It would be like a second Columbine or if there was a terrorist attack on the newly opened 9/11 World Trade Center memorial in New York City. Your first thought is, "how did this happen again?"
From early reports, it seems that this tragedy today has little, if any similairities with the 2007 massacre, where 32 people were murdered by a crazed gunmam. That was planned, strategic attack by a mentally ill person.
A Va. Tech university official is quoted in the Washington Post says today's incident appears to be a traffic stop gone wrong.
I met some Virgina Tech students in April 2009 at my fraternity's formal event. They had been in Michigan volunteering in Flint and I spoke to a few of them.
Even after a night of drinking, bonding and the lowered inhibitions caused by alcohol, none of them would even speak about the 2007 incident. Its not as if it was some secret that they were keeping from us because we couldn't understand it, it wasthat they simply could not put that tragedy into words or want to re-visit it in their minds.
That makes sense, because from that point on, no longer will Virginia Tech only be associated with Michael Vick or Beamer Ball, but that tragedy.
Now, that community has to go through that again. A college town is a community where a tragedy or major event affects everybody, whether you were indirectly involved or not. Just ask the Penn State or Syracuse communities about that theory right now. It just hangs a dark cloud over the town.
Now, the students who were freshmen and sophomores at the time have to relive that hell again and I feel for them. There is nothing witty, clever or profound I can say to them or the police officer who gave his life performing a routine part of his job other than...I'm so sorry and may God comfort you.
Here's a little something for the Hokies and it will be an honor, as Michigan fan, to play your school in the Sugar Bowl.
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