'We Are One': C.U. Community Reflects on Va. Tech Tragedy
description: By Lisa Grossman Sun Staff Writer Apr 20 2007 Students, faculty, staff and members of the Ithaca community gathered in Sage Chapel yesterday afternoon to remember and reflect on the recent tragedy at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Despite the fact that the service was held at 12:30 p.m., when many students and faculty are in class, the chapel was packed to capacity, with people pressed against the walls and in doorways. The assembly fell silent as Prof. Annette Richards, music, opened the service with a melancholy and discordant organ solo. The mood remained hushed and somber as W. Kent Fuchs, the Joseph Silbert Dean of Engineering and father of Eric Fuchs, a junior at Virginia Tech, began the speaking portion of the service. Fuchs focused on the connections that Cornell shares with Virginia Tech as a major university, saying that Cornell and Virginia Tech are "part of the same family of students and faculty and staff." Words of hope.Words of hope."The tragedy is particularly difficult to comprehend because ... of the contrast to the love and care demonstrated by the students and faculty at that university. The tragedy is also an enormous contrast to the common mission that we have and that we share in: the joy of learning and study," he said. Fuchs spoke with emotion and even a little humor, saying that "from Eric, I've come to appreciate what it means to have a turkey for your mascot, and to call yourself a 'Hokie,' which my son does with enormous pride." President David J. Skorton echoed Fuchs' emphasis on family and unity, repeating, in tones that might be used to recite a poem, "We are one." "We are one — one community, one people, one planet. We are here today to affirm that oneness," he said. "We share the same sorrow and the same need for comfort and reassurance ... We will stay together, we will go forward together, we will never forget our loss. We are one." Provost Biddy Martin was in Virginia, her native state, visiting her mother…
creator: Sara Hood
publisher: Cornell Daily Sun
date: 2007-07-02
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: Jonny Lieberman <jdl46@cornell.edu>, <lieberman.jonny@gmail.com>
language: eng

'We are so sorry, we feel helpless and lost'
description: Killer's family Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington and Ed Pilkington in New York Saturday April 21, 2007 The Guardian The family of Cho Seung-hui, who shot 32 people dead before turning his gun on himself, made their first public comments yesterday about his actions, saying they had "made the world weep". In a statement put out by his sister, Sun-kyung Cho, through a lawyer in North Carolina, the family said they were living a nightmare, and apologised to his victims. "Our family is so very sorry for my brother's unspeakable actions. It is a terrible tragedy for all of us. We pray for their families and loved ones, who are experiencing so much excruciating grief. And we pray for those who were injured, and for those whose lives are changed forever." The statement, released to the Associated Press, came on the day Americans held a collective day of mourning for the victims, with church services and vigils from Capitol Hill to California. Yesterday's solemnities were centred on a moment of silence for the dead across Virginia at noon after the governor, Tim Kaine, declared a day of mourning. Forty other states also held vigils for the dead. "This has touched the globe," Mr Kaine told a memorial service. "The universality that we all suffer, we all grieve, has touched hearts around the world." The sombreness of the day was deepened by the knowledge that it was the anniversary of another school shooting - of 13 students and one teacher at Colorado's Columbine high school in 1999. The Cho family said that it had been "humbled by this darkness". The gunman's sister said: "We feel hopeless, helpless, and lost. This is someone that I grew up with and loved. Now I feel I didn't know this person." She said that, though her brother had been quiet and reserved, "we never could have envisioned he was capable of so much violence". The family, staying in an undisclosed location, said it would cooperate fully with the police investigation. During the day of mourning, church bells tol…
creator: Staff:Suzanne Goldenberg,Washington and Ed Pilkington
date: 2007-08-10
contributor: Adriana Seagle
rights: In consideration of the fee of GBP 0.00 ("the Fee") Guardian News & Media Limited ("GNM") grants the Licensee the right to: publish on its website for 10 years. Contact info: Eve Thompson; permissions.syndication@guardian.co.uk
language: eng

'You don't think this would happen'
description: 33 dead, at least 15 injured in worst rampage in U.S. history By: Kellie Bramlet and Megan Hupp Posted: 4/17/07 Loren Goble left Randolf Hall at Virginia Tech Monday morning and set out to her next class. But the senior at the Blacksburg, Va. school encountered chaos when she got to Norris Hall. "I saw someone jump out a window. I heard people screaming. I saw students running," she said. Goble turned and ran back to Randolf Hall, where she remained in lockdown for the next six hours. "I was supposed to be in the classroom that the shooting took place in. I usually even get there a little early," Goble said. "My professor was shot in the face. Four students were shot. One was shot three times." Though there is widespread speculation that one gunman had massacred 32 people, cutting down his victims in two attacks two hours apart before the university could grasp what was happening and warn students, the possibility of a second gunman has not yet been eliminated. The bloodbath ended with the gunman allegedly committing suicide, bringing the death toll to 33. Monday's events constituted the deadliest shooting rampage in modern U.S. history. Much earlier, Brad Shapiro, a junior, headed to breakfast. On his way he passed eight or nine police cars outside of West Ambler Johnston Hall, but he had no idea what had happened. Neither did freshman Charlotte Savercool when she left Ambler Johnston and walked to her 9 a.m. class. "I thought it was a normal day," she said. The day was anything but. On her way out of class, Savercool was met by the usual herd of students. Rather than worrying about the homework they hadn't done, these students were distressed about something else. They had heard rumors about the morning's events, but knew little information. Trying to avoid the chaos, Savercool returned to her classroom. Professors told the students to sit on the floor and stay away from the windows. They would remain there, in lockdown, for the next three hours. "We were pretty s…
creator: Kellie Bramlet and Megan Hupp
publisher: Marquette Tribune
date: 2007-09-03
contributor: Sara AA Hood
rights: "Sheaffer, Amanda" <amanda.sheaffer@marquette.edu>
language: eng

042107 Vigil/Picnic
description: This is a panoramic picture taken the day of the Community Vigil/Picnic on the Drill Field just after the vendors had setup and food was served. Chief Wendell Flinchum is in the foreground with his back turned and was met enthusiastically by the students and visitors.
creator: Jack Lester
date: 2007-05-12
contributor: Jack Lester
language: eng

1000 Cranes @ VT
description: About the bird: Cranes are large, long-legged and long-necked birds of the order Gruiformes, and family Gruidae. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances". (from Wikipedia) Cranes are known for their long life spans. Though the average life span cited in various sources to not necessarily agree (probably depends on the sub-species also), numbers tend to be in the 60 to 80 year range. This was much longer than the average life span of humans in ancient times. As a result, the crane, together with the turtle/tortoise, became symbols of longevity, and, consequently, of good fortune in China and the surrounding countries. East Asian Folklore states that cranes live for 1,000 years, and turtles/tortoises for 10,000 years (a bit of an exaggeration). About Origami: The word "Origami" is Japanese for "Folding Paper". It refers to the art, as well as the paper made specifically for the activity. The origin of Origami is not known, but it was most probably invented in China, as most things were, soon after the invention of paper. It propagated both east and west together with the technology of paper making: east toward Japan where it became known as Origami; west through the Islamic Empire all the way to Spain, where it is known today as "Papiroflexia" (Paper Folding) or "folding pajaritas." (The "pajarita" is a fold popular in Spain which represents a sparrow.) About the Tradition of Folding 1000 Cranes: In Japan, tradition states that if you fold 1000 origami cranes, it will bring you good health and good luck. When someone is suffering from a severe sickness or injury, spouses, parents, children and other family members and/or friends, and sometimes the patient him/herself, would fold 1000 cranes to wish for the person's recovery. It is unclear hold old this tradition is, but the term "Semba-Zuru" (1000 Cranes) dates back at least 200 years. About the 100…
creator: The 1000 Cranes @ VT Project
date: 2007-08-10
contributor: Brent Jesiek
language: eng

2 visitors at memorial
description: (April 18, 2007) Two men kneel in silence in front of the largest memorial site on campus, located on the drillfield directly in front of Burruss Hall and not far from Norris Hall. Photo courtesy of Brent Jesiek. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0
creator: Brent Jesiek
date: 2008-03-20
contributor: Kacey Beddoes
rights: Brent Jesiek (bjesiek@vt.edu)
language: eng

32
description: Flowers, pictures, letters remembering each of the 32 victims of the Virginia Tech Massacre. Original source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cameraslayer/470549711/ Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-NoDerivs 2.0
creator: Harold Neal
date: 2007-05-30
contributor: Chad Newswander
rights: Permission: Harold Neal http://www.flickr.com/photos/cameraslayer/470549711/ Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-NoDerivs 2.0
language: eng

32 Balloons
description: Prior to the 2007 Virginia Tech football season opener, 32 balloons are released as part of a ceremony commemorating the victims of the April 16 tragedy. -- Original Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cipherswarm/1484158996/ Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic.
creator: Christopher Bowns
date: 2007-10-25
contributor: Brent Jesiek
rights: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic
language: eng

32 Crosses
description: 32 orange and maroon crosses on display at N. Main St. entrance to Blacksburg Christian Fellowship. Photo taken Monday, April 30.
creator: Brent Jesiek
date: 2007-05-02
contributor: Brent Jesiek
language: eng

32 killed in Virginia Tech massacre
description: 200 miles away, Duke students hold vigil, admins offer support By: Anna Lieth Posted: 4/17/07 After violent shootings shook students and administrators on Virginia Tech's campus Monday, members of the Duke community gathered last night to mourn and come to terms with the tragic events of the day. Just 200 miles southeast of Virginia Tech's home in Blacksburg, Va., Duke students said the news sent a shock wave through the campus. For some, the shock was followed by fear for friends and loved ones in Virginia, but for others fear was displaced by disbelief and worry that a similar event could take place at the campus they call home. And for one group of students, the natural response to the news was to pray. About 30 students gathered on the steps of the Duke Chapel for an emotional vigil and prayer session for the victims of the shooting, their respective families and the gunman Monday night. "[The vigil is] not just to console people, but also to know that there is a community that is here to support people and that as a community we need to act together," said sophomore Ashley Dunfee, who attended the event. "We have a root that we act from and that ultimately should be the source of what we do and where we're going." President Richard Brodhead, in a statement released to The Chronicle, recognized the magnitude of the events at Virginia Tech and emphasized efforts the University is making to reach out to members of both the Virginia Tech and Duke communities who were affected by the tragedy. "This is the deadliest campus shooting in United States history and a profoundly sad day for everyone directly affected-and the nation as a whole," Brodhead said. "On behalf of the entire Duke community, I express my condolences to those who are grieving at Virginia Tech. They are enduring a time of unspeakable loss this evening." John Burness, senior vice president for government affairs and public relations, said Brodhead also reached out following news of the event to Charle…
creator: Anna Lieth
publisher: Duke Chronicle
date: 2007-06-24
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: David Graham <david.graham@duke.edu>
language: eng

32 Senseless Deaths: A Chance for Empathy, Change of Heart, and Change of Course
description: Published on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 by CommonDreams.org by Floyd Rudmin The tragedy at Virginia Tech tears at the heart of everyone. Thirty-two innocent students and teachers, in the normal activities of their lives, are suddenly shot dead. Each one of them has a mother, a father, friends, classmates, siblings, and others who held them dear. And all of these have had their hearts torn, or torn out. There is now emptiness and grief where once there was a person. Americans in their sharing of this sadness should consider how others in the world have similar feelings when facing similar loss and tragedy. These 32 senseless deaths are a chance for empathy with other communities who have also lost 32 loved persons to sudden death. A search of Google using the search expression: "Iraq AND ("32 killed" OR "32 died" OR "killing 32")" finds the following news headlines and news text (in brackets): 3 March 2004: Bremer: U.S. to bolster Iraq border security ("killing 32 people") 24 April 2004: At least 32 killed, nearly 60 injured in another day of violence in Iraq 1 June 2004: 3rd of detainees who died were assaulted ("32 died in Iraq over 12 months") 16 July 2004: 32 killed as attacks rock Iraq 17 September 2004: 32 killed as US Forces continued their relentless strikes in Baghdad 15 October 2004: At least 32 killed in Iraq violence 28 December 2004: 32 killed in attacks in Tikrit 23 June 2005: 32 killed in coordinated attacks 14 November 2005: On American attacks in Iraq ("American navy announced killing 32 gunmen") 9 December 2005: Suicide bomber on Iraqi bus kills 32 6 January 2006: Scores killed on Iraq's bloodiest day ("32 killed by a suicide bomber at a Shiite funeral") 2 March 2006: Iraqi parties want Jaafari out of Prime Minister race ("more violence struck Iraq, killing 32 people") 24 March 2006: 32 killed in attacks across Iraq 14 May 2006: 32 killed in violence 27 June 2006: Seven Sunni groups seek truce in Iraq ("32 killed in violence") 28 July 2006: IRAQ: 32 …
creator: Floyd Rudmin
date: 2007-06-05
contributor: Brent Jesiek
rights: Floyd Webster Rudmin (frudmin@psyk.uit.no)
language: eng

32 victims in the VT
description: As a form of relief to help with the pain of this tragedy this file was created to remember those who were lost.
creator: Patrick Hogeboom
date: 2007-04-26
contributor: Patrick Hogeboom
language: eng

32: In Honor of Virginia Tech
description: Did that really happen that April spring day? When 32 lives in an instant were swept away? That terrible day: 32 lives lost, ended too soon; The day Heaven was draped in orange and maroon. Blacksburg's winds that day roared loud and sweeping - That was the tortured sound of God Himself weeping. That tragedy turned all of humanity into pallbearers: A heartbreak so painful, strangers became mourners. A nightmare too horrific for words, just grief; All of us clinging to our precious belief That hope will shield us from our worst fears; But for that day, that time, there were only tears. That day we hugged a loved one a little tighter And sought the hope to make our souls stronger; We learned you will never be alone, whatever you do, As long as there are people who care about you. We grieved together, all united with one noble heart; Whatever we could do, we wanted to do our part. If I could share my soul, my strength with another, I would, we all would, if only because he is my brother. Whoever we were, wherever our loyalties lay, The individual ceased to matter that gruesome day. One phrase brought the world closer together solemnly: "Today we are all Hokies!" we proclaimed proudly. Tragedies may shape us but they cannot define us, As long as we care for each other in times of distress. Some wounds may heal; some scars may last forever - Thirty-two gone but not forgotten: We will always remember. May 7, 2007
creator: Mike Fox
date: 2007-05-11
contributor: Mike Fox
language: eng

4.16.07
description: 4.16.07 4. mourning doves wooed us at dusk. warm weather early this year, our pear trees and dogwoods had blossomed too soon. jonquils bristled in auspicious clusters. even the stateliest branches teased us with touches of color. such delicacy, surely gifted by nature's infinite desires, must likewise bear her surprises. for she is true only to self. in time, a bitter frost stunned nearly all the blooms, left some withered, others gray, a fitting tableau for the cruelest month: flowers slumped, blossoms in wait, and the living in mosaic with its dead. 16. the wind ripped us that day, blasted into the valley with a vengeance, other sound swept away. but not the shots. not the wail and crumble of our native stone Forever. above us, the speechless streaks of orange and sanguine maroon morphed into an unfamiliar haze. and the wind, prevailing, kept its long vigil, blew blossoms in tatters into a fierce spring snow, the glittering of tears untold.
creator: Juliet Crichton
date: 2007-04-30
contributor: Juliet Crichton
language: eng

4/16: A product of psychology or gun control?
description: By:Adam Rizzieri Posted: 4/20/07 It is no mystery that the tragedy of April 16 at Virginia Tech stands out as the deadliest student-perpetrated school shooting in the history of the United States. It goes without saying that an immediate sense of shock spread across the nation as we learned of the tragedy unfolding from networks like CNN and Fox News. Among the 32 innocent lives that perished on a day that will be forever engraved into the memory of our nation was a Holocaust survivor, a few well-established professors and several bright minds who had a beautiful future stolen from them. With this tragedy, the debates about gun control and explicit video games and music are likely to re-emerge, just as they did after the events at Columbine and other instances where schools have fallen victim to this societal plague. Are guns too easy to obtain, and do violent music and video games truly desensitize people to the point where it's easy to take a human life? These are questions that have emerged in the past; however, in this case I feel that they are not what need to be asked. The shooter at Virginia Tech, Cho Seung-Hiu, was a 23-year-old who had a history of violence and irrational behavior. Before his murderous rampage, it should be noted that he was involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital, was the subject of two police reports in 2005 for stalking, and was known among the Virginia Tech faculty as "intimidating." In fact, the chairman of the English Department, Dr. Lucinda Roy, took his dark poetry to campus police after his professor, Nikki Giovanni, expressed her intentions to quit if he wasn't removed from her class. Cho wasn't your typical student, and though I'm not a psychiatrist, I think it's safe to say that he didn't kill his peers because of music from Marilyn Manson or "shoot 'em up" video games. This kid was a product of psychology and his interpretation of personal grievances. It is very likely, and almost obvious, that he suffered from some t…
creator: Adam Rizzieri
date: 2007-08-24
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: "Norris, Mark William" <mnorris@mail.smu.edu>
language: eng

46% of students feel unsafe, audit finds - Administrators rethink security measures in dorms
description: Issue date: 4/18/07 Section: News By Justin Hedani Ka Leo News Editor After what is being called the deadliest shooting in American history, the Virginia Tech shooting has many students questioning their safety - especially at the dorms. "Personally, I don't think there's enough security [at the dorms and] there's a lot of students [to oversee]," said Andrea W., a student at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. The first report of killings was at West Ambler Johnston Hall, on Virginia Tech's campus, where a man and a woman were found dead in their dorm rooms. "I don't know, it kind of widens your scope," said Leigh Hokawa, a student residing at Gateway House, "[but] it doesn't affect me directly or scare me." According to the management audit conducted by State Auditor Marion Higa and the Office of the Auditor, "Forty-six percent of the students disagree with this statement: 'I feel safe on campus.'" While in the lower housing district, 43 percent of Noelani residents felt that they were "dissatisfied" with security and the safety of their belongings. "I don't think it's the fault about security," said Elias Allen, a Gateway suite resident. "I always lock my door; I'm not really worried." Allen also said if he saw someone suspicious, he would confront them and ask then what they were doing. Student services are working on ways to improve the safety and security for residents on campus. "We are putting electronic card access on all the doors in [Hale] Aloha, Wainani, Noelani and front doors only of remaining halls," said Laurie Furutani, interim housing director. Currently, security and housing staff are coordinating their efforts and security is providing training for resident staff members to make safety a priority. Neal Sakamoto, chief of security at UHM said that new screen windows will be put into all first floor dormitories so that it will be harder for burglars to get into rooms. "We've been working with the housing staff to improve doors and windows," Sakamoto…
creator: Justin Hedani
date: 2008-03-12
contributor: Kacey Beddoes
rights: Kumari Sherreitt <editor@kaleo.org>
language: eng

A brutal mind
description: 11.15am Media reports portray Cho Seung-hui as a troubled boy with a murderous imagination Michelle Pauli Wednesday April 18, 2007 Guardian Unlimited Just one face stares out of the front pages of the papers today. With the naming of the perpetrator of the Virginia Technical College massacre, all attention is focused on Cho Seung-hui, the South Korean loner who shot dead 32 of his fellow students and professors. The Telegraph and the Mirror both use the killer's own words as their headline: "You made me do this." The line comes from the note left behind by Cho, which also rails against "rich kids", "debauchery" and "deceitful charlatans". The picture that is emerging of Cho is of a troubled loner with a history of mental health problems. Roommates at the dormitory where he lived called him "weird", while fellow students in his creative writing class describe being frightened by his "morbid and grotesque" plays. The Washington Post has an interview with the head of the English department, Lucinda Roy, who had taught Cho in one-to-one sessions after a colleague had been disturbed by his work. According to the Post, Roy said she warned school officials. "'I was determined that people were going to take notice. I felt I'd said to so many people, 'Please, will you look at this young man?' " The question of whether Cho could have been stopped - if not before the first two killings then in the period before the further shootings - continues to be examined. The Guardian says that "angry" students want to know why the campus was not locked down and classes cancelled and why it took more than two hours for them to be sent a warning email. Details from those two and a half hours "remain sketchy" says the paper but it is believed that the police thought that the first two shootings were a domestic murder committed by someone who had then left the campus, leaving them surprised when the second shootings occurred. "The university has blood on their hands," says one student, Billy…
creator: Michelle Pauli
publisher: Guardian Unlimited
date: 2007-08-12
contributor: Adriana Seagle
rights: In consideration of the fee of GBP 0.00 ("the Fee") Guardian News & Media Limited ("GNM") grants the Licensee the right to: publish on its website for 10 years. Contact info: Eve Thompson;permissions.syndication@guardian.co.uk
language: eng

A call for community
description: By Anonymous The shooting at Virginia Tech serves as a tragic reminder of the importance of a strong campus community, one in which people know and look out for each other. In the wake of this event, it is important that we make sure that all students feel comfortable in our campus community. This opportunity should be seized to reflect on how to foster a greater sense of community, especially in upperclass dorms. There seems to be a presumption that, once out of their residential colleges, upperclassmen are sufficiently acclimatized to college life. While colleges provide students with RCAs who organize study breaks and generally foster a sense of commnity within dorms, upperclassmen are left to their own devices. Though eating clubs provide some measure of support for upperclassmen, nothing exists to promote socialization in upperclass dorms or among the many students who do not choose to join clubs or remain in the residential colleges. Independent work, which puts increased pressure on upperclassmen and often requires them to spend significant time alone, means that community feeling outside of eating clubs often suffers. Some students go through an entire year without meeting all their neighbors. Though social dynamics among students is, in the end, the result of our own behavior, there is room for the administration to provide a helping hand. While the University provides mental health services for those in need, having intermediaries step, similar to RCAs, would greatly stimulate social interactions in upperclass dorms and encourage students with psychological issues not to isolate themselves. This could easily be achieved by expanding the mission — and budget — of dormitory assistants, whose current responsibilities are focused on questions of maintenance and living conditions. These measures are not intended to prevent tragic instances such as those at Virginia Tech. They would, however, encourage interaction in upperclass dorms and foster a greater sen…
creator: Anonoymous
publisher: Daily Princetonian
date: 2007-06-22
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: Kavita Saini <ksaini@Princeton.EDU>
language: eng

A Call For Remembrance and Prayer
description: Photo taken at Blacksburg Baptist Church 9.18.2007 Photo by Min Jae Lee
creator: Min Jae Lee
contributor: G. T. Kim
language: eng

A Child's Support
description: This letter was part of one of the 32 memorials. The tragedy affected people of all ages.
creator: Kathryn Kuhn
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Kathryn Kuhn
language: eng