‘Era un buen amigo y un ser excepcional’
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 un chico conforme. Estaba tras una maestría y un doctorado", indicó. "Pero también le gustaba la música. Tocaba los timbales en una agrupación de música 'del ayer' en la que su papá funge como músico y primer guitarrista", explicó. Óscar dijo que desea que recuerden a su primo "con todos los honores, con todos los méritos, como un ser humano que merecía vivir, un ser humano lleno de alegría, feliz, capaz, inteligente, y un ser humano que por causas de la vida el lunes se le privó de ciertamente ser un ciudadano modelo y ejemplar". "Era un chico que nunca tuvo un cigarrillo en su boca, no era tomador, no era abusivo, no era mal hijo. Eso es lo que duele. Es algo inverosímil", sostuvo Marrero. Pero dijo que no quiere buscar culpables: "Realmente es un proceso que se nos escapa de las manos. Es una situación fortuita que puede suceder dondequiera, en cualquier lugar, en cualquier escenario. En cualquier parte de los confines de este planeta donde haya seres humanos estas cosas suceden", dijo. El padre del joven fallecido, Juan Ramón Ortiz Colón, declaró al periódico El Nuevo Día, de Puerto Rico, que "cuando una persona va a morir, va a morir como quiera... si mi hijo hubiera estado en Puerto Rico le pasaba lo mismo, aunque quizá no de la misma manera. Me han dicho que murió en el acto, así que doy gracias a Dios. No sufrió". Marrero dijo a La Opinión: "Tratamos de mantener la fe en Dios y queremos agradecer el apoyo y pedirle a todo el cuerpo de Dios en este mundo que nos ayuden con sus oraciones para mantener a esta familia un poco más repuesta, porque ha sido un golpe devastador y los cimientos de esta familia se han sacudido". EFE -- Fuente Original: Diario La Raza - Chicago http://www.laraza.com/news.php?nid=43365&clave=a%3A1%3A%7Bi%3A0%3Bs%3A13%3A%22virginia+tech%22%3B%7D
Jorge Mederos Executive Editor La Raza Chicago Inc. jorge.mederos@laraza.com August 13, 2007
School security proposal shoves aside prevention
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 proactive preventive strategy that involves more funding for school counselors and an increased effort on behalf of teachers to spot troubled students and refer them to professional help. While schools should be allowed to place armed guards on their campuses and in their halls on a district by district basis, this decision should remain a local matter. Ultimately, Sheriff Jones' proposal is a reactionary measure that will do little except further Ohio's financial crisis and create an unnecessary police presence in elementary, high school and university buildings. -- Original Source: The Miami Student - April 27, 2007
"Skotzko, Stacey Nicole" <skotzksn@muohio.edu>
Luto en el país por matanza en Virginia
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 nombres de un grupo de víctimas. Entre ellos se encuentra el peruano Daniel Pérez Cuevas, muerto mientras asistía a una clase de francés y quien había iniciado sus estudios universitarios en Miami pero se cambió a virginia tech, por su mayor prestigio académico. También está el puertorriqueño Juan Ramón Ortiz, de 26 años, y que cursaba su primer año de maestría en la universidad, donde se había matriculado junto a su esposa, Liselle Vega, con quien llevaba casado un año. El gobierno de EU afirmó ayer que está dispuesto a ofrecer la ayuda que sea necesaria para los extranjeros que hayan sido víctimas de la masacre en la Universidad Politécnica de Virginia el lunes. Según han contado los supervivientes, el asesino cerró varias salidas del edificio con cadenas y candados, y después fue vaciando sus cargadores, aula por aula. La primera clase, y donde al parecer se han registrado más víctimas, fue una de alemán, en la que el asesino disparó a la cabeza del profesor Chris Bishop antes de abrir fuego sobre los alumnos. En otras aulas algunos alumnos huyeron por las ventanas. Otros intentaron bloquear las puertas con sus cuerpos, en algunos casos con resultado fatal. Ese fue el caso del profesor Liviu Librescu, que fue alcanzado por disparos a través de la puerta mientras impedía el paso al agresor y lograba así salvar a sus alumnos. Doce estudiantes de la universidad se recuperan de sus heridas y permanecen estables en distintos hospitales de la zona de Blackburg, donde se encuentra el centro docente. La matanza ha conmovido a todo el país y ha suscitado reacciones de condolencia en todo el mundo. El presidente de EU, George W. Bush, aseguró ayer que se trata de un "día de tristeza para todo el país" e instó a los estudiantes a no dejarse llevar por la ira, en un acto de homenaje a las víctimas en el polideportivo de la universidad. Bush ordenó que las banderas estadounidenses ondeen a media asta en señal de duelo hasta el domingo. El incidente ha comenzado a suscitar ya las primeras críticas sobre la reacción de las autoridades tanto policiales como universitarias. Muchos estudiantes han censurado que, tras el primer incidente, no se suspendieran las clases ni se diera un aviso de peligro hasta dos horas después, y eso sólo a través de un correo electrónico. La matanza ha vuelto a reabrir el debate sobre la regulación de la tenencia de armas en Estados Unidos, un país en el que las leyes sobre el control de armas de fuego son muy laxas. EFE -- Fuente Original: Diario La Raza - Chicago http://www.laraza.com/news.php?nid=43338&clave=a%3A1%3A%7Bi%3A0%3Bs%3A13%3A%22virginia+tech%22%3B%7D
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 than 50 people at once have doubled in occurrence. Suicide bombs, car bombs and roadside bombs have doubled as well in the fourth year. There are also many reports exposing the drastic conditions that living Iraqis are facing. Eleven percent of Iraqi babies are now born underweight, compared to 4 percent before the U.S. invasion, malnutrition has risen to 28 percent and Iraqi civilians are citing stress and anxiety levels that are untenable. The United States has permanently destroyed and ended the lives of millions of Iraqis, though they remain numbers to most of us. Of course we must mourn and remember the loss of life in Blacksburg, Va., but we should also compare the endless coverage that tragedy has received in place of others - killings going on everyday in our name. The memorials accorded to the victims of the Virginia Tech shootings were moving, if only we reserved a fraction of that space in our hearts for innocent Iraqis as well. If we put human faces on those tragedies we might find the continued U.S. occupation to be unbearable. We might feel something again. Or maybe those days are over. -- Original Source:The Miami Student - April 24, 2007
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 Blacksburg not I want to get away from there but I want to be there with them." Miami students and faculty gathered together Tuesday night for a candlelight vigil honoring and remembering the students who were killed at Virginia Tech Monday. "A college student is a college student no matter where you go to school," said Stacey Brozio, a junior East Asian language and culture major who planned the event. "Whether we believe in something higher or not, we share a common belief in humanity at this vigil. We're here in support for each other and for Virginia Tech." With more than 200 people in attendance, several students and faculty members shared thoughts, memories and wrote sympathy cards to families of the victims and the shaken community. "My own personal loss was very great," said sophomore Kristen Vliet, who lost a friend in the shooting. "There are just some things in life that don't make sense. There's no way we can look back at the victims of the fire and have it make sense. There's no way we can look back at Beth (Speidel) and have it make sense. What does make sense is that we're here grieving together." Both Wal-Mart and the Faith Lutheran Church and Campus Ministry donated candles, which were placed around the reflecting pool behind the Shriver Center at the conclusion of the vigil. "The hardest part for me is when people forget," said Paige Glattly, a first-year psychology major. "We need to remember the families. It changed the rest of their lives. They will remember this every minute of every day." President Hodge expressed his joy at seeing the Miami community gathering together and encouraged them to continue to talk through the grief. "We as college students didn't really have a voice when Columbine happened," said junior Paul Morrow. "We didn't have a platform to express our grief like we do here." Jane Lindsay, a first-year whose two friends live in West Ambler Johnston Hall at Virginia Tech, said talking about her feelings with those friends and with others is a way of showing support. "Virginia Tech is so similar to Miami," Lindsay said. "It's not even a city, just a small town and a close community, like Blacksburg." Other students spoke on questioning their faith and having moments of utter disbelief that this would happen. "You have a finite amount of time in life," said Sarah Baumert, a senior accounting major. "You never get that time back and it's wonderful of these students at Miami to give that time. The people that came out are saying you don't have to talk, just know we're here." Miami's security assessment Miami is one of many universities in America right now re-evaluating its security policy and procedures. "I've gotten a number of e-mails from parents wanting to protect their kids," Hodge said. "I feel the exact same way." Currently, the university's security policy involves emergency phones in locations across campus, 24-hour patrol by Miami University Police, campus crime alerts via e-mail and use of the myMiami homepage. Hodge added that in an emergency the administration could utilize the Miami Metro system, radio frequencies and local TV. He encouraged students and faculty to read tips on what to do in an emergency, available on the MUPD Web site. "Miami has been as prepared as we could for all situations," Hodge said. "I don't know that anything would have even made a difference at Virginia Tech. Two hours is really a short period of time. People don't realize how much time it takes to put a campus on lockdown." According to Hodge, a new hotline number, similar to the lines available at Middletown and Hamilton campuses, was added Tuesday to relay emergency information. They are also looking into the possibility of text messaging campus alerts. "We do have multiple layers of communication on campus that just depend on the situation," said Richard Little, senior director of university communications. "E-mail can be very spotty in terms of reaching the whole community. It requires sending 25,000-30,000 e-mails and hoping people check them." Little mentioned the employment of phone trees to notify staff and students in the area of the campus phones who would, in turn, notify others. The method of text messaging would require all students to register their cell phones with the university and keep the information updated. "Nothing is perfect," Little said. "Nothing can reach a whole campus in an instant and we have to be careful not to spread panic. The question is not the means of communication, but making sure you have the right information." According to Miami's Web site, MUPD members are trained to respond and handle different emergency situations. "We have all kinds of training and drills," Little said. "You sit down and imagine the unthinkable because someday that unthinkable could happen. I wish we could do something to make sure this never happens again but I also know that isn't a reality." Miami's Student Counseling Service posted a link on its Web site Wednesday offering suggestions and information on coping with the Virginia Tech tragedy. "Grief affects us in several different ways," said Kip Alishio, director of the Student Counseling Service. "It breaks through the normal setting and makes us feel vulnerable. A vast majority of people will get what they are needing from significant others, the natural resources in their lives. You should seek professional resources when those natural resources are non-existent." Alishio added that Miami does have procedures for faculty to report concerns about a student. "We do get consultation requests from faculty who have students who have submitted disturbing works or were acting in a suspicious way," he said. "We decide how to approach or intervene if we find it necessary. A student may go through a mandatory psychological screening to determine if they are a risk to themselves or others." The Web site, sponsored by the American Psychological Association, suggests talking about feelings, taking frequent breaks and helping others do something productive. -- Original Source:The Miami Student - April 20, 2007
Comunidad coreana teme tras matanza en Virginia
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 origen nacional y la situación migratoria de Cho "no deberían ser el foco central de la historia". Deberían serlo las causas del problema, agregó, "porque esto, lamentablemente, lo vimos anteriormente en situaciones como Columbine" [en referencia a otra matanza en una secundaria de Colorado en 1999]. "Lo ocurrido es una tragedia indecible, pero también sería una tragedia si un individuo [Cho] viene a simbolizar a una amplia comunidad coreana que ha contribuido de manera vital a este país", indicó Lee. En momentos en que el Congreso debate una potencial reforma inmigratoria integral, Douglas Rivlin, portavoz del Foro Nacional de Inmigración (NIF), respondió a La Opinión que es posible que no falten "los oportunistas que siempre intentan vincular todo con la comunidad inmigrante o extranjera". Pero lo ocurrido tiene que ver con el estado mental de una persona y no con el tema de las visas, aclaró. Además de la tragedia de la muerte de decenas de personas, "sería una tragedia que [el joven coreano] se convirtiera en el rostro de la comunidad coreana o de cualquier comunidad extranjera", dijo Rivlin. © La Opinión -- Fuente Original: Diario La Raza -Chicago http://www.laraza.com/news.php?nid=43339&clave=a%3A1%3A%7Bi%3A0%3Bs%3A13%3A%22virginia+tech%22%3B%7D
Media's response to VT tragedy warrants criticism
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 sign of selfless humanity amidst the horror of the random violence. In the end, the media coverage of the tragedy has been disrespectful toward the families and friends of the innocent victims. Just hours after their deaths, the media swarmed the college town of Blacksburg, Va. with little regard for the students and families who lived through the violent act. In many ways, the networks' theatrical coverage has helped to desensitize the American people to the horrors of the April 16 attack. The media should simply allow the tragedy to speak for itself - its horror is self-evident. -- Original Source:The Miami Student - April 10, 2007
MUPD, OPD evaluate emergency response plans
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. In addition, both chiefs said further action would be determined during the events. The squad holds monthly training sessions to prepare for hypothetical situations that need a police presence. McCandless said the SRT Team held a mock live shooter exercise in the summer of 2006 in Reid Hall on Miami's campus. The squad also traveled to New Mexico for further training funded by the Department of Homeland Security in December 2006, according to McCandless. "Any time you can plan a tactical situation in advance, the results are almost always positive," Schwein said. "The key is being properly prepared by planning and rehearsing the situation." Miami University Police Department Lt. Andrew Powers said he has referred students to the police Web site, which outlines procedure in the event of an emergency. It states that if the shooter is outside or in the same building, students should find a safe, lockable room and barricade themselves inside and situate themselves on the ground, away from the door. Subjects hiding from the active shooter should not respond or move from their safe space until verifiable police arrive. Whether or not the shooter is in the room, the policy urges one person in the situation to call 911, so police may be dispatched to the area and properly deal with the situation. McCandless also reiterated the point of calling 911. He said that though the phone may ring several times if there are a lot of calls to the station at once, the dispatch phone lines can handle it and extra officers will be standing by, if necessary, to answer emergency calls. The Office of News and Public Information at Miami has set up a hotline to inform students of a campus-wide emergency. It was originally put in place this spring to centralize school information in regards to weather, according to Carole Johnson, the office's internal communications spokeswoman. According to the Office of News and Public Information, that number is (513) 529-9000. After the snowstorms and necessary cancellations that followed, Johnson said the school thought it necessary to have an outlet for information besides e-mail and Miami's Web site. Besides the hotline, she said Miami's administration is constantly looking for possible improvements so the school can better handle an emergency situation. "We constantly look at our crisis plan, almost on a daily basis," Johnson said. "Looking at it, updating it, and continuous training are critical in continuing a solid crisis plan, year round." Johnson also said because technology is always changing, new ways to contact students in the event of an emergency could potentially develop. Miami University's branch campuses at Hamilton and Middletown do not have their own police force like the Oxford campus, but are instead protected by the city departments of Hamilton and Middletown. According to Officer John Crawford of the Hamilton Police Department, policy has not changed since Monday for the department, nor does he think that it appears they will. "Most police agencies across the country changed policy (regarding schools and active shooter situations) after the Columbine shooting in 1999," Crawford said. "Rapid deployment where officers have their equipment in their vehicle along with SWAT team presence are key in any situation like that." -- Original Source:The Miami Student - April 27, 2007
People tied maroon and orange ribbons on trees to express grief and remembrance a week after April 16.
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. It's a natural reaction to assign blame at a time like this. But assigning blame won't bring those students and faculty back. Like I said, I'm at a loss for eloquent words that can articulate the disaster. Words alone will not solve the confusion, they won't mend the grief. I'm at a loss for words, but I'm not at a loss for feeling. And perhaps that's all we can do for now. We can feel. We have to let ourselves grieve. This isn't a time to blame the state of Virginia for gun control policies. This isn't a time to question the administrative communication of the university. We will have months, maybe years, ahead for that. This tragedy isn't about policy. It's about lives. And for now, the respect for those who died and the sympathy for the families left behind should be the forefront of our concern. -- Original Source:The Miami Student - April 20, 2007
Flowers around Hokie stone memorial site
After the shooting,people volunteered to come to campus and placed flowers and gifts around the Hokie stone memorial site to remember the victims.
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 hardwood followed by Doug Penno's heroism. In sports and in life, hope springs eternal. So what do you say to a Virginia Tech community whose indelible image of college is that of their classmates, friends, professors and lovers senselessly slaughtered? How does a mother cope with seeing her son's farewell to Blacksburg be in a body bag instead of on a graduation podium? The sad truth is that for the grieving Hokie family, there's no salve for their wound. Even with all the advancements in medical science, there's no painkiller for this kind of hurt - no stadium construction, buzzer-beater or championship ring that will ever change the reality of those dealing with premature death. What these men and women can do is remind themselves that to make the most of every moment as the universal healing power of time runs its course. A similar lesson applies to everyone, everywhere. For those of us biding our final days in Oxford, let's not bemoan our imminent departure, but rather celebrate our journey. For those continuing your collegiate experience, make plans for making the most of your time here. And this is where the beauty of sport lies for everybody. For the majority of us, our life's course won't be affected by athletics. It won't give us a raise or get us fired, won't find us happiness or despair in romance, nor will it ease the agony from the families of Virginia Tech and others coping with tragedy. What it can do, however, is provide us with a needed respite from the constant grind of life. When the Hokie football team storms the field Sept. 1 for its season-opening clash with Eastern Carolina, nobody will forget the massacre that afflicted their campus months earlier. But, for a three-hour stretch on a Saturday afternoon, they can turn their attention away from grief, schoolwork and jobs, and onto the raucous adulation that transpires on the field. As Tom Cochran's song reminds us, "Life is a highway," and as sports remind us, there are many rest stops along the way. -- Original Source:The Miami Student - April 20, 2007
A memorial site for one of the victims whose name is Daniel Perez Cueva,around the Hokie stone on the drillfield.
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 the loss of a close loved one in such a brutal way. In spite of that, I don't think it's necessary or useful to extend loathing or other ill will toward the deceased gunman. No amount of contempt will bring the victims back to life, nor will it bring peace to their families. The disdain I have seen over the last few days mirrors the same sort of malice that led to this tragedy and others like it. As vicious as the act was, and as easy as it is to harbor such animosity toward Cho Seung-Hui, I contend that we should focus our energies elsewhere ­- namely on the return to tranquility, particularly for the friends and families of those murdered. As we mourn and exhibit sorrow over these next several days, by all means hope, wish, and pray for the serenity of the victims' families and friends. However, bear in mind that there are 33 families directly suffering, as there were 33 killed Monday, not 32. Julio santana Santanj@muohio.edu -- No link exists between gun control, shootings I am writing in response to Daniel Witt's letter that appeared April 17. I was very disappointed to see a political response to the Virginia Polytechnic Institute shooting so soon. In all fairness to those who read Witt's letter, I would like to respectfully disagree with the points he made and add a little clarity to the discussion. A little reported fact regarding the Virginia Tech shooting regards Virginia conceal and carry laws. At the end of January, 2006, Virginia House Bill 1572 which would have allowed students to carry concealed weapons on campuses was defeated. Following the defeat Virginia Tech spokesman Larry Hincker was quoted as saying, "I'm sure the university community is appreciative of the General Assembly's actions, because this will help parents, students, faculty and visitors feel safe on our campus." This was the same spokesman who is currently speaking to the media about student deaths at VT. Witt also mentions Columbine. When the horrible shooting there took place, a stringent Federal Assault Weapons Ban was in place. This legislature didn't do anything to stop the deaths of those students. Afterwards, one of the parents of a slain Columbine student said, "You can make all the laws you want, but when someone wants to get a gun badly enough, they're going to." I am confused as to the relevance of Witt's decision to cite the 1764 Enoch Brown massacre unless he is advocating restrictions on muskets and tomahawks. Following the Virginia Tech shooting, both ABC and CNN news services hosted a poll on their Web sites asking if gun control was an effective means of stopping violence. The CNN poll ended with 56 percent of participants saying they felt gun control was not effective. The ABC poll, as of 4 p.m., April 17 showed that more than 70 percent believed it irresponsible to link shootings to gun control. Firearms should be taken seriously. They are objects that can kill, just as a car can. In high school, we weren't simply handed the keys to a car, but given detailed instruction. The same should be true of firearms. There are many misconceptions about firearms today. I encourage those who have opinions about gun control to do some solid research before simply suggesting another such gun ban. I feel it is also important to note that after any such large-scale violent act, we as a society search for a solution, a way to end it once and for all. However as sure as there are such people as Cho Seung-Hui, there are people who will do anything in their power to kill others. Whether by one means or another, if a person is motivated enough, they will follow through with such violent desires. scott guye guyesh@muohio.edu -- Original Source:The Miami Daily - April 20, 2007
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."
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
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 law enforcement units arrive. The events at Virginia Tech were especially painful because of the vulnerability of the victims and the similarities between their lives and the lives of Miami students. A measure of trust in life's daily routine was lost Monday, and this tragedy should serve to remind each of us to consciously embrace and cherish the time we have and too often overlook. -- Original Source: The Miami Student - April 17, 2007
Several of the posters were placed around the Squire Student Center for people to write messages to the VT community.
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 include response to natural disasters. Fingerhut did not limit the discussion to human-caused disasters like the one at Virginia Tech. "This task force may have been instituted as a reaction to the shootings at Virginia Tech, but this summer we are talking about making sure that Ohio college campuses are ready for all kinds of critical incidents," Fingerhut said. Rick Amweg, assistant chief of University Police at OSU, said the summit was a great chance to learn from other institutions by discussing common goals for campus security. Amweg said OSU's security response plan is in good shape. "We were very prepared before Virginia Tech and continue to be prepared," he said. However, Amweg said the tragedy at Virginia Tech highlighted the need for new emergency communication procedures. He said the information from the meeting will be used by the Board of Regents to identify the best practices Ohio universities can use to prepare themselves. Stewart said OSU has made a considerable effort in preparedness. "Ohio State is in better shape than most schools in the state because we have more resources available," he said. Benjamin Lammers can be reached at lammers.62@osu.edu. -- Original Source:The Lantern - August 7, 2007
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 constitution, which means at one point in time the issues addressed by the amendments were not simply tools for partisan bickering. The NRA is not at fault here, because they exist for the preservation of gun rights and it is their job to advocate against anything they see that would abridge those rights, just as the American Civil Liberties Union should not be attacked for fighting for the liberties of those detained at Guantanamo Bay. In the end, it is probably for the good of the nation's security that the government have the ability to deny gun sales to those who might pose a serious danger, as the threat of terrorism is one ever growing in a world where the United States continues to make more enemies than friends. Those who support the NRA in opposing this bill, yet were silent when other liberties were denied for the same reasons, are hypocrites taking a stance based on politics rather than philosophy. -- Original Source: The Lantern - May 7, 2007