Thoughts & Prayers For Va Tech

[t baby]

Please keep the families all the VA tech students in your prayers. The victims AND the students that have endure so much. I never thought that something like this would have hit so close to home ( I live like 60 minutes from it). My ex neighbor and VERY close friend, his daughter was killed in this tragedy. She was such a sweet person, had her mind set on theatrical, she always called me "uncle Tony". I just can't imagine what the VA tech students are going through, I can't begin to imagine what is going through their minds right now. I am honestly lost for words. It's just a hell of a way for Virginia to make the maps, "worse school massacre in U.S history", My prayers goes out to robert and Linda because of Andrea, that was their ONLY daughter and she was SO VERY close to them ESPECIALLY Robert, they did EVERYTHING together, how can you comfort someone like this? You can't.

[Gennie]

Please keep the families all the VA tech students in your prayers. The victims AND the students that have endure so much. I never thought that something like this would have hit so close to home ( I live like 60 minutes from it). My ex neighbor and VERY close friend, his daughter was killed in this tragedy. She was such a sweet person, had her mind set on theatrical, she always called me "uncle Tony". I just can't imagine what the VA tech students are going through, I can't begin to imagine what is going through their minds right now. I am honestly lost for words. It's just a hell of a way for Virginia to make the maps, "worse school massacre in U.S history", My prayers goes out to robert and Linda because of Andrea, that was their ONLY daughter and she was SO VERY close to them ESPECIALLY Robert, they did EVERYTHING together, how can you comfort someone like this? You can't.

No, you can't. It's too unbelievable to even comprehend. My thoughts and prayers also go out to those affected by this ... what do you call it? A tragedy? A Horror? I don't know.

What I do know is that there will be some sort of knee jerk reaction which will cause a whole bunch more issues, and never actually get to the root cause of the problem.

What is the world coming to?

Gary

[t baby]

I just hope like hell that V Tech gets their ass sued off because of the TWO hour delay. The CEO stated that he THOUGHT it was under control, HOW? the killer was still on the loose! what a dumb ass!! I personally have opinions on foreigners being over here but i will not state that on here but is it safe to send kids to school any more?

[runaway]

I received this email, and thought it would be good to share…

date Apr 19, 2007 10:53 AM

subject Virginia Tech

You may experience some of the symptoms below, this is normal!

* Shock: Often the initial reaction to events like this. Shock is the person's emotional protection from being too overwhelmed by the event. You may feel stunned, numb, or in disbelief concerning the event.

* Suffering: This is the long period of grief during which the person gradually comes to terms with the reality of the event/loss. Feelings that life is overwhelming, chaotic and disorganized are common.

* Sadness: The most common feeling found following traumatic events like this. It may become quite intense and be experienced as emptiness or despair.

* Anger: Can be one of the most confusing feelings for the grieving person. Anger is a response to feeling powerless, frustrated, or even abandoned.

* Anxiety: Can range from mild insecurity to strong panic attacks. Often grievers become anxious about their ability to take care of themselves, or fear an event like this will happen to them or a loved one.

"Where do I go From Here? What do I do?"

1. Keep busy! Focus on your projects and classroom assignments! Research indicates keeping focused on day to day required tasks or routines helps mitigate the effects of stress.

2. Seek out persons who care for and support you. Share your reactions, thoughts and how the experience impacted you.

3. Know that the reactions to trauma described are normal responses to a very abnormal experience. They occur in varying degrees of severity and type for each person.

4. Limit the amount of time that you watch details about the tragedy on TV.

5. "Baby yourself" - eat well, get your sleep, and do nurturing things.

6. Express your feelings! Drawings, poetry etc. are all healthy ways to manage the feelings related to trauma.

7. Consider writing a journal of your experience or feelings.

8. Seek to gain perspective on the experience. This is often helped by participation in counseling. Other aids may include meditation, reading, spiritual reflection or involvement in support groups.

9. Consider sending cards, emails of support to VA Tech. Helping others often is the healthiest way to manage our own feelings of powerlessness.

It's good to talk about it! We are here for YOU...give us a call!

The ___(omitted)____ Counseling Center

Call or make an appointment if you need to talk.

XXX-XXX-XXXX

Pretty cool things in VA; not just crazy shooters…

- Jack Hanna's Wild Reserve

- Children's Museum of Richmond (voted 11th Best Children's Museum in America by Child magazine)

- The Toy Museum at Natural Bridge (largest collection of childhood memorabilia on display in the world)

Amazing people born and raised in VA…

George Washington (1732-1799), 1st President of the United States, commander-in-chief of Continental Army in the Revolutionary War

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), 3rd President of the United States, author of the Declaration of Independence, founder of the University of Virginia

James Madison (1751-1836), 4th President of the United States, co-author of Federalist Papers, "father of the United States Constitution"

James Monroe (1758-1831), 5th President of the United States, namesake of Monroe Doctrine

William Henry Harrison (1773-1841), 9th President of the United States

John Tyler (1790-1862), 10th President of the United States

Zachary Taylor (1784-1850), 12th President of the United States

William Clark (1770-1838), explorer (Lewis and Clark Expedition)

Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809), explorer (Lewis and Clark Expedition)

Matthew Fontaine Maury (1806–1873), USN national observatory, naval observatory, astronomer, astrophysicist, historian, oceanographer, meteorologist, cartographer, author, geologist, educator.

Pocahontas (1595-1617) Indian princess of Powhattan tribe

Chief Powhatan (1547-1618), ruler of Eastern Virginia at the time of the founding of Jamestown.

William Taptico (-1719), King of Wicomicco Indians

Booker T. Washington (1856-1915), Educator, Activist, founder of Tuskegee Institute.

Nat Turner (1800-1831) leader of famous slave rebellion

Willard Scott (1934-), former weather reporter on The Today Show; earlier, was the original Ronald McDonald

Patsy Cline (1932-1963), singer

Shirley MacLaine (1934-), actress and author

Warren Beatty (1937-), actor

Katie Couric (1957-), news anchor/journalist

Sandra Bullock (1964-), actress

Missy Elliott (1971-), music artist

Let’s not forget that one person shouldn’t ruin it for the rest. A tragic event has been recorded and will be grieved about. A million and one other horrific things are happening right this very second around the entire world. I hope there are two million and fifty really great things happening along side them. What is this world coming to you ask? It is coming to the exact same thing as last month and the year before that and the century before that …

good things and bad things

funny things and sad things

things that make you go huh?

things that make you go duh!

things that make you cry

things that make you lie

a few that can create cavities

many that can defy gravity

sure, be sad for them and you

but don’t let this blind your view

of all the opposite stuff that don’t create tears

all the other bits of life that don’t build fears

sadness and anger can overwhelm; I know!

but don’t forget to let your happiness show

don’t feel guilty for living

you are entitled to receive some giving

hugz to the sad and mourning

wrap love’s warmth around adorning

in a cozy fashion, like a blanket

simple as a cabriolet

yet effective

to lend new perspective

~runaway~

[kittyclaire]

what is this all about? did i miss something? what happened? ..

[Guest]

I just hope like hell that V Tech gets their ass sued off because of the TWO hour delay. The CEO stated that he THOUGHT it was under control, HOW? the killer was still on the loose! what a dumb ass!! I personally have opinions on foreigners being over here but i will not state that on here but is it safe to send kids to school any more?

i agree, i had to drop out of high school because it was unsafe, i was getting guns pulled on me by "honer students" in class on a daily basis, i reported it and the answer i got was "why would our star quarter back want to harm you" yet when i beat the crap out of three punks who were picking on a disabled kid(both physicaly and mentally), i get suspended, this happend one year before columbine. I can actuly say droping out was a smart move, i'm still alive because of it

[AutieAB]

what is this all about? did i miss something? what happened? ..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6560685.stm

and

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6566571.stm

(be warned, obviously not pleasant reading)

Sometimes I just look at the world around me and wonder what the hell is wrong with it...

[rickibrat2]

i agree, i had to drop out of high school because it was unsafe, i was getting guns pulled on me by "honer students" in class on a daily basis, i reported it and the answer i got was "why would our star quarter back want to harm you" yet when i beat the crap out of three punks who were picking on a disabled kid(both physicaly and mentally), i get suspended, this happend one year before columbine. I can actuly say droping out was a smart move, i'm still alive because of it

schools suck anymore my granddaught had a boy threaten her and sevearl other kids with a gun at school the school did nothing as his mom and dad are on the board the kids has reall problems but no one cares they just burie it under the rug

we did not let it go away so she was moved to a different school about 3 months ago and is doing great

about 2 weeks after she moved the boy made another list of kids he want to make go away but this time parents went to state police and filed the complant still the school did nothing for 2 more weeks till they found another list so the parents moved him to a church school still with no real record of his actions now in different private school

[curious]

AWWW Tbaby, I am so sorry about ur neighbor's daughter! I remember right after this had happened you and I talked and u said ur neighbors hadnt heard from their daughter and now this. I am so sorry! God bless ur neighbors and everyone dealin with this incredible tragedy. I am very saddened by it and Im not even directly affected. We had a boy from our hometown there but he has been on our local news and is safe but LIKE U and MANY OF US hes really pissed that the school knew for 2 hours that there was a killer on the loose and they did nothing. So many lives coulda been saved! Its so very very tragic! *HUGGLES T BABY TIGHT* Mommy loves u u know! take care sweetie and im here if u wanna talk!

Huggles, kissies and lots of love,

CURIOUS

[Repaid1]

The whole thing just sickens me. What a thoughtless non caring bastard! So many Innocent lives destroyed or impacted. Every hour something new unfolds. I'm sure heads will roll when the final bell is tolled. I couldn't stop crying when they listed and scrolled the pictures of all those killed with that school song in the background, I send my prayers to all those effected personally, I saw your neighbors picture TBaby and Bawled out. My mommy made me shut off the T.V. Im so sorry, why does this stuff have to happen! People need to get some Freakin' help!!! Moreover people need to realize the signs when someone cries out for it!!!

[diaperwearntigger]

I agree with everyone else that this is a tradgedy. I have my own opinions as to why the world is the way that is, but I will keep those to myself..... however, I will say this.... Its not so much the 2 hour window that bothers me, as much as it is the information they had even BEFORE this all happened. If someone would have done their job, and reported him, or kept him under surviallance because of his dark, disturbing writings, or the fact that he had 2 stalking reports against him prior to this whole incident, this WHOLE thing could have been AVOIDED. That is what pisses me off.....

As far as the 2 window is concerned, I do understand people's anger on this, however, going to college right now, I can also understand where the school is coming from. I was thinking about that, the day all of this happened, what if it happened on my campus, would I know? Probably not, one because I don't live on campus, and two, while traveling to school (20 minute drive), I probably would have missed the email that would have been sent about what happened. Unfortunatly, there doesn't seem, atleast on our campus, a way to inform anyone that this has happened. Maybe colleges will think more deeply about how they can communicate to classrooms, professors, and students, like an innercom system. Its sad that something so tradgic has to happen to make our world think of how they can make us safer. With our college, we have one main building where all the classrooms are held, so I don't think it would be all that difficult to get an innercom system into place...but of course, money is all an issue.

I do give kudos to the dean of students, after the VA Tech incident, he did send out a mass email to all the student body to inform them that they are doing everything possible to continue to keep us safe, and that we should update our emergency contact files. It was nice to be reassured, that even though you may never see the dean in person, that he does care about his school and the safety of his students and faculty.

My thoughts and prayers do go out to everyone affected by this tradgedy, I can only hope that we will learn from this.

[baby-dandan]

I feel very sad for what happened at V. tech. It happens all too often these days. On everything I hear on the news and read in the newspaper I can't help but wonder why mankind hates each other so much. I seems as time gones on that more and more bad things are going to happen. I grieve for those victims and the ones they left behind.

[Dill_Pickle]

Please keep the families all the VA tech students in your prayers. The victims AND the students that have endure so much. I never thought that something like this would have hit so close to home ( I live like 60 minutes from it). My ex neighbor and VERY close friend, his daughter was killed in this tragedy. She was such a sweet person, had her mind set on theatrical, she always called me "uncle Tony". I just can't imagine what the VA tech students are going through, I can't begin to imagine what is going through their minds right now. I am honestly lost for words. It's just a hell of a way for Virginia to make the maps, "worse school massacre in U.S history", My prayers goes out to robert and Linda because of Andrea, that was their ONLY daughter and she was SO VERY close to them ESPECIALLY Robert, they did EVERYTHING together, how can you comfort someone like this? You can't.

t_baby, you do the best you can...just be there....

[Hunter1076]

And now for the other side of the topic.

I feel that if more smart caring and safe people carried guns this wouldn't have gone so far.

Had myself or likeminded people been there when these nuts go off the deep end, I could have defused the problem with a couple of well placed shots. Yes I carry and it's not just for my protection.

The gun mentallity in America should be changed... Yes that's true, But my thoughts are that if All students were enrolled in gun training courses in high school and choose to get a gun permit later in life then some (Not all) of these things could be shut down by people who wouldn't just stand on the sidelines when horror happens.

I have been on the front line of combat, And the fear sinks so deep into you that you want to just hide. But with proper training you get up and get the job done. Even in scary run away mode you just Do Your Job.

I can never condoan the actions of the nutty few, But I WOULD stand beside the citizen who puts him down anyday.

Just a thought for the day

[Hunter1076]

Bump

[redneck diaper boy]

Amen brother!

Utah has the right idea and will now issue conceal carry permits to college students!

Florida has the right idea too. You can shoot someone if the threaten you with deadly harm. As a potential victim, Floridians don't have to wait for the thug to enter the dwelling.

It is too bad some student wasn’t packing a piece. That SOB needed a bullet in his head!

I don't think armed students would have stopped the offender because he was crazy. The death toll would have been less if someone would have taken him out.

And now for the other side of the topic.

I feel that if more smart caring and safe people carried guns this wouldn't have gone so far.

Had myself or likeminded people been there when these nuts go off the deep end, I could have defused the problem with a couple of well placed shots. Yes I carry and it's not just for my protection.

The gun mentallity in America should be changed... Yes that's true, But my thoughts are that if All students were enrolled in gun training courses in high school and choose to get a gun permit later in life then some (Not all) of these things could be shut down by people who wouldn't just stand on the sidelines when horror happens.

I have been on the front line of combat, And the fear sinks so deep into you that you want to just hide. But with proper training you get up and get the job done. Even in scary run away mode you just Do Your Job.

I can never condoan the actions of the nutty few, But I WOULD stand beside the citizen who puts him down anyday.

Just a thought for the day

[Guest]

when a friend of mine enrolled at UW, they made the students take a coarse on pepper spray, the reason for this class was so after you use the pepper spray on a thug, you can administer "first aid" to them. if i'm in a situation where i have to use a pepper spray, i'm gonna use the whole can on them and then beat them to death with the can. the state of washington has way to many laws protecting criminals, and endangering the inocent. i agree 110% with redneck and hunter on this one

[AutieAB]

Utah has the right idea and will now issue conceal carry permits to college students!

Preventing violence and crime with guns? Talk about an oxymoron....

Ok, ok. Not strictly an oxymoron because it's more than 2 words but you see my point...

[Guest]

Preventing violence and crime with guns? Talk about an oxymoron....

Ok, ok. Not strictly an oxymoron because it's more than 2 words but you see my point...

would u try to rob someone if there was a chance they had a gun? i own and cary guns legaly, everytime some one tried anything, i would open my jacket and show them what i have, they leave me alone real quick

[BoTox]

Pray for them unless you are a Muslim. They can't pray for non-Muslims. Islam is a joke as a religion and a cult of violence at best. It is more like a bad Fight Club rip off. The first rule of Islam is don't talk about Islam.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1832607/posts

[AutieAB]

a cult of violence

Can you explain to me how Islam is any more violent than any other major religion? There are small minorities of violent wackos and extremists within virtually all religions (including Christianity and Judaism) not just Islam.

[Guest]

every religion is a cult(even my own)

[BoTox]

Can you explain to me how Islam is any more violent than any other major religion? There are small minorities of violent wackos and extremists within virtually all religions (including Christianity and Judaism) not just Islam.

Passages from their book preach conversion at the tip of the sword, rob and rape those that don't know their prophet. Never mind that the prophet is more important than their god, which obviously isn't the god of the Christian/Jewish faiths. Any god or religious leader that preached murdering of another human being for the mere exercise in religious choice is a cult. Think a violent version scientology.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not pro any other religion but other religions leave me alone and I leave them alone. Radical Islamist killed thousands of my non-combatant countrymen in an unprovoked attack. Yet, when American fights back, if wound one person that might or might not have been an enemy combatant, the world is outraged. There is no equity. There is no parity.

My example of an Islamic leader saying that Muslims can't pray for non-Muslims is just another reason they are so un-Western and incompatible with civilized life. I don't want this to be a thread hijack.

[redneck diaper boy]

Yes guns can prevent violence.

My wife's ex-husband decided that he wanted to break down my front door. He stopped when he heard the shotgun shell being loaded into the chamber.

Preventing violence and crime with guns? Talk about an oxymoron....

Ok, ok. Not strictly an oxymoron because it's more than 2 words but you see my point...

[Guest]

Yes guns can prevent violence.

My wife's ex-husband decided that he wanted to break down my front door. He stopped when he heard the shotgun shell being loaded into the chamber.

i had some tweaker(meth addict) pull a knife on me the other day, he ran off when i put the laser sight of my .22 handgun between his eyes. as far as some one breaking down my door, i keep a stihl farmboss 24" bar chainsaw in my closet....