mom that called their kid today.”
“For Facebook and Cell phones,” greeted with laughter. However, the sentiment was accepted as truth- Many Mason students today reached their friends at Virginia Tech through these mediums to find that they were safe.
“I’m thankful that even though there’s evil in the world, we know that there’s still good,” a man cried from the back, his voice breaking.
“For the men and women in uniform.” Those that helped today.
“To be able to go to a university.” Since so many around the world cannot.
“For tomorrow morning.” When the sun will rise.
“I’m glad that the story isn’t over.”
No it’s not. The healing is just beginning.
This story was written by Broadside News Editor Rachael Dickson
12:33: Though I've said it already, the cold tonight is notable for this time and to see so many out here, despite the cold, the wind, and the bad weather, provides its own type of warmth.
12:35: Mason students have taken the stage stating what things they, in the midst of tragedy, have to be thankful for, the people on whom they, in this time of tragedy, have leaned on and depended on. They are thankful of the small goods that come from horror, the knowledge that will insure that we all will be able to prevent this from happening again, the ability to count your blessings and to acknowledge those around you.
12:43: A number of Jewish students have gathered to say the Mourner's Kaddish, a prayer for the dead.
12:46: The vigil has officially ended, but many students remain standing together, talking to each other about the events of the day.
Broadside's sympathies and hopes are with the VT families. We hope that all those injured, be it in mind or body, heal and our prayers go with the families of the dead.
12:24: Though they face a stiff breeze and cold weather however everyone continues. Right now people have begun to sing Amazing Grace in low tones, a beautiful sound.
J.D. Weiman, the speaker of the Student Senate who was dressed in a suit to match the solemnity of the occasion, said a few words, leaning towards brevity. Fellow Senator Joseph Sorgini spoke passionately to the crowd about the importance of prayer for Virginia Tech.
It has been observed that a TV crew, who is believed to have been dispatched from ABC, is at the event tonight.
Many people are standing together leaning against each other for support. Members of the Greek Community are here as well, hugging brothers and looking on quietly.
Many members of the student government are here to pay their respects as well.
11:52PM: President Alan Merten has just arrived. A number of people have talked to our Broadside reporters:
"I'm here to support the students of Virginia Tech and their families and friends who go to Mason, I'm also here to support collage students in general so this doesn't happen again," said sophomore Gerry Moore.
11:58: Merten takes the stage to talk to the gathered students.
"Keep the people of Virginia Tech in your thoughts and in your prayers," said Merten. "I'm so proud to be president of George Mason University right now." He went on to thank students for organizing the event. Merten said we had a responsibility to reach out to students at VT because they are going to have a hard time.
12:04: People have been going up spontaneously during this informal event to speak out of their own experience.
"For the loved and the lost you will be with us always" said a man in a leather jacket emblazoned with the US flag. He spoke of the beauty of Virginia Tech and said that it was one of the most beautiful places he had ever been. Even in the wake of the tragedy it will be beautiful again.
12:08 (and previous quotes): A women named Elizabeth Kimbell talked about the negative coverage that VT had faced all day. One positive story she saw was the Student Body president from VT when asked by the media who he wanted to blame he had said that they did not want to blame anyone, they wanted to heal. "I'm glad that we are doing something different. I'm sure other universities are doing this but at least we are not adding to the negativity."
Three girls emblazoned in maroon and orange, VT's colors, stand close to the stage, two of them are from the area of VT and said that they grew up in Hokie country. The third girl, Ana Miller, has a boyfriend who is an engineering major there and was close to the shootings.
"It hit really close to home," said Fran Dickinson. "We've been glued to the TV all day. We wanted to show our support and make t-shirts and wear Hokie colors."
"It is like a second college to us." said Amber Walker.
Mike Vitale, a freshman music major, came with his roommates to the vigil. He spoke through tears, "it hurts so much, it's just not fair."
12:16PM: As speakers came on and off of the stage the crowd continued to grow, quiet and attentive with the wind in the background.
It has been a long day. As any of the BroadsideOnline Blog's readers may have noticed we have been following the VT shootout stories very closely, with accurate, up-to-the-minute coverage. I personally have read and watched what must be hundreds of various reports on the subject, ranging from total conjecture to VT Officials' press conferences. Though you, dear reader, may not have been aware, this blog has had very up to date and accurate coverage. We broke a full write up of the story quickly and efficiently. We had a more up to date count of injured and dead then when the New York Times went to the digital presses. We've hunted down and brought to your attention the few theories and questions that turned out to be true. While this day has been filled by tragedy, we at Broadside have fuffiled our duty to our readership and our community with everyone here in the office putting in their full effort to ensure that Mason's students were kept up to date. I'd like to take a quick moment here to thank Broadside's staff for their steady hands during a shocking and harrowing day.
All in all it has been a lot. It has been exhausting but, when we see the reaction of Mason students, ultimately satisfying. One of the most heartening things we've been able to report has been the outpouring of support for the VT community from all over the nation, and especially from the George Mason Community. Officials have been organizing group meetings all through this evening. A number of campus and student officials have come forward to comment and send their condolences to VT, students have brought their voices to the fore. In a day filled with keeping death counts up to date and trying to insure that we know the most about the young Asian male who killed 32 today before finally turning his gun on himself, my ability to report the vast care we as Mason students have felt towards our VT compatriots is almost a relief.
Therefore it is only fitting that we end the day's blog coverage with a live blog covering the midnight Candle Light Vigil being held next to the JC. I will be updating this blog post constantly with new content and giving you readers complete coverage of the event, and the emotional heart of this campus.
[Edited for clarity.]
Posts will go up at most every few minutes. So keep refreshing to keep up to date.
11:47PM: I've arrived with a number of Broadside staff here in front of the clocktower, already, 15 minutes before the event, a large crowd has gathered. Students of all types, ages, and dress, are gathering in front of the stage erected here for the event. Lit only by the glow of the clock tower they are talking in hushed tones, gathering against the cold and the wind in clusters, while more people arrive any minute.
11:50PM: Three Mason police cars have arrived, presumably to provide security for the event
11:52PM: President Alan Merten has just arrived. A number of people have talked to our Broadside reporters:
"I'm here to support the students of Virginia Tech and their families and friends who go to Mason, I'm also here to support collage students in general so this doesn't happen again," said sophomore Gerry Moore.
11:58: Merten takes the stage to talk to the gathered students.
"Keep the people of Virginia Tech in your thoughts and in your prayers," said Merten.
Phillip Murillas, of Fairfax, Virginia, now a freshman at Virginia Tech, majoring in communication, sent an e-mail to Joel Achenbach of the Washington Post. Achenbach posted the letter to his online blog. The e-mail has received an outpouring of community support.
The letter can be found here.
Broadside Online contacted Murillas to expand on the story detailed in his letter.
He received the first email at 9:29 a.m. "Even then I didn't think it was going to be an off day," Murillas said. "Everything was at an arm's length."
Then the cops started showing up and "everything got a lot more immediate."
Despite the fact that his dorm, Main Campbell Hall, stood about seven minutes from West Ambler Johnston and only about five to ten minutes from Norris Hall, Murillas still felt safe, but "profundly disturbed." He could see the ambulances but did not hear the gunshots.
On his way to class Murillas's friend alerted him of the second email. Murillas ran to the lounge common area to look out over the campus, and then back upstairs to check on his dorm-mates. He posted reassuring messages to his family and friends on Facebook and then checked his friends' IM statuses to make sure they were all accounted for. Those he could not reach through the Internet, he called.
One of the two missing dorm-mates he mentioned in his letter have since been accounted for. The two girls attended their Norris Hall french class that morning. While one girl suffered gunshots to her knee, the other is currently unaccounted for.
edited by Whitney Rhodes: Mon. 16, 9:23pm.
As it continues to unravel, more information has been rumored about the killings on VT's campus.
FOX News has reported that the shooter came to campus with automatic or semi-automatic weapons and wearing a bulletproof vest. FOX reported that the gunman, a young Asian male (this was confirmed by CNN), was looking for his girlfriend. CNN reported that campus authorities believed some sort of domestic dispute was involved in the first incident.
The gunman was not carrying any identification and as such, no personal information has been released.
The shooter was killed at the scene.
AP reports that some of the doors of Norris Hall, where the second shooting occurred, were chained shut from the inside. Eyewitness reports say that some students jumped out of the classroom windows to escape the shooter.
Approximately 22,000 students attend Virginia Tech.
In the continuing story of the shootings at Virginia Tech the death toll continues to grow. The latest number places the total number of deaths today at 33. This includes a shooter, who according to reports has killed himself, and the first two victims, who were killed two hours before the second incident. Reports count as many as 23 injured as well.
As it stands the police are still investigating as to whether there was a single shooter, or if the two incidents were by separate antagonists.
On the political stage Gov. Tim Kaine, President Bush, and Speaker Pelosi have all commented on the incident. Attorney General Gonzales has stated that agents from both the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were already on the campus in order to aid in the investigation.
Gov. Tim Kaine has declared a state of emergency in order to insure that VT can get hold of any required aid.
A list of victims is not expected until sometime tomorrow.
We have received a number of reports from GMU students who have attempted to or have been able to contact friends at VT.
Police said there had been bomb threats on campus over the past two weeks by authorities but said they have not determined a link to the shootings.
The outpouring of emotion on the campus is already apparent. There is a 9p.m. meeting at Eisenhower Hall, a 7p.m. meeting at Hanover Hall, a 10 p.m. meeting at the Multi-Purpose room by Liberty Square. Also important is a midnight candlelight vigil for the victims tonight at the clock tower outside the JC.
In the state of Virginia an of age permanent resident may carry a concealed weapon in any location besides a college campus.
This is the latest and most deadly in a line of college shootings since 1966. Most notable among them was the 1966 University of Texas at Austin shooting in which a sniper was used to kill 16 people and wound 31, a homicidal rampage that went on for 96 minutes. In 1996, Frederick Martin Davidson shot dead the three professors to whom he was presenting his thesis. In Oct. 2002, student Robert Flores, 40, kills his instructor and then returns later with five guns, killing two more instructors before killing himself.
The FBI has released a threat assessment warning other schools to watch out for copycat shootings.
“The first thing I did was try calling people at Virginia Tech that I knew,” Michael Horneffer, freshman senator, said. He initially could not reach a friend of his who lives in Norris Hall, where some of the shootings occurred. He finally reached her via Facebook and found that she was safe, locked in her room.
“I felt powerless but I still felt good that I could say God bless you- Thank God you’re not hurt.” Horneffer said.
Horneffer sees great similarities between students at Mason and Virginia Tech, calling them “hardworking and resilient.”
“It’s going to be very difficult but they’re going to work through it. Just take it one day at a time and do what you can.”
----
If you have a story involving the VT shootings or want to add to the discussion, please leave a comment.
The AP is reporting that "The gunman, who has not been identified, took his own life, Virginia Tech Police Chief W.R. Flinchum said."
Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked for a moment of silence on the House floor this afternoon following the deadly shootings on the campus of Virginia Tech. Below are her remarks:
"Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise to acknowledge that today our country has been struck by a terrible, terrible tragedy. The death toll at Virginia Tech now is over 30. This is the worst campus shooting in the history of our country.
"As the Virginia Tech community struggles with the mourning and questioning that is certain to follow, the continued prayers from this Congress are with the students, their families, the faculty, and the staff at Virginia Tech.
"Leader Boehner joins me in extending our condolences to all concerned, and we ask for a moment of silence to be observed in this body. Would we all please rise to observe the moment of silence?"
SOURCE: Office of the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
The meeting for the TAP residence area will be at 8 p.m. in building 5, the TAP office.
Here is the latest.
- 31, including the shooter, were killed at Norris Hall, an engineering building. 15 additional victims were wounded.
- 2 additional victims were killed at a Dormitory earlier in the day.
- The authorities have not been able to confirm if there is a connection between the first and second shootings.
- Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine (D) has declared a state of emergency.
- Authorities currently do not know the name of the shooter as he did not have I.D. on him.
- VT authorities are in the process of identifying the victims and notifying their next of kin.
- A list of names of the victims is not expected until sometime tomorrow.
We have just learned that in addition to the two meetings we've posted already there will be community meetings in all of Mason's residential areas.
- President's Park will have their meeting at 9:00 p.m. at Eisenhower Hall.
- DUCC will have their meeting at 7 p.m. at Hanover Hall
- Potomac Heights and Liberty Square will have their meeting at 10 p.m. at the multi-purpose room.
- TAP will have their meeting at a time and place to be determined.
Someone from the Counseling Center will be be available at all of these meetings as well as professional counselors from the Office of Housing and Residence Life's professional staff. These meetings are open to everyone but will be focused towards those who live in the residence areas. The Counseling Center will have counselors available for students outside of Ciao Hall at dinner time and noon time. Mason's Counseling Center has offered provide staff members to help the Virginia Tech community. The Counseling Center also recommends that Mason students call their friends and loved ones to assure them that they are O.K., given that most people outside of Virginia are unfamiliar with the state college system. Everyone in the Mason community should feel free to call and schedule an appointment with the Counseling Center or just stop by.
President Bush says shootings at Virginia Tech affect all students
By DEB RIECHMANN
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush said Monday that the mass shooting at Virginia Tech, the deadliest campus violence ever in this country, affects every student across the nation. "Schools should be places of safety, sanctuary and learning," Bush said in reaction to the deaths of more than 30 people on the campus. "When that sanctuary is violated, the impact is felt in every American classroom in every American community." Bush spoke with Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and Virginia Tech President Charles Steger. "I told them that Laura and I and many across our nation are praying for the victims and all the members of university community that have been devastated by this terrible tragedy," Bush said in the Diplomatic Room of the White House. "Today our nation grieves with those who have lost loved ones at Virginia Tech," he said. "We hold the victims in our hearts. We lift them up in our prayers and we ask a loving God to comfort those who are suffering today.'" Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were already on the campus, aiding local authorities in the investigation. "We are committed to providing support and assistance to those authorities as well as to the victims of this crime for as long as necessary," Gonzales said in a statement issued by the Justice Department. "I am deeply saddened and angered by these senseless acts of violence," Gonzales said. "My deepest condolences and prayers go out to those affected by this horrific crime, especially those who lost loved ones." In the House, which returned Monday from a two-week recess, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., interrupted the proceedings to lead a moment of silence in remembrance. "As the Virginia Tech community struggles with the mourning and questioning that is certain to follow, the continued prayers from this Congress are with the students, their families, the faculty and the staff at Virginia Tech," Pelosi said.
One-
The AP is now reporting that:
Virginia Tech students and an employee say the first e-mail warning they got from the university about the shooting rampage came more than two hours after the first shots were fired _ by which time the gunman had struck again. Two- The website for the Collegiate Times, VT's newspaper, is down, but they can be reached at collegemedia.com. Right now they have a map of where the shootings happened up and a photo gallery chronicling the day's events.
Broadside has just received word of two more on-campus events in reaction to today's Virginia Tech shootings.
From the Resident Director of Presidents Park:
"Presidents Park Resident-
I'm sure most of you have seen the news regarding the VTech tragedy. I'm also sure that you or some of your fellow hall mates may have friends at Tech and may be affected by what has happened. Please know that counseling is available for any student if they so desire. Just let me know or talk a walk over to the Counseling Center in SUB I.
We will be hosting a "meet and greet" tonight in Eisenhower Hall from 9-11pm. If you would like to come down and just hang out and chat about anything, please do so. Food will be provided as well as a movie on the flat screen.
Thanks,
Diana Federici" There will also be a program held tonight at 7 p.m. at Hanover Hall in reaction to the Tech shootings.
Broadside just received word that a candlelight vigil for the victims of the Virginia Tech shootings tonight at 12 a.m. near the clock tower outside the J.C.
Here is the e-mail we received.
"Tonight at midnight GMU students will be gathering at the clock tower for a candle-light service for those involved in this mornings shootings at Virginia Tech. This is nothing formal or fancy, we just want to gather together as a campus and community to show our love and support to the victims, friends, and families of those involved in the shootings.
Students and faculty are strongly encouraged to come. Bring candles, flashlights, memorial posters etc.
Please pass the word along to fellow students and faculty."
Gunman kills 30 at Virginia Tech shooting before being killed
By SUE LINDSEY
Associated Press Writer
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) - A gunman opened fire in a Virginia Tech dorm and then, two hours later, in a classroom across campus Monday, killing at least 30 people in the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history, government officials told The Associated Press. The gunman was killed, bringing the death toll to 31. Students complained that the university did not warn them about the first deadly burst of gunfire until hours later. "Today the university was struck with a tragedy that we consider of monumental proportions," said Virginia Tech president Charles Steger. "The university is shocked and indeed horrified." It was not immediately clear whether the gunman was shot by police or took his own life. Investigators offered no motive for the attack. The gunman's name was not immediately released, and it was not known if he was a student. The shootings spread panic and confusion on campus. Witnesses reporting students jumping out the windows of a classroom building to escape the gunfire. SWAT team members with helmets, flak jackets and assault rifles swarmed over the campus. Students and faculty members carried out some of the wounded themselves, without waiting for ambulances to arrive. The massacre took place at opposite sides of the 2,600-acre campus, beginning at about 7:15 a.m. at West Ambler Johnston, a coed dormitory that houses 895 people, and continuing at least two hours later at Norris Hall, an engineering building about a half-mile away, authorities said. Police said they were still investigating the shooting at the dorm when they got word of gunfire at the classroom building. Some students bitterly questioned why the gunman was able to strike a second time, two hours after the bloodshed began. "What happened today this was ridiculous," student Jason Piatt told CNN. He said the first warning from the university of a shooting on campus came in an e-mail about two hours after the first deadly burst of gunfire. "While they're sending out that e-mail, 22 more people got killed," Piatt said. FBI spokesman Richard Kolko in Washington said there was no evidence to suggest it was a terrorist attack, "but all avenues will be explored." Government officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they did not want to pre-empt an announcement by higher-ranking authorities, put the death toll at 31. At least 26 people were being treated at three area hospitals for gunshot wounds and other injuries, authorities said. Their exact conditions were not disclosed, but at least one was sent to a trauma center and six were in surgery, authorities said. Up until Monday, the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history was in Killeen, Texas, in 1991, when George Hennard plowed his pickup truck into a Luby's Cafeteria and shot 23 people to death, then himself. The massacre Monday took place almost eight years to the day after the Columbine High bloodbath near Littleton, Colo. On April 20, 1999, two teenagers killed 12 fellow students and a teacher before taking their own lives. Previously, the deadliest campus shooting in U.S. history was a rampage that took place in 1966 at the University of Texas at Austin, where Charles Whitman climbed the clock tower and opened fire with a rifle from the 28th-floor observation deck. He killed 16 people before he was shot to death by police. Founded in 1872, Virginia Tech is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern Virginia, about 160 miles west of Richmond. With more than 25,000 full-time students, it has the state's largest full-time student population. The school is best known for its engineering school and its powerhouse Hokies football team. The rampage took place on a brisk spring day, with snow flurries swirling around the campus. The campus is centered around the Drill Field, a grassy field where military cadets _ who now represent a fraction of the student body _ once practiced. The dorm and the classroom building are on opposites sides of the Drill Field. A gasp could be heard at a campus news conference when Virginia Tech Police Chief W.R. Flinchum said at least 20 people had been killed. Previously, only one person was thought to have been killed. Investigators from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives began marking and recovering the large number of shell casings and will trace the weapon used, authorities said. A White House spokesman said President Bush was horrified by the rampage and offered his prayers to the victims and the people of Virginia. "The president believes that there is a right for people to bear arms, but that all laws must be followed," spokeswoman Dana Perino said After the shootings, all entrances to the campus were closed, and classes were canceled through Tuesday. The university set up a meeting place for families to reunite with their children. It also made counselors available and planned an assembly for Tuesday at the basketball arena. After the shooting began, students were told to stay inside away from the windows. Aimee Kanode, a freshman from Martinsville, said the shooting happened on the fourth floor of West Ambler Johnston dormitory, one floor above her room. Kanode's resident assistant knocked on her door about 8 a.m. to notify students to stay put. Police said there had been bomb threats on campus over the past two weeks by authorities but said they have not determined a link to the shootings. It was second time in less than a year that the campus was closed because of a shooting. Last August, the opening day of classes was canceled and the campus closed when an escaped jail inmate allegedly killed a hospital guard off campus and fled to the Tech area. A sheriff's deputy involved in the manhunt was killed on a trail just off campus. The accused gunman, William Morva, faces capital murder charges.
Reports continue to come in on the shootings at the Virginia Tech campus earlier today. The Associated Press has released an update bringing the death count to 30, not including the deceased gunman, which would bring the count to 31.
The two shooting events caused panic and confusion. The first shooting occurred at 7:15a.m. at the West Ambler Johnston coed dormitory. Witnesses say the shooting occurred on the 4th floor of the building. About two hours later a second shooting incident occurred at Norris Hall, an engineering building that, according to authorities, is about a half mile-away from the first attack.
Witnesses on campus reported students jumping out of the windows of a classroom building to escape gunfire. Reports say that Students and faculty members were carrying out wounded themselves without waiting for ambulances to arrive.
SWAT team members were dispached to the campus. The FBI has become involved with the investigation.
Students claim that the lockdown status of the campus was lifted between the shootings and then re-activated.
AP:
"What happened today this was ridiculous. And I don't know what happened or what was going through this guy's mind," student Jason Piatt told CNN. "But I'm pretty outraged and I'll say on the record I'm pretty outraged that someone died in a shooting in a dorm at 7 o'clock in the morning and the first e-mail about it - no mention of locking down campus, no mention of canceling classes - they just mention that they're investigating a shooting two hours later at 9:22."
He added: "That's pretty ridiculous and meanwhile, while they're sending out that e-mail, 22 more people got killed." As it stands, the latest death count makes this the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.
UPDATE: We have finally gained access to the report posted earlier today on the VT website, I'm attaching it below:
Shooting at Virginia Tech / Statement by President Charles W. Steger
By Larry Hincker
BLACKSBURG, Va., April 16, 2007
The university was struck today with a tragedy of monumental proportions. There were two shootings on campus. In each case, there were fatalities. The university is shocked and horrified that this would befall our campus. I want to extend my deepest, sincerest and most profound sympathies to the families of these victims which include students There are 22 confirmed deaths.
We currently are in the process of notifying families of victims. The Virginia Tech Police are being assisted by numerous other jurisdictions. Crime scenes are being investigated by the FBI, University Police, and State Police. We continue to work to identify the victims impacted by this tragedy. I cannot begin to covey my own personal sense of loss over this senselessness of such an incomprehensible and heinous act The university will immediately set up counseling centers. So far centers have been identified in Ambler Johnston and the Cook Counseling Center to work with our campus community and families.
Here are some of the facts we know:
At about 7:15 a.m. this morning a 911 call came to the University Police Department concerning an event in West Ambler Johnston Hall. There were multiple shooting victims. While in the process of investigating, about two hours later the university received reports of a shooting in Norris Hall. The police immediately responded. Victims have been transported to various hospitals in the immediate area in the region to receive emergency treatment.
We will proceed to contact the families of victims as identities are available.
All classes are cancelled and the university is closed for the remainder of today. The university will open Tuesday at 8 a.m. but classes are cancelled. The police are currently staging the release of people from campus buildings.
Families wishing to reunite with the students are suggested to meet at the Inn at Virginia Tech. We are making plans for a convocation tomorrow (Tuesday) at noon at Cassell Coliseum for the university community to come together to begin to deal with the tragedy.
Podcast:: Statement by President Steger (3.1 MB; Length 3:21)
-----------------
Counseling is available in the Bowman Room in the Merriman Center (part of the athletic complex) for employees who seek assistance following today's events.
Faculty and staff on the Burruss side of the Drillfield are being released and asked to go home effective immediately. Faculty and staff on the War Memorial side are asked to leave at 12:30 p.m.
-----------------
Virginia Tech has closed today Monday, April 16, 2007. On Tuesday, April 17, classes will be canceled. The university will remain open for administrative operations.
There will be an additional university statement presented today at noon.
All students, faculty, and staff are required to stay where they are until police execute a planned evacuation. A phased closing will be in effect today; further information will be forthcoming as soon as police secure the campus.
Tomorrow, there will be a university convocation/ceremony at noon at Cassell Coliseum. The Inn at Virginia Tech has been designated as the site for parents to gather and obtain information.
-----------------
In addition to an earlier shooting today in West Ambler Johnston, there has been a multiple shooting with multiple victims in Norris Hall.
Police and EMS are on the scene.
Police have one shooter in custody and as part of routine police procedure, they continue to search for a second shooter.
All people in university buildings are required to stay inside until further notice.
All entrances to campus are closed.
The count of 25 dead and at least 22 injured has been confirmed by ABC.
Reports have the FBI joining in the investigation.
"He was horrified and his immediate reaction was one of deep concern for the families of the victims, the victims themselves, the students, the professors and all of the people of Virginia who have dealt with this shocking incident," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said, concerning President Bush's reaction.
AP:
Aimee Kanode, a freshman from Martinsville, said the shooting happened on the 4th floor of West Ambler Johnston dormitory, one floor above her room. Kanode's resident assistant knocked on her door about 8 a.m. to notify students to stay put.
"They had us under lockdown," Kanode said. "They temporarily lifted the lockdown, the gunman shot again."
"We're all locked in our dorms surfing the Internet trying to figure out what's going on," Kanode said. Madison Van Duyne, a student who was interviewed by telephone on CNN, said, "We are all in lockdown. Most of the students are sitting on the floors away from the windows just trying to be as safe as possible."
Reports from CBS have updated the death count in the VT shooting from 22 to 25 as of 12PM Central Time. At the current count this makes the shooting the deadliest campus attack in U.S. History. VT's public announcement earlier today only confirmed 20.
A shooter is now reported as dead, but it is now unclear if the shooter took his own life or if he was killed by police attempting capture.
"The university is shocked and indeed horrified." said Virginia Tech president Charles Steger.
According to the AP report:
The university reported shootings at opposite sides of the 2,600-acre campus, beginning at about 7:15 a.m. at West Ambler Johnston, a co-ed residence hall that houses 895 people, and continuing about two hours later at Norris Hall, an engineering building. The Norris Hall shooter is the one who has been reported as deceased. He may or may not have been a student at VT. It now appears that there may have only been a single shooter. Steger has reported multiple fatalities. Victims, some of whom are students, have been moved to area hospitals for treatment. Broadside's sympathies and hopes are with the VT families. EDIT: According to FOX23 Classes were canceled at VT for Monday and Tuesday and counselors were going to be made available to the students. This has yet to be confirmed by any other source.
Online reports are still coming in as to the shooting earlier today on the Virginia Tech Blacksburg campus. A 12:40PM note on the VT website (which as of this posting remains highly unstable) stated that there were two shooting incidents on campus with a confirmed death count of 22 thus far. The Associated Press also states another 21 so far counted as injured.
Reports are unclear as to the number of shooters, some claim a single shooter, others say two. It has been stated that the police perused and shot dead a single shooter, there are claims that a second arrest has been made as well. Attacks were made both at dorms and in a classroom area. The police have stated that there was only a single shooter involved.
The VT website reported shootings at West Ambler Johnston, a residence hall that houses 895 people, and Norris Hall, an engineering building.
All classes have been canceled, faculty and staff have been released, students state that the campus is currently in 'lockdown.'
Reporters for the VT campus newspaper reported "mass chaos" and stated "lots of students running around, going crazy, and the police officers were trying to settle everyone down and keep everything under control,"
At least one of the two reported incidents involved a shooter who was reported as heavily armed and apparently want from room to room shooting.
Updates will be posted as more information is made available.
CBS11's Report
680News Report
MarketWatch Report
Post Chronicle Report
EDIT: New York Times Report
NOTE: As of last attempt VT's website is unstable due to an assumed high influx of visitors.
UPDATE: A recent attempt has gained us access to VT's website, the following statement was posted on the front page:
Two shootings on campus today have left 22 confirmed dead, including students.
Families wishing to reunite with students are suggested to meet at the Inn at Virginia Tech. The university is planning a convocation for tomorrow at noon at Cassell Coliseum for the university community to come together to begin to deal with the tragedy.
Counseling is available in the Bowman Room in the Merriman Center (part of the athletic complex) for employees who seek assistance following today’s events.
All faculty and staff have been released and asked to go home effective immediately.
The university will open tomorrow at 8 a.m. but classes are cancelled.
Don't be foolish, anyone who has been tracking the story with any real alacrity for the issue can see that Al-Mudallal's impeachment was a necessary action, the only travesty was that she won and, if you read the Broadside, you would see that it was not because of some innate rightness of her case but because our student senate is apparently too unintelligent and/or easily manipulated to vote her out, that and the system of impeachment was broken. Perhaps her 'crime' was not the worst of crimes, but you break the rules you should face the consequences. As it stands now, by not kicking out somebody who has clearly broken the laws of the body, the student government has cut itself off at the knees. By lacking the gumption to remove one of their own, the body of the student government has robbed itself of presidential oversight, moral high-ground and community respect, all at once.
Oh, Al-Mudallal's crime may not have been technically illegal according to Virginian State Law, and it may not have had negative effects on us, the student body, that are immediately apparent. However, she is a member of an organization with rules, and she broke those rules.
It's that simple.
When you break the rules, you should - no, you NEED - to face the consequences. Anyone with half a brain and the least bit of knowledge about the SG's constitution can see that she went against the very laws she was sworn, as a leader in our community, to follow. That she walks away scot-free makes a mockery of the Student Government. The same goes for the rest of those in her administration and her supporters who faced impeachment. The SG has (well… 'had' now) a moral and legalistic authority. Rules may not always be black and white, but in this case they are.
Let us face facts, Aseel Al-Mudallal is a self-interested, egotistical, stubborn and foolish girl who played fast and loose with the rules. She should have been removed from office by the SG. Their failure to do so is a perversion of the body. End Of Story.
I don't find it surprising that little has been said in the media regarding Kurt Vonnegut's recent death. We are living in a place and at a time diseased by a virus of anti-intellectualism. The problem is that the masses have yet to realize that they have contracted the virus. Hence, we will concern ourselves for a month with the death of a woman who became famous by way of her fake tits and playboy body - and yet only a few will recognize the death of a pivotal american who inspired lives by way of his words. In his latest collection of essays A Man Without a Country, he concluded the poem Requiem with the following: When the last living thing has died on account of us, how poetical it would be if Earth could say, in a voice floating up perhaps from the floor of the Grand Canyon, "It is done." People did not like it here. Vonnegut tried to kill himself years ago. He joked that he was angry at the tobacco companies because they were liars - on the packages of their cigarettes they had promised to kill him, and they had failed. Well, in the end he didn't kill himself and he didn't die of lung cancer - he fell and hit his head. And...So it goes.
Hello fellow bloggers and readers,
Yes - I am homeless. However, I do sleep in a bed in a room under a roof of a house. I travel a bit and most of my writing seems to take place when I am seeing new places and or new faces. I find the use of the phrase 'I am opinionated' pointless. I have yet to meet a human being who doesn't have opinions. So, I guess I am a human being that has some opinions. I sometimes like to respond to other people's thoughts and I like it when people respond to my thoughts - it makes me feel like someone is listening. We all want someone to listen, don't we?
Well, here's to our mutual therapy - blogging.
~homelessben
Today's Quote Of the Day is from the transcript of Lewis Black's interview with The Progressive.
Q: Giuliani?
Black: You got to be f*cking kidding me! He was my mayor and that was enough. Trust me. His arrogance as mayor was awful. "It’s me, it’s me, look at me." I’m sick of it.
Full Text
----------
And of course I can't miss out on the opportunity to list the most recent (hell… almost daily) Giuliani screw-ups:
AP: Republican candidate off the mark on cost of milk, bread. - Giuliani makes claims to his amazing fiscal abilities but is unable to figure out groceries. Then again, he just has to give his grocer an ambassadorship and then he won't have to worry about such minutia. Even better Rudy sympathizes with Imus, claims governing success, and talks about all he did against terrorism. Go Giuli! You can yell a speech really loud at them… that'll make those terrorists go away! Or, even better, we should get Kerik to round them up… or does being found guilty of multiple criminal charges prevent that sort of thing these days?
In the bonus points area, Phillip Rawls takes the opportunity to remind us of Bush Jr.'s fascination with supermarket scanners.
Political Wire: Trouble Ahead for Giuliani - "The bad press continues to roll in for Rudy Giuliani"
Nitpicker: Rudy sez: Checks? Balances? Whatever… - - Redirected from Nitpicker
Huffington Post: Dan Brown: Presidential Candidates on Education: The Republicans - Giuliani quotes position on education, hopes you don't think about it. The author uses a quote from the book The Shame of the Nation, an appellation that could easily be applied to Giuliani should he ever complete his grubby grab for power.
Huffington Post: Giuliani: Lay Off My Wife - Giuliani wants the press to stay away from (if he has his way) she who would be First Lady. Oddly the Edwards didn't have too much to be afraid of in the media. Could it be that *gasp* Giuliani might have something to be ashamed of?
CQ: Rudy on Abortion Take 1 | Rudy on Abortion Take 3 - Captain's Quarters watches Giuliani scramble in the media as he tries to clarify his stance on abortion… three times. (The 2nd one is below)
And for bonus points… watch Glenn Greenwald rip Giuliani a new one at salon.com.
Hello Broadside Online Readers!
Sorry, I couldn't come up with a cooler greeting for you guys but hey its all been done before. This section of the Broadside Online Blogs, well at least mine is going to be dedicated to stuff going on in Pop culture. I am really excited to be starting this blog and I hope your going to have an awesome time reading it as much fun as I am going to have writing it.. But before I go on telling you a little more about what to expect from me, a self-proclaimed "Pop Culture junkie," I would like to introduce myself first.
My name is Samantha D'Introno. Sam is what I usually go by. I have been working for the Broadside for about a year now and enjoying writing for all the different sections like news, opinion, and style. My position at the Broadside is Staff Reporter for the News Section. I am currently a Sophomore and a Government and International Politics major and a minor in Conflict Resolution and Analysis. I really wanted to be apart of the blogging on the Broadside's website because I just needed another thing to help me procrastinate like many typical college students. I wanted to do this as a Jon Stewart esque blog but I am not Jon Stewart and wouldn't be able to be as funny. I wanted to do something a bit refreshing for me besides doing something academic and that is where I came up with "Mindless Wanderings of Pop Culture." I also thought it would be a good idea since I am missing a lot in pop culture and I wanted to make an excuse to keep up with it.
I am going to write about television, movies, celeb dirt/gossip, and just what direction Hollywood is moving in. So enjoy what is in store! I know I am. Check back a lot for some more blogs and I am sorry for this boring one. I felt writing a little something would be helpful about myself and what I do before I start. I also didn't want to write my first blog on this whole Anna Nicole Court Case. Well, thats all for now!
Signing off, (I will maybe think of cooler catchphrase.)
Sam
Yesterday the House Judiciary Committee in charge of investigating the firing of US attorneys served Attorney General Alberto Gonzales with a subpoena. They are seeking documents to justify the actions he and his department have taken against eight United States federal attorneys.
About time! I have no doubt that there will be little found to support the firings. As this investigation has progressed it seems that the administration has dug itself a very deep hole.
On an amusing note, the Associated Press was apparently not too shocked themselves. They ran a single sentence on the event.
As a follow up on his article on Giuliani and his pro-Life/Choice tendencies, Ryan Sager of the New York Sun wrote a blog with a specific focus on Giuliani's comments on the Terri Schiavo case. While visiting Schiavo's county in Florida, Giuliani was (unsurprisingly) asked about his position on Terri Schiavo and the federal intervention. Giuliani's response (documented in full via an official transcript published in the blog) is a study in incoherence.
Read it for a good laugh while you try and figure out what the man's actual position is:
The Sun:More on Giuliani and Schiavo
The original article: Questions on Schiavo Bedevil Giuliani
According to my So You Want To Be a Bad-Ass Blogger book every good blogger should start off with the following, an amusing recreation of an old programming standard:
Hello World!
That out of the way, since I am one out of a number of bloggers contributing to this, the Broadside Online's blog, I figured I should introduce myself.
My name is Aram Zucker-Scharff, I'm a Jewish New Yorker liberal from a long line of Jewish New Yorker liberals. As such, you've probably made an assumption about me already that is wrong. I do not, nor shall I ever, support Hillary Clinton. Thanks for asking. I have strong opinions about a great many things (like any good blogger really) and I'm not afraid to speak out about them. I'm not that Politically Correct when I do my speaking out either, try not to take it to personally.
Oh and I hate - hate - Giuliani.
I'm perusing both a Bachelor of the Science in Information Technology and a Bachelor of the Arts in English. The way I found out about this job (to use the word loosely) is because I'm a copy editor for the paper version of Broadside (that means I'm the one who makes sure your periods are in order and your transitional paragraphs are in place). Though I promise to bring a measure of those skills here to my posts on the B-side Blog, I won't be nearly as stringent here as I would be on paper because, hey let us be serious now, this is a weblog. Anyway, now that you know what my primary interests are, I hope you'll be more understanding if I should go off on a tangent about technological convergence, or how blogs like this one (presumably written by crazy shmucks like myself) are destroying the English language.
All that said, make no mistake, my reports will be slanted, my opinions biased, my ideas filled with ulterior motives. I'm not a reporter, I'm a blogger (which means all of the previous will be filled with a healthy dose of sarcasm as well), if you've got a problem with it, I invite you to argue with me. Please! I enjoy a good argument, even in digital. Just be prepared with proof, because I guarantee you that I'll be able to back up my arguments.
There, I think my obligations towards introduction are complete. Chances are, much like the announcement of Mission Accomplished, this will be far too little to prepare you for what remains ahead.
Well then… prepare for a proper blogging!
|
|
Photos taken by Nicolas Tan
