Virginia Tech Grieves Online
description: Posted by Cyndy Aleo-Carreira on April 17th, 2007 I know that I speak for everyone here at Profy when I say that our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victims of yesterday's events at Virginia Tech. The horror of yesterday will live in the hearts and minds of the Virginia Tech community, the United States, and much of the world for some time to come, but what moved me the most was the way in which what would have been a local, and somewhat national, event even a few years ago moved worldwide due to a global online community. The first reports of what was happening on the VT campus came from students sending reports via their cell phones. Today, the grief of the VT community has moved online. On the University's own website on the tragedy, updates are presented in blog format, the Convocation held today was streamed live, and is available to students, faculty, and families as a podcast, as it contains information on resources available for counseling and information. On LiveJournal, a professor shares his grief online, giving us a mere glimpse of the person (and student) that Reema Samaha was. On Facebook, comments have been left on the pages of victims from friends as well as students at rival schools, and sorority sisters and fraternity brothers from other chapters. MySpace includes an "official" VT page called HokieNation which has been updated with a VT emblem with wings and a cartoon showing anthropomorphic characters of other universities gathered around the VT character with the caption "Today we are all Hokies." Many user icons of VT alums and students as well as people affiliated with the university, like radio stations that broadcast VT games have changed their avatars to a black ribbon with the VT emblem. And comments have been left on articles ranging from blogs to news sites. Twenty years ago, we'd have seen this as a tragedy, watched the footage on CNN, and that would have been the end of it. In the age of Web 2.0, anyone with enough incli…
creator: Cyndy Aleo-Carreira
date: 2007-05-29
contributor: Brent Jesiek
rights: Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication
language: eng

Virginia Tech look back
creator: John Starling
publisher: null
date: 2007-05-02
contributor: John Starling
rights: null
language: eng

Virginia Tech Massacre
description: Monday, April 16, 2007 My heart and prayers go out to all of the families involved in the senseless shootings at Virginia Tech. My understanding is that 33 individuals lost their lives in the massacre. What a tragedy! There is noting I can do or say that will make things any easier for those involved. I'm sure that we will hear gun control advocates ranting and raving about this unfortunate event demanding stricter gun control laws, but the gun(s) didn't do the killing, an individual pulled the trigger. Most likely, a very troubled individual planned and carried out the killings without remorse. I have been keeping up with the reports all day and I have heard various takes on the situation. A lawyer was interviewed and suggested that the person that did the killing probably played games like "Grand Theft Auto." Personally, I don't see the validity of such games in the first place. I have a much easier time justifying gun ownership than I do allowing such games to be sold in mainstream America. What do they teach our children? My wife and I were discussing these type games and she said that she had 4th graders that were already playing them. I can't imagine allowing a 4th grader to play such a game. 4th graders are not mature enough to play them. I'm not mature enough to play them nor do I have the desire. And the really bad thing is that when she asked how they got these games, some said that their parents bought them. I don't understand this. I just think that these violent immoral games hurt our society and as a result individuals place little or no value on human life. How sad! Fantasy games even the violent ones are just that fantasy. They do not resemble any form of true reality. I can justify these fantasy games with magic and dragons. I even like playing some of them. But these fantasy games are a far cry from games like "Hit Man" or "Grand Theft Auto". I don't foresee anyone turning into a dragon and devouring a class of innocent students. But I also believe…
creator: William Bishop
date: 2007-05-23
contributor: Brent Jesiek
rights: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License
language: eng

Virginia Tech Massacre
description: A horrible tragedy. The bottom line is that sometimes awful things happen in life and there's not a satisfactory explanation as to why. Sometimes people fail to recognize this. There's a lot of idle chatter regarding whether or not Virginia Tech handled the situation properly. I'm reserving judgment until more facts come out (interesting concept, cable news). I will say it's a lot easier to fault decision in the hindsight of a disaster than it is to make them in real time with incomplete information. In the interest of saving many hours of TV airtime, I'll answer a few questions: --Yes, this could happen at X college. (Whatever your nearby school is.) --There are no security measures which will stop people intent on going on Kamikaze-style killing sprees. --No, we don't need metal detectors and other fortress-like security measures on college campuses. --No, right-wing radio, the fact that the shooter was an alien does not mean international students are about to lay waste to America. --This could have occurred regardless of what the Blacksburg gun laws are. --This could have occurred regardless of how many violent movies or video games were sold last year. [Not that those aren't legitimate issues, but speculative cause/effect chatter on these topics before you know anything about the suspect's background is silly.] A trivial matter in the grand scheme of things, but I thought this clip yesterday afternoon is insightful in how our news media works. Here Wolf Blitzer asks if President Bush will be attending today's ceremony at Virginia Tech: HENRY: No indication yet. Obviously, that's one event certainly the White House is weighing. Typically in situations like this, although there's never been anything quite like this on a college campus -- but whenever there's some sort of a disaster or tragedy, the president, and this president in particular, tries to stay away in the early days, let local and state official do what they need to do. And then within a few days he u…
creator: Brian Arner
date: 2007-05-26
contributor: Brent Jesiek
rights: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5
language: eng

Virginia Tech massacre an unbelievably sad event
description: Friday, April 20, 2007 - The China Post A total of 32 people were killed Monday in a Virginia Tech campus building in the deadliest shooting rampage in modern U.S. history. The gunman, a student from South Korea, took down his victims in two attacks that were spread two hours apart. The tragic incident has sent shockwaves around the world. We wish to express our sympathy to the victims' families and hope they will get all the help they need to make it through this very difficult time. The other students at the university should also be assisted so they can overcome the shock and grief they are suffering. U.S. President George W. Bush has ordered flags flown at half staff across the nation. Speaking at a memorial service on the Virginia Tech campus, Bush said "it's impossible to make sense of such violence and suffering." "Those whose lives were taken did nothing to deserve their fate," the president said. "They were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now they're gone -- and they leave behind grieving families, and grieving classmates, and a grieving nation." At first it was reported that the alleged killer was a student from China. Later, however, police found the gunman was a fourth-year student from South Korea, described in the media as a "loner." Authorities said he was a legal resident of the United States. The suspect committed suicide after the attacks. Police said there was no evidence of any accomplice at either of the two attacks, but are exploring the possibility. The shocking incident has prompted debate and discussion about the prevalence of gun ownership in the United States. An Indonesian mother, according to a news report, bemoaned the availability of guns in the United States after learning her son was among those killed in the massacre, while South Koreans expressed shame and shock that the gunman came from their country. "Why can people bring guns to campus?" the Indonesian mother said, recalling third-year doctoral student Partahi Lumba…
creator: The China Post
date: 2007-07-22
contributor: Na Mi
language: eng

Virginia Tech Massacre hits newstands...
description: Major media outlets ranging from business publications to political magazines cover the Virginia Tech tragedy. Original source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/inju/467183309/ Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-ShareAlike 2.0
creator: Kevin Lim
date: 2007-05-30
contributor: Chad Newswander
rights: Permission: Kevin Lim http://www.flickr.com/photos/inju/467183309/ Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-ShareAlike 2.0
language: eng

Virginia Tech Massacre--Finding Peace
description: Sometimes I'm just amazed at the ignorance of people. I've come across many blog entries that are outright idiotic but usually chalk it up to 'that's where they're coming from' or 'everyone's entitled to their opinion'. However, some Erie bloggers recently have been spewing forth complete garbage that needs to be addressed. The gist is this: those students killed at Virginia Tech were partly to blame for their death by not fighting back. Underlying this is the premise that American's have been lulled into submission and taught not to self-defend. I reject this in all of its absurdity and callousness. I was absolutely furious this morning after reading these two Erie bloggers, Sassafrassin and Kodera, for their statements. To try and disguise their comments as intellectual or serious commentary would be disingenuous. Flat out, they are out of line and need to be called out on their statements and insinuations. Disregarding the fact that no one really knows what was going on in the minds of those who were murdered, but to turn around and somehow place the blame on them is reprehensible. It's disgusting. It's obscene. Although part of me realizes that what is going on here are people trying to understand and give meaning to what is completely senseless and without explanation, these kinds of statements reveal underlying problems of our society. Not only does it reveal a deeper violent tendency, but a lack of ability for compassion and understanding--both of which are essential to Peace in this world. To these two bloggers, who seem to be professedly conservative (and at least one has expressed he is Christian), Jesus Christ would be considered a liberal pansy for allowing himself to be executed and for making the statement, "If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also." Instead we're all expected to be like warriors in some Hollywood flick, living up to superficial ideals. You know, part of my response and anger to these two bloggers has to do with …
creator: RichardZ
date: 2007-08-09
contributor: Brent Jesiek
rights: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States
language: eng

Virginia Tech Memorial
description: A banner hangs on a bridge at William and Mary. Orginia Source http://www.flickr.com/photos/tmcw/469535826/in/photostream/ Photo Courtesy of Tom MacWright
creator: Tom MacWright
date: 2007-07-05
contributor: Chad Newswander
rights: Permission: Tom MacWright http://www.flickr.com/photos/tmcw/
language: eng

Virginia Tech memorial in Second Life
description: 18 April, 2007 I was doing a bit of wandering in Second Life today, and came across a rather well-done memorial to the Virginia Tech tragedy in an area that's academically focused (it's staffed 50+ hours per week by volunteer reference librarians around the world... very cool). There is a wall featuring portraits of those lost, as well as a place for people to leave memorials/tributes. It's done with a good heart and worth checking out. It's another example of communities coming together virtually (lots of positive energy in Facebook, too). posted by phe at 18:29 -- Original Source: http://www.phework.com/2007/04/virginia-tech-memorial-in-second-life.html Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States.
creator: phe
date: 2007-06-02
contributor: Brent Jesiek
rights: Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States
language: eng

Virginia Tech Memorial on InfoIsland
description: Second Life Memorial to the slain at Virginia Tech. Original source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mack46/491590859/ Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-ShareAlike 2.0
creator: Mack Lundy
date: 2007-05-29
contributor: Chad Newswander
rights: Mack Lundy http://www.flickr.com/photos/mack46/491590859/ Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-ShareAlike 2.0
language: eng

Virginia Tech Memorial... (Text in english & Spanish)
description: Publicado por markapazos - Un punto de encuentro. In Memory of the lives that were lost in this senseless tragedy Our hearts go out to the fallen and the injured. Our prayers are with the family and friends of the victims. I want to share with You these words that a friend sent to me and who is professor of the Faculty of Engineering and that by things of life did not have to be present at that tragic moment. Yo quiero compartir con Ustedes esta palabras que me envio un amigo quien es profesor de la Facultad de Ingenieria y que por cosas de la vida, el no estuvo ese tragico momento. A quote out from one of our members "Lets us all pray that no blame be placed. Let us pray that something this tragic never happens again. Let us pray for the media to look beyond the story here and allow all who have been affected an opportunity to gain understanding and to heal. Let us pray for this to be something which will draw us all closer together as a country and closer to God. Let us all pray that there will be no retaliation by those who believe it is warranted against any culture, nationality religion or any other human being in this beautiful world created by our maker. "Let us pray" Written & submitted by: Kennysr61 We will continue to invent the future through our blood and tears and through all our sadness ... We are the Hokies ... Nikki Giovanni, University Distinguished Professor, poet, activist. En el marco de locura y baño de sangre originado por un estudiante surcoreano fuera de sí en la Universidad Virginia Tech, nos muestra que su ser y su corazón estaba en crisis y no tuvo esa mano amiga para enseñarle la verdad y mostrarle la cosas hermosas que tenemos alrededor. Vivimos en una época de falsos héroes, hombres arañas vestidos de negro, estrellas mediáticas cuyo único afán es el egocentrismo y culto a si mismos, y sin embargo en este mundo de contrastes que nos toca para vivir, un profesor sobreviviente de la máxima barbarie cometida contra el pueblo jud…
creator: Markapazos
date: 2007-07-30
contributor: Elva Orozco
rights: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5
language: spa

Virginia Tech Memorials
description: I'm not sure the memorials will still be on the drill field when we get back from Missouri, so Mara and I went over to see them one last time afternoon in case the aren't there when we get back. Orginial Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/molliebug/489120906/in/photostream/ Photo courtesy of Mollie Adams
creator: Chad Newswander
date: 2007-07-11
contributor: Chad Newswander
rights: Permission: Mollie Adams http://www.flickr.com/people/molliebug/
language: eng

Virginia Tech Memorials
description: Sign by Branch & Associates, Inc. on a building being constructed on Virginia Tech's Blacksburg campus. Photo taken by Thomas Upton on April 24, 2007. Original Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/third/471697761/ Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 2.0 Generic.
creator: Thomas Upton
date: 2007-11-23
contributor: Brent Jesiek
rights: Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 2.0 Generic
language: eng

Virginia Tech panel discusses prevention strategies
description: Experts in fields of security, law and mental health comprise panel; victims' families voice reactions Daniel Colbert, Cavalier Daily Senior Writer Thursday, April 19, while the nation was still coming to grips with the tragedy that had unfolded in Blacksburg three days earlier, Gov. Tim Kaine created an eight-member panel of experts in the fields of security, law and mental health to investigate fully what had gone wrong and what could be done to help prevent a similar incident in the future. Last Wednesday, the panel held what was to be its last public meeting -- it has since been announced that another will follow -- at the University. While the panel heard testimony on topics as wide-ranging as community mental health services and gun control laws, much of the discussion centered on the unique challenges faced in servicing and protecting a college population. Beyond "lockdown" As schools consider the most efficient and safe methods for responding to threats such as an active shooter on campus, lockdowns are a common solution. In fact, much of the panel's discussion of security procedures focused on the appropriateness and plausibility of a campus-wide lockdown; however, all of the law enforcement experts who testified at the meeting in Charlottesville suggested that responding to such an event is not so simple. "I think we have this impression that we hit a switch and everything is locked and everything is secure, and that is not the case," said Don Challis, chief of police at the College of William & Mary. Challis testified that a lockdown creates a "target-rich environment" in the academic buildings where students congregate. He instead recommended that colleges advise students to take refuge in their own rooms or other safe places. Challis emphasized that colleges need to make it clear in advance what would be expected of students in a crisis situation. "Hope is not a plan," Challis said. "We can't hope that when something happens these people hang on our wor…
creator: Daniel Colbert
date: 2007-07-31
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: Meggie Bonner <meggiebonner@gmail.com>
language: eng

Virginia Tech panel recommends security solutions for colleges
description: Issue Date:Friday September 7, 2007 Section: HeadLine News Section By Kellen Henry, Staff Writer Many students gathered for candlelight vigils and wore ribbons in support of Virginia Tech after the April 16 shooting. While most students did not fear for their lives on campus, they realized such a tragedy could just as easily occur in Morgantown. Last week, a panel appointed by Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine reported findings on the shooting rampage by student Seung-Hui Cho that killed 32 people in Blacksburg, Va. The report presented more than 70 recommendations to advise law enforcement, school officials and medical personnel. They also intended to help other colleges choose proper security solutions for their own campuses. This week, West Virginia University officials announced a plan to send mass text messages in an emergency. The University will also provide better quality lighting in key pedestrian areas such as sidewalks between the Downtown Library Complex, the Mountainlair, the PRT and residence halls. The panels' report criticized Virginia Tech's emergency response plan because it lacked guidelines for a shooter scenario and did not allow police to play a major role in emergency decision making. "We don't see that as an issue here at WVU. As the first responders here, it makes sense for us to have an active role," said Chief Bob Roberts of the University Department of Public Safety. Administrators here began revising its policies in December 2005 to align it with the federal Department of Homeland Security's National Incident Management System. The University's new plan will be unveiled in October said Becky Lofstead, executive director of internal communications. It will include emergency training for students and staff and job action checklists. There is a Web site planned for relaying emergency information, Lofstead said. At Virginia Tech, police had no means of sending emergency alerts themselves and also failed to warn the administration that a gunman could s…
creator: Kellen Henry
date: 2008-02-18
contributor: Kacey Beddoes
rights: Leann Ray <Leann.Ray@mail.wvu.edu>
language: eng

Virginia Tech professor 'died saving students'
description: Ewen MacAskill in Blacksburg Tuesday April 17, 2007 Guardian Unlimited Alec Calhoun, an engineering student at Virginia Tech, described today an individual act of bravery by one of his professors that saved his life. Mr Calhoun, 20, had been in Room 204 in the college's Norris hall taking a class in solid mechanics. "We heard what sounded like an enormous hammer. We though it was construction. The scream told us it was something else." The killer, having murdered two people two hours earlier, had started a shooting spree in the classroom next door. "I thought pretty early on that I was going to die. I started knocking desks over [to make a barricade]. Others were pulling the windows down. It is lucky someone thought of the windows." The class was on the second floor and the first students to jump were hurt. "I was the eighth to jump. I hung onto the ledge. I saw the professor. I think he was trying to hold the door closed. "I was the last one out that was not wounded. The two behind me were shot. I jumped onto a bush and fell onto my back. It was about a minute between hearing the shots and jumping out of the window." He said his professor had been killed. After reaching safety, he immediately phoned his father, James, a teacher, to tell them he was safe. Special report United States of America World news guide North American media Media New York Times Washington Post CNN Government US government portal White House Senate House of Representatives Copyright Guardian News & Media Ltd 2007 -- Original Source:http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2059205,00.html
creator: Ewen MacAskill
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

Virginia Tech rampage by Latuff2
description: Artist's Comments Reconstitution based on accounts of survivors of the Virginia Tech College shooting rampage, where 32 people were massacred by a gunman. (SECOND UPDATE - April 18) More accurate depiction based on photos taken by the own gunman. (UPDATE - April 18) Adding new items to image, according witnesses. 1 - Glock 9mm pistol in his right hand 2 - Glasses 3 - Jeans 4 - Maroon cap -- Original submitted to deviantart.com on April 17, 2007: http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/53411839/ Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 License.
creator: Carlos Latuff
date: 2007-05-24
contributor: Brent Jesiek
rights: Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5
language: eng

Virginia Tech Redux: Did the Old Media Lose it in Blacksburg?
description: April 18th, 2007 As the words continue to flow along with the tears after the deaths at Virginia Tech, one important observation rises above the ruins: the incident represented a triumph for what the pundits term the New Media over the Old. The keys to this triumph lie in the strengths of the New Media: its immediacy, diversity, and ability to speak personally. The immediacy of the New Media put them far ahead of the Old Media even as the crisis unfolded. The on-campus emails that first informed many students that something terrible had happened became like pebbles dropped in a pond, rippling out into the ether. New Media such as Facebook, Flickr, YouTube and search engines became the preferred sources for people desperate to find out what happened. Probably the most dramatic illustration of this was the group of students who fled to the library and then frantically searched the Internet to find out what was happening. A decade ago they might have turned on the radio or television. Even the Old Media had to acknowledge the role the New Media played for the students at Virginia Tech. CBS ran a story "Students Turn To Web In Time Of Tragedy" whose sub head read, "How the Internet Helped Va. Tech Students Cope with Shooting Massacre." The Los Angeles Times reported about University of Southern California sophomore Charlotte Korchak who instead of using a cellphone to check on friends at Virginia Tech, immediately went to Facebook. "I was able to immediately find out who was OK," she said. "Without Facebook, I have no idea how I would have found that out." As for the news on campus, the Old Media struggled to catch up. National Public Radio even published a desperate-sounding plea on their web site for witnesses of the tragedy to please contact them so they could line up interviews. In short, in the first few hours after the shootings the Old Media became just like the rest of us, searching the web for information and answers. Later National Public Radio would gloat, it…
creator: Ralph Brauer
date: 2007-06-08
contributor: Brent Jesiek
rights: Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
language: eng

Virginia Tech Remembered
description: In honor of Virgina Tech University, Niagara Falls lit both the American Falls and Canadian Horseshoe Falls on 4-22-07 with their school colors of orange and burgandy, in remembrance of those who lost their lives. This was a joint effort on both the American and Canadian side of the Falls. This is the American Falls, taken from the Canadian side facing the USA. Our hearts and prayers are with the families and friends of those who lost their lives.
creator: Gerri Jones
date: 2007-05-10
contributor: Gerri Jones
language: eng

Virginia Tech Remembrance
description: Artist's Comments I am a Virginia Tech student. I was affected by the tragedy in ways that I hope no one else experiences. In honor of the victims and as a way to express myself, I created this remembrance image in 3D Studio Max and Photoshop. Thank you. Image by Nick Bowman. Licensed under Creative Commons Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License -- Original Source: http://inuxmedia.deviantart.com/art/A-Virginia-Tech-Remembrance-83019165
creator: Nick Bowman
date: 2008-04-19
contributor: Kacey Beddoes
language: eng