‘Era un buen amigo y un ser excepcional’
description: Primo de Ramón Ortiz, víctima en virginia tech, lo recuerda como un joven ejemplar Publicado por Maribel Hastings Corresponsal La Opinión 04-19-2007 Washington, D.C.— Juan Ramón Ortiz Ortiz era un joven ingeniero de 26 años, amante de su familia, de la música, de su carrera. "Ramón era un chico prometedor y un ser humano excepcional que por causas de la vida se le privó de ciertamente ser un ciudadano modelo y ejemplar". Así se expresó Óscar Marrero, primo de Ramón, como le llamaba, un puertorriqueño que el lunes fue una de las víctimas mortales de la matanza de la Universidad virginia tech, a la que asistía junto con su esposa Liselle Vega. Casados hace apenas año y medio, el joven matrimonio —ambos ingenieros— se trasladó en agosto de 2006 a virginia tech a cursar sus maestrías. Como todos los días, la pareja se despidió y cada uno se dirigió a sus respectivas clases, cuando se divulgó la noticia del tiroteo. Liselle llamó al teléfono celular de Juan Ramón y le envió correos electrónicos. Al no tener respuesta temió lo peor. Así fue. Marrero conversó con La Opinión vía telefónica desde Puerto Rico. Los padres de Juan Ramón viven en Bayamón. El primo de Juan Ramón, con voz pausada y temblorosa por el dolor de la muerte de su familiar, dijo: "Juan era un muchacho completamente sano, sin ningún tipo de vicios, un muchacho extraordinario y muy aventajado en el área académica, que era un buen amigo, un buen hijo". Y añadió: "Es una pérdida muy grande que todavía no acabamos de entender, y si no la acabamos de entender no la hemos podido asimilar... Y si no la hemos podido asimilar, pues tampoco nos hemos podido reponer". "La familia está devastada. Ha sido un golpe contra la valla. Una situación muy lamentable que no esperábamos", agregó. Juan Ramón estudió ingeniería en la Universidad Politécnica de Puerto Rico. Siempre fue un alumno y un profesional sobresaliente lleno de aspiraciones, afirmó su primo. "No era…
creator: Maribel Hastings
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Elva Orozco
rights: Jorge Mederos Executive Editor La Raza Chicago Inc. jorge.mederos@laraza.com August 13, 2007
language: spa

School security proposal shoves aside prevention
description: By:Anonymous Posted: 4/27/07 Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones urged April 19 that the Ohio state legislature and Governor Ted Strickland consider drafting a new law that would require armed guards in all of Ohio's schools, colleges and universities. In the wake of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute shootings, during which a crazed student killed 32 students and faculty, debate within the Ohio General Assembly has focused heavily on how future tragedies of this sort can be prevented. Nonetheless, the extraordinary cost of this program and its doubtful effectiveness makes it a proposal that the legislature should overlook in favor of more proactive approaches that would act to prevent another school shooting. The high cost of putting an armed guard in every Ohio school raises some serious questions regarding the state's ability to fund this program. Such a program appears to be a colossal waste of expenditures, especially given the fact that the state's budget is already in the red. Given the rarity of such attacks, it is neither prudent nor feasible to devote such a large amount of state resources to a program such as this and more cost effective measures can be implemented instead. Additionally, the presence of an armed guard is unlikely to dissuade a deranged and suicidal student from carrying out a planned attack. It is naive to think that a security guard is a deterrent strategy, or that he or she would be able to intervene in time to stop a determined shooter. Furthermore, Jones' suggestion that teachers and faculty members could be trained and equipped with firearms is a frightening proposition. The answer to school violence does not rest in turning Ohio's public schools into armed camps, thus creating a culture of anxiety. Placing armed contingents within Ohio's schools sends the wrong message that guns are the way to prevent violence. Indeed, Virginia Tech has one of the best campus police forces in the country. Rather, focus must be shifted toward a proac…
creator: Anonymous
publisher: The Miami Student
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: "Skotzko, Stacey Nicole" <skotzksn@muohio.edu>
language: eng

Luto en el país por matanza en Virginia
description: Identifican al agresor como un estudiante de Corea del Sur. Publicado por Diario la Raza 04-18-2007 Washington, D.C. — La policía de EE.UU. identificó como el autor de la matanza en la universidad virginia tech al estudiante surcoreano Cho Seung Hui, de 23 años, un joven descrito como "solitario" y cuyos escritos habían suscitado preocupación entre sus profesores. Hasta el momento se desconocen los motivos que llevaron a Cho, quien vivía en EU desde los 8 años y estudiaba filología inglesa, a matar a 32 personas, entre profesores y estudiantes —al menos dos latinoamericanos— y suicidarse. Una de sus profesoras recordaba ayer a la prensa el tono perturbador de algunos de sus ejercicios literarios, hasta el punto de que sus instructores le aconsejaron recibir ayuda psicológica. Según el diario Chicago Tribune, el asesino dejó una nota en su habitación en la que clamaba contra los "niños ricos", "la decadencia" y los "embusteros charlatanes" en el campus y asegura: "Me obligaste a hacerlo". Al parecer, según la cadena CNN, Cho compró una pistola Glock el mes pasado en una tienda de Roanoke, una ciudad vecina, y pagó por ella 571 dólares con un cheque. La matanza se produjo en dos fases: en un primer tiroteo murieron dos personas, un hombre y una mujer, en una residencia de estudiantes; y el segundo, en el que murió el resto, tuvo lugar dos horas más tarde, en las aulas de la Facultad de Ingeniería. Las autoridades han confirmado que las armas empleadas en la matanza fueron al menos dos pistolas y que una de ellas se usó en los dos tiroteos. "La evidencia no nos ha conducido a decir categóricamente que el mismo autor estuvo implicado en los dos tiroteos", pero "es ciertamente razonable suponer que Cho fue el autor en los dos incidentes", indicó el superintendente de la Policía de Virginia, Steven Flaherty. Entre los fallecidos se encuentran profesores y estudiantes. La lista completa no se ha dado a conocer pero sí han salido a la luz los …
creator: La Raza Newspaper
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Elva Orozco
rights: Jorge Mederos Executive Editor La Raza Chicago Inc. jorge.mederos@laraza.com August 13, 2007
language: spa

Iraq victims must not be forgotten
description: By: John Tuzcu Posted: 4/24/07 In the week leading up to the Virginia Tech massacre where 32 people were senselessly killed, there also happened to be Iraqi people being massacred in the bloodbath of Iraq. Five hundred Iraqi men women and children that had nothing to do with the war were found dead in what is a "usual" seven days in the Iraq. These two narratives that both deeply implicate Americans leads us to ponder whose lives we choose to remember and of whose we are completely ignorant. Monday, April 9, 45 innocent Iraqis were killed, many of them found tortured and decapitated. Tuesday, 85 were found dead, half from U.S. attacks. Wednesday a teacher was found shot in the head, a mother and a son were killed on the way to school and a pile of unidentifiable bodies were discovered to make 42 in all. Thursday killed 50, including an explosion inside the "heavily-fortified" Green Zone. Friday, April 13, civilians were killed walking to mosque and a kid was blown up ... 70 more people, people just like you and me. Saturday brought 110 civilian deaths, 16 being blown up by a car bomb. Finally, Sunday, April 15, 100 civilians were murdered in and around Baghdad. This one week of tragedy in Iraq is sadly not an exception. There have been 600,000 civilian deaths since 2003, and 3,323 U.S. deaths (and counting). Despite this, when was the last time we saw a picture of an Iraqi kid on television or read their story in the newspaper? When was the last time we were forced to remember that Iraqis too have rich and important lives or were forced to come face to face with the carnage taking place at the hands of the U.S. occupation? Can you imagine invaders coming into the United States and precipitating massacres that kill 500 Americans a week? This bloody occupation has passed into its fifth year and it's getting increasingly bloodier. Almost half of all the civilian deaths have occurred in the last year of the war, as mortar attacks have quadrupled and bombs killing more t…
creator: John Tuzcu
publisher: The Miami Student
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: "Skotzko, Stacey Nicole" <skotzksn@muohio.edu>
language: eng

Miami reacts to Virginia Tech tragedy
description: Students hold candlelight vigil, show support for Blacksburg By: Megan Weiland Posted: 4/20/07 Following closely on the heels of sophomore Beth Spiedel's death and the two-year anniversary of a tragic off-campus house fire, Miami University's community is now confronted with what has been termed by Virginia Polytechnic Institute students as a "college Columbine." "We are all feeling enormous sadness and grief at the thought of what happened in Virginia," said Miami University President David Hodge. "It's overwhelming to know that 33 people died (Monday) and I think it causes fear for us as we live in this modern era, where it is hard to understand what would possess a person to do something like this. It's a feeling of vulnerability." Friday, April 20, college campuses across the country will be joining together for an "Orange and Maroon Effect" Day, when all Americans are encouraged to wear Virginia Tech's colors to show support. "This tradition began in 2002 to encourage the wearing of school colors to sporting events," said Kristen Lucia, a graduate student at Miami who received her bachelor's degree from Virginia Tech in 2004. "We had two games a year, one where you had to wear orange, and the other maroon." Lucia added that the shirts were sold for only $5, and the first year caused a national shortage in orange T-shirts because of the popularity. It became a tradition at the school as well as across the nation to show "Hokie pride." "I think we have two choices," she said. "We can dress in black, mourn, and sink into the shadows. Or we can dress in bright orange and stand together. The actions of one person will not affect our unity." Lucia said that many people from Virginia Tech are worried about how Monday's event will change the way others view their school. "Everyone's fear right now is that people will think VA Tech is unsafe, but there was nothing anyone could have done to prevent this," Lucia said. "The first thing on our lips was, I want to be in Blac…
creator: Megan Weiland
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: "Skotzko, Stacey Nicole" <skotzksn@muohio.edu>
language: eng

Comunidad coreana teme tras matanza en Virginia
description: Pide no centrarse en el origen del agresor, sino en el problema de las armas en el país. Publicado por Maribel Hastings Corresponsal La Opinión 04-18-2007 Washington, D.C.— A partir de la revelación de que el supuesto responsable de la matanza en la universidad virginia tech es un residente legal originario de Corea del Sur, se ha generado cierta preocupación entre las comunidades coreana y asiática en general de Estados Unidos y entre los grupos que las representan por temor a repercusiones negativas hacia este sector de la población. Personas entrevistadas coincidieron en que la raza, el origen nacional o la situación migratoria de Cho Seung Hui, de 23 años, no debería opacar la raíz del problema, ya sea la situación mental que lo llevó a cometer tal acto o la facilidad con que obtuvo armas de fuego. Cho llegó a Estados Unidos en 1992 procedente de Corea del Sur. Era residente permanente y se reportó que renovó su documento migratorio por última vez en octubre de 2003. De momento, líderes de las comunidades coreana y asiática indicaron a La Opinión que han recibido reportes sin confirmar de incidentes aislados. "Estamos preocupados. Desafortunadamente hemos recibido reportes de algunos incidentes, pero nada ha sido confirmado", dijo a este diario Aimee Baldillo, directora de programas del Centro de Justicia Asiático Americano con sede en Washington, D.C. Agregó: "Nuestra preocupación inicial es estar presentes para la comunidad de virginia tech", como lo han estado, aseguró, en oportunidades previas para atender asuntos de otras comunidades. Por su parte, Eun Sook Lee, directora ejecutiva del Consorcio para la Educación al Servicio de la Nación Coreana (NAKASEC), con sede en Los Ãngeles, indicó a La Opinión que no han recibido reportes específicos de incidentes en contra de coreanos, pero que ha sido tema de discusiones entre las diversas organizaciones y se ha discutido en programas de radio. Añadió que, sin embargo, la raza, el or…
creator: Maribel Hastings
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Elva Orozco
rights: Jorge Mederos Executive Editor La Raza Chicago Inc. jorge.mederos@laraza.com August 13, 2007
language: spa

Media's response to VT tragedy warrants criticism
description: By: Posted: 4/20/07 In the time between the two horrific shootings that took place at Virgina Polytechnic Institute April 16, the killer, Cho Seung-Hui managed to mail disturbing video clips and pictures of himself to NBC News in New York. While NBC News did contact the FBI about the materials, they unveiled the disturbing images to the American people on the nightly news Wednesday. This insensitive move is representative of the mainstream media's disappointing coverage of the tragedy, and The Miami Student editorial board finds the glorification of this mass murderer appalling and offensive. NBC News is effectively giving Cho Seung-Hui exactly what he wanted - a pulpit from which he can speak his insanities. Cho's chilling and senseless photographs only adds to the pain of the victims' friends and families and are not worth playing over and over again. In another sign of sensationalist coverage, other networks, such as CNN, aired a running gunshot tally based off of a cell phone audio clip captured by a Virginia Tech student, almost oblivious to the fact that with each shot another innocent person was being murdered. This theatrical media coverage suggests that the lessons from Columbine have not been taken to heart. In the aftermath of the 1999 Columbine shooting, the media covered the event with a similar circus-like attitude. Contemporary 24-hour coverage has led to poor journalism that thrives on ratings, melodrama and editorialized field reports, all of which takes away from the actual event. Rather than these sad examples of media irresponsibility, The Miami Student editorial board feels the American public deserve staid reporting. Moreover, rather than glorifying Seung-Hui's acts, the press should focus more on the victims of his acts. For example, Liviu Librescu, a 76-year-old engineering professor and Holocaust survivor, saved his students by blocking his classroom's door with his body, sacrificing his life in the process. Stories such as this represent a …
creator: Anonymous
publisher: The Miami Student
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: "Skotzko, Stacey Nicole" <skotzksn@muohio.edu>
language: eng

MUPD, OPD evaluate emergency response plans
description: By: Caroline Briggs Posted: 4/20/07 In the wake of the shooting at Virginia Polytechnic Institute Monday, Miami University's police and administration, along with Oxford Police, are checking Oxford's own ability to respond to such an emergency. Miami President David Hodge sent an e-mail to Miami students, staff and faculty Tuesday stating that Miami's police force is highly trained and able to deal with a live shooter situation. Hodge's e-mail also outlined specific guidelines for students in a lockdown situation. According to Miami University Police Department (MUPD) Chief John McCandless, changes have not been made to the current lockdown policy; however, he and his fellow officers have been preparing for such a situation on Miami's campus for quite some time. "We've been training for an active shooter for a couple of years," McCandless said. "We can tweak the police based on what worked and what didn't (for Virginia Tech police). There is a lot of misinformation streaming to the media for the first 24 to 48 hours in a situation like that. We will learn from the more solid information that the media reports in the following four or five days." Though MUPD only has 29 full-time police officers, McCandless said he is not concerned about quantitative manpower in an emergency. He said the Oxford Police Department (OPD) has 25 full-time officers and the Oxford Township Police has 10 full and part-time officers. McCandless said these departments would fully support Miami police if necessary. "We have a wonderful professional relationship with the local police agencies," McCandless said. "(This will) add up to be a substantial police contingency in the case of an emergency." According to both McCandless and OPD's Chief Steve Schwein, the first force to respond to the most critical police situation; similar to the one in Blacksburg, Va.; would be Oxford's Special Response Team (SRT) Team, comprised of seven OPD officers, one Oxford Township officers and five MUPD officers…
creator: Caroline Briggs
publisher: The Miami Student
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: "Skotzko, Stacey Nicole" <skotzksn@muohio.edu>
language: eng

Ribbons of remembrance
description: People tied maroon and orange ribbons on trees to express grief and remembrance a week after April 16.
creator: Na Mi
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Na Mi
language: eng

Mourning of Va. Tech loss not over
description: By: Elizabeth Miller Posted: 4/20/07 I am rarely at a loss for words. But now, as I approach this column after a week of tragedy - both at Miami University and nationwide - I can hardly form a rational thought. Somehow a 500-word column needs to be written on a topic that I cannot find one suitable word for. I don't need to recall the events of Saturday night at Miami, or Monday afternoon at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Nothing that I say can express the individual grief, confusion and frustration that we feel. Like you, I've been watching the news and discussing it in class. Sometimes the facts are accurate. Sometimes they're just pieces of rumor that patch together some semblance of truth. I guess when you're desperate for answers, almost anything helps. But as I'm flipping through the channels of repeated footage, I'm shocked to hear how quickly the actual disaster has been swept aside. The news is flooded with debate about Virginia gun sales and the failure of campus crisis communication. Somehow CNN and ABC find it appropriate to spark these debates right now. Gun control. University communication policy. The horror of this tragedy cannot be simplified into a policy debate. Not yet, anyways. This is about people. People were murdered, first and foremost. The aftermath should be filled with reverence and condolences for the victims. The focus should be for the families left behind, the campus that will be shaken forever and the lives that were taken. We have to let ourselves grieve. We have to take time to hurt, to sympathize, to feel, to pray. This isn't a time to blame. Yes, there will be a time to discuss methods of prevention. That time is not now. It is simply disrespectful to ignite any heated policy debate that supersedes the mourning for the lost lives. Of course, it's natural to seek blame and explanation when such an event happens. So, yes, we can point fingers. We can assume things about the school, the policies, the killer, the situation at-large.…
creator: Elizabeth Miller
publisher: The Miami Student
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: "Skotzko, Stacey Nicole" <skotzksn@muohio.edu>
language: eng

Flowers around Hokie stone memorial site
description: After the shooting,people volunteered to come to campus and placed flowers and gifts around the Hokie stone memorial site to remember the victims.
creator: Jinfeng Jiao
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Na Mi
language: eng

Sports can help ease pain at VT
description: By: Matt Sohn Posted: 4/20/07 Nobody's quite sure what to expect when the Miami University football players don the Red and White for Friday's annual spring scrimmage. On the one hand, injuries have continued to decimate a team still smarting from its 2-10 campaign of 2006, but on the other hand, the RedHawks return the core of the fastest team in the MAC. The question of whether they're reeling or ready will soon be answered. No such questions exist for the football team of Virginia Tech. Led by one of the nation's elite defenses, the Hokies stand as the overwhelming favorite to win the ACC next season. Thousands of fans were expected to pack Lane Stadium for Saturday's spring game in anticipation of a banner season in Blacksburg, Va. But, because of a cascade of bullets that ripped through the heart of the Hokie nation, no such game will be played. Shouts of "Hokie Hokie Hokie High!" have been replaced by the tearful hysteria of a campus coming to grips with the fact that their lives will never be the same. When looking back at my college career, the one constant I could always count on was change. Midway through my first year, I was assigned a new roommate. I've switched my major. I've fallen in love and have had my heart broken. I've been praised for my writing and have received hate mail. Nowhere has the concept of change been more pervasive than in the world of sports. As a wide-eyed first-year in 2002, I was among the tens of thousands in the Yager Stadium bleachers as Miami was just a few minutes shy of toppling an Iowa team that would go undefeated in Big Ten play. Two years ago, I was one of just a couple hundred to witness Bowling Green pound the RedHawks in a 42-14 romp in tornado-like conditions. I've seen the North Dakota hockey team shut Miami out in the opening game of 2005, only to watch Miami climb to No. 1 in the polls later that season. There was the nostalgic farewell to Goggin, the groundbreaking of the Steve Cady Arena and hard times on the ha…
creator: Matt Sohn
publisher: The Miami Student
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: "Skotzko, Stacey Nicole" <skotzksn@muohio.edu>
language: eng

Memorial site for Daniel Perez Cueva
description: A memorial site for one of the victims whose name is Daniel Perez Cueva,around the Hokie stone on the drillfield.
creator: Na Mi
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Na Mi
language: eng

Letters to the editor - April 20, 2007
description: By:Paul Morrow Posted: 4/20/07 As details regarding Monday's tragic shooting at Virginia Polytechnic Institute continue to emerge, and in particular, information concerning the of the shooter, Cho Seung-Hui, I want to urge all Miami students to show solidarity for Miami's small, but burgeoning, community of international students. Since September 11, student visas for study at U.S. universities have become much more difficult to acquire. The worst possible policy outcome of Monday's tragedy would be to increase to these restrictions. Foreign students enrich the academic and social climates of American universities, especially universities like Miami, where they help diversify our largely homogenous student body. Miami administrators are currently working to increase Miami's population of international students; this is an important process, and should not be halted or impeded because of the actions of a single individual who, it appears, committed his crime out of motives of romantic jealousy that, though disturbing, are all too universal, and hardly restricted to "foreigners" or "resident aliens" (terms incorporated much too glibly into the media's coverage of the massacre). As a resident of Wells Hall, I am privileged to be acquainted with a number of Miami's international students and I want them to know that the university community will continue to support and appreciate their presence even as we grieve over Virginia Tech's losses. Paul morrow morrowpc@muohio.edu -- Hatred toward shooter serves little purpose As the tragedy that occurred Monday at Virginia Polytechnic Institute weighs on our minds, I have been bothered by a widespread sentiment permeating the public mind-set. In the wake of this horrific shooting, there seems to be quite a bit of hatred generated toward the shooter. Having experienced the untimely deaths of two friends my own age over the past few years myself, I understand and can directly relate to the emotional roller coaster that comes with…
creator: scott guye, Julio santana, Paul morrow
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: "Skotzko, Stacey Nicole" <skotzksn@muohio.edu>
language: eng

The Burrus Hall
description: A banner from Anderson University, on display in front of Burruss Hall, reads "We are all Hokies today as we share in your grief, may God grant you strength for the dark days ahead, solace for your pain and suffering, and courage for a brighter tomorrow."
creator: Jinfeng Jiao
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Na Mi
language: eng

Letters to the editor - April 17, 2007
description: VT tragedy requires look at gun control For too long this country has refused to take a realistic approach to gun control legislation, often pointing to the debatable phrasing of the Second Amendment. This negligence has led to the horrifying events that unfolded at Virginia Tech Monday, capping a disturbing trend that the American public has largely chosen to ignore. Demonstrating this, an article covering the shootings in the London Times contained a "Timeline in U.S. School Shootings," something that would be impossible for an American paper commenting on a similar story in Europe to include. Although the timeline detailed only the last 10 years, it contained 15 massacres at the cost of 72 lives and many more injuries. Lawmakers have to date been content to be bullied by the gun lobby into an inculpable submission, but they remain blameless no longer. If Columbine and Enoch Brown weren't enough to catalyze change, then Virginia Tech must, for the sake of schoolchildren across the country. Daniel Witt wittdd@muohio.edu -- Original Source: The Miami Students - April 17, 2007
creator: Daniel Witt
publisher: The Miami Student
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: "Skotzko, Stacey Nicole" <skotzksn@muohio.edu>
language: eng

Sympathy resounds in wake of VT tragedy
description: By:Editorial Board Posted: 4/17/07 On Monday April 16, 32 Virginia Tech students were killed in a tragic shooting incident. The Miami Student editorial board is shocked and deeply saddened by this abhorrent act, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and family members of those affected. While law enforcement and rescue personnel responded quickly to the scene, the random, senseless nature of this act can leave students with a sense of helplessness. Nonetheless, while it is virtually impossible to prevent all random acts of violence, universities must continue to work with local police departments in order to ensure that contingency plans are in place and that there are effective lines of communication between the administration and students during times of emergency. Universities face a difficult challenge between maintaining safety and fostering a relaxed and open academic environment for students. This tension between security and freedom will likely be reevaluated in the months ahead as schools consider ways they can prevent catastrophes like this from happening in the future. It is important that Miami University's campus remains one that feels open, even as any potential security updates are made. Based upon preliminary reports, there have been criticisms, warranted or not, leveled at the Virginia Tech administration for failing to adequately communicate with students as events were unfolding. On a campus the size of Miami's, such communication is a difficult task, but a rapid e-mail response and the use of a special warning siren or PA system might be feasible options for signaling a campus-wide lockdown. Even so, while contingency plans can and should be implemented, no amount of preparedness can avert all disasters. Local law enforcement must be familiar with their operating procedures and able to coordinate their efforts with surrounding forces. Moreover, they must be adequately equipped to stabilize a situation until larger, more specialized l…
creator: Editorial Boards
publisher: The Miami Student
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: "Skotzko, Stacey Nicole" <skotzksn@muohio.edu>
language: eng

Two tribute posters for Virginia Tech
description: Several of the posters were placed around the Squire Student Center for people to write messages to the VT community.
creator: Na Mi
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Na Mi
language: eng

Summit reviews campus safety
description: By: Benjamin Lammers Posted: 8/7/07 More than 350 representatives from Ohio's universities met at Ohio State's Fawcett Center last week to discuss school safety and the state of security and disaster response. Following the shootings at Virginia Tech last spring, Gov. Ted Strickland created a task force to look at the disaster preparedness of Ohio's universities. The task force, composed of representatives from Ohio's schools, has been meeting regularly to review campus safety and advise the governor on campus security. The Ohio College Campus Safety and Security Summit was a result of the task force's recommendations. Security experts from a number of schools spoke at the summit, including Col. Steven Flaherty, superintendent of the Virginia State Police. Strickland said in a press release campus security in Ohio is the primary responsibility of the state's schools. He asked how the state of Ohio can assist college campuses to improve security and safety in both public and private universities. Ohio Board of Regents Chancellor Eric Fingerhut said universal participation, including professors and students, is needed to maintain public safety. "We have learned that there is no simple cookie-cutter solution that fits all, and that we shouldn't expect that there are any simple, one-size-fits-all, quick fixes when it comes to this issue," he said in a press release. Ohio's colleges and universities were directed to complete the "Ohio Campus Security Checklist" for the Board of Regents by Aug. 24, which will outline actions each university needs to take during the long haul to improve security. Questions in the checklist include coordination, communication, support mobilization to disasters and protocols for identifying and addressing dangerous behavior by students, faculty and staff. Todd Stewart, director of the OSU Program for International and Homeland Security, said the purpose of the summit was not to focus only on shooting scenarios and acts of violence, but to in…
creator: Benjamin Lammers
publisher: The Lantern
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: GERRICK LEWIS <lewis.1030@osu.edu>
language: eng

Terror gun control
description: New bill consistent, sound policy By:Unknown Posted: 5/7/07 Following the Virginia Tech incident, governments have examined many of the legal practices for the sale of firearms. Some of the proposals have come under attack by gun advocacy groups such as the National Rifle Association, including a recent bill granting the attorney general the authority to prohibit gun sales to those on the terror watch list. The terror watch list includes those suspected of being terrorist threats, even when they have not been convicted. As reported by the Associated Press, NRA executive director Chris Cox wrote in a letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez, "the word 'suspect' has no legal meaning, particularly when it comes to denying constitutional liberties." If Gonzalez and the Bush administration show any consistency in their policies, they will support the plan to deny Second Amendment rights to terror suspects, because they have had no problem denying other constitutional rights to those suspected of having terror connections. Those of us who pay attention might remember Guantanamo Bay, where it is a matter of procedure to deny due process and other rights to those accused of having terror connections, and sometimes even those who have been exonerated. Although The Lantern appreciates the NRA looking out for our constitutional liberties, we wonder why all of a sudden gun rights get a special pass. The Lantern believes the rights guaranteed in the constitution are created equal, and the fact that one might come in the Second Amendment makes it no more important than those in subsequent amendments. It is true that the political ideologies in the United States have latched onto certain rights to call their own. Some on the left have taken freedom of religion to mean absolutely no mention of God in public, ever, while some on the right have taken a well-regulated militia to mean an AK-47 in every home. Still, we should remember it takes a significant majority to amend the cons…
creator: unknown
publisher: The Lantern
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: GERRICK LEWIS <lewis.1030@osu.edu>
language: eng