[sari]

Please take some time out of your day today to think of the families and friends of the 32 people tragically killed at Virginia Tech University yesterday, and send prayers or positive thoughts of recovery to those that are wounded and fighting for their lives today. This horrible event and its aftermath will affect the victims, families, and the public in general for some time, and some people will never recover. Take an extra minute today to hug a family member, or let them know they're loved. Life can be fleeting - don't pass up opportunities to live it to its fullest.

[Advertisements]

The tragedy shocked and horrified me, too.

If you, or someone you know, seems troubled, destructive, angry, violent, addicted to drugs or alcohol, suicidal...please TELL a trusted adult. You are not betraying a friend, you may be saving a life. Tell a teacher, clergyman, a parent, the police, a doctor..but someone responsible. People can be helped with therapy or medicines, but they usually can't or don't ask for help. Other people need to know and care enough to intervene.

Mental illness is subtle, but when your gut tells you something is wrong with someone, you are usually right. A real friend encourages that person to get the assistance they need, and insists if the friend refuses. If you know your friend is cutting, throwing up, killing animals, hurting others, etc, something isn't right, and you need to TELL.
Johanna

[Johanna]

The tragedy shocked and horrified me, too.

If you, or someone you know, seems troubled, destructive, angry, violent, addicted to drugs or alcohol, suicidal...please TELL a trusted adult. You are not betraying a friend, you may be saving a life. Tell a teacher, clergyman, a parent, the police, a doctor..but someone responsible. People can be helped with therapy or medicines, but they usually can't or don't ask for help. Other people need to know and care enough to intervene.

Mental illness is subtle, but when your gut tells you something is wrong with someone, you are usually right. A real friend encourages that person to get the assistance they need, and insists if the friend refuses. If you know your friend is cutting, throwing up, killing animals, hurting others, etc, something isn't right, and you need to TELL.
Johanna

[james_8970]

The problem is with youth today, or the school I'm in anyways, is that people my age don't want advice or help from an adult. They want to feel independent, guess they feel like a stronger person that way. A simple talk with a friend with ongoing troubles may go a long way.

RIP the deceased students of Virgina Tech University

These school shootings are becoming more and more frequent, more and more disturbing at each passing crime. I wish all the people the best and morn with them as if they where my brother or sister, aunt or uncle, father or mother. Lets hope to god that someone won't try to prove that they can do a better massicer within the walls of our school or anywhere else.
James

Edited by james_8970, 18 April 2007 - 03:15 PM.

[ScHwErV]

You are getting way off topic, you want to start a debate on guns, bring it on, but this is not the place for it. Stay on topic in this forum or don't post.

[warriorscot]

I think james post is pretty on topic, shooting rampage in the title will lead to a debate on guns at some point.

[dsenette]

I think james post is pretty on topic, shooting rampage in the title will lead to a debate on guns at some point.

this post is to be about remembering the people affected by a horrible tragedy....NOT for debating gun laws....any debate brought up in this thread is (IMHO) disrespectfull to the heart of this thread

[sari]

Thank you, dsenette. I beg anyone reading this thread to not politicize it, as that was not my intention in starting it. My intention was to honor those who died: the 18-year-old freshmen who were full of hope and excitement about their lives and their futures, the 23-year-old who left behind a 19-year-old fiancee, the 76-year-old Holocaust and cancer survivor who died because he blocked the classroom door with his body so his students could escape through the windows, to name just a few. Political debates should be started elsewhere.

Edited by sari, 18 April 2007 - 07:55 AM.

[ScHwErV]

I think james post is pretty on topic, shooting rampage in the title will lead to a debate on guns at some point.

If it does, I'll delete the offending posts and deal with the people responsible. Read the thread to find out what its about, not the thread title.

[don77]

A very sad day indeed it touches very close to home one young man was from my area my thoughts and prayers are with all the victims ,families and loved ones.

[james_8970]

Edited post, I by no means meant to offend anyone by what I wrote there
Sorry whoever I did offend.
Back on topic......Very sad day indeed.
James

[cheyenne 09]

It's a very Sad State of affairs that anyone thinks that it is OK to take another's Life let alone 32 Young Promising Life's who should've had there Whole Life's ahead of them. There does seam to be a lot of this Kind of incident Going on more often these Day's it is very very Sad for Everyone involved in this Tragic Event. My Thoughts go out to all of the Family's and Friends.

[h_mike]

God bless the fallen and their families. It will be a day that no one will ever forget... There should be a Virginia Tech Memorial, they're probably making one.

Rest in Peace Virginia Tech students...

[frantique]

This is such a tragedy. My heart goes out to all the people directly affected. It is hard to imagine how these people can deal with a tragedy of such enormity. I do, however, feel that the greater tragedy is that we see this kind of thing depicted regularly on TV and in the movies and that people, especially young people, are becoming somewhat anaesthetised to the effects.

[**Brian**]

It saddens me greatly to see something like this happen - My heartfelt sympathy and support go out to everyone at Virginia Tech - may we always remember that everyone there is a member of the college community, and regardless of where you go to school, it hits home hardest when you realize that somewhere, somthing like this happens - I was shccked when I happened to see this - I will always consider VT as a member of a big family - because if you have been a college grad, then you can realize that everyone who has gone through college maintains friendships and some of them last a LONG time, and are not easily forgotten.

VT will begin the long healing process - but I question why the school did not cancel classees after the first shooting - they will have to deal with this and alot more questions, but may the victims families be able to get the help and support that is required - this is [i][indeed a tragedy/i] and shows that there are stange happenings in the world today - and it takes a strong community that is united together to overcome the tragedy.

May all the people involved have the strength and courage to move forward - the victims of the rampage are in my thoughts and prayers.

RIP ;(

Brian

[coxmaster]

I cant even put into words how sad this sort of thing is. Its sad that these incidents are increasing. My thoughts go out to the family of the victims and the family of the shooter. Realizing that some of these people killed were the same age or very close to my brothers age is scary. Anything that can be done needs to be to prevent these kinds of shootings from occuring more often

May they rest in peace.