Thousands pay tribute to Va. Tech dead

[Terri]

By UPI Staff
United Press International
April 18, 2007

BLACKSBURG, Va. (UPI) -- Thousands gathered on the Virginia Tech campus to mourn the 32 students and staff members slain by a gunman in the worst slaughter at a U.S. school in history.

U.S. President George Bush played first mourner in chief at the ceremony at Cassell Coliseum just one day after a student armed with two handguns opened fire in a dorm and then at Norris Hall on the Blacksburg, Va., campus before turning a weapon on himself. Overflow seating was set up elsewhere on campus and private viewing was provided for family members of the victims.

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[Bazzz]

Gun free zones are targets for people looking to do bad things. A professor or student with a concealed carry permit could have prevented many lives from being lost in this senseless tragedy.

Unfortunately the left is using this tragedy as another way to try to take away the rights of legal gun owners. Passing laws against guns won't stop the bad guys. As the saying goes: Gun owner or Victim - pick one.

[Engineer Scott]

That story was sorely disappointing in that it left out the fact most of the speakers were something other than Christian. I mean, this is down in the Bible Belt but they start out with an Imam, a Buddhist, then a couple of female rabbis. This is political correctness run amok.

Scotty

[phillyfanatic]

Yes, even in this horror, PC multiculturalism was the forefront of the memory for Va. Tech students and families. And of course, the Left will try to ban all guns and put even more ridiculous gun free zones into place. They will not listen to John Lott or the experience of carry states and safer times when the public can protect itself. No, they will allow their emotions to turn over accepted Constitutional law.

[Dentyne]

My heartfelt prayers and sympathy to the victim's loved ones. Now, let us get serious about how to minimize these random acts of violence. 1) This was not a gunman, this was a murderer. His weapon of choice was a gun. Can anyone say BOX CUTTERS -- 9/11 -- AND FERTILIZER -- OK City? 2) Let us start on a national campaign of basic self-defense. I know the liberals don't want us taking care of ourselves, that is BIG GOVERNMENT's job. During the Cold War, every school in the country practiced bomb shelter drills in addition to tornado/fire drills. I don't think they even practice drills anymore. We can start this campaign by legalizing "conceal and carry" laws. What would have happened had the students in these classrooms been trained to think fast enough to just throw every book, backpack, chair or what have you at the murder? What would have happened had just one student/teacher been allowed to have a concealed weapon? Ok, so everyone is afraid of guns, how about a can of mace? Oh, I forgot, then the murderer would have survived to turn around and sue the person who used it on him and WON. How silly of me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Luckyme]

U.S. President George Bush played first mourner in chief at the ceremony at Cassell Coliseum just one day after a student armed with two handguns opened fire in a dorm and then at Norris Hall on the Blacksburg, Va., campus before turning a weapon on himself.

U.S. President George Bush played first mourner in chief?

I find this highly insulting. He wasn't playing (or by inference, acting) by any means. Hasn't he proven time and time again that he is a very caring, Christian man? Even in a time like this, the liberals can't help but show their hatred for this good man. Shame on them!!!

[CSchultz]

I find this highly insulting.

So did I.

It's far past time that these liberal, media, fanatics wake up and pay attention to some very simple facts.

These types of things have happened, and will continue to happen as long as we turn a blind eye to the root of the problem.

More gun laws are not the answer, cultural diversity is not the answer.

Running students through some sort of psychological evaluation is not the answer.

And locking people up in a mental institution or defining them with a silly little acronym and feeding them narcotics is not the answer.

We have STOPPED TEACHING ABSOLUTE MORALITY IN OUR SOCIETY!

And some folks just don't see the connection.

"Thou shalt not commit murder."

I'm not preaching religion, I'm stating morality.

I'm happy to share the source of that little tidbit of moral information, but that is not religion, it is morality, and the two are not the same thing.

We have banned the Bible from the classroom because it teaches "religion"...

Hogwash!

It teaches young people (and old) how to live moral, and beneficial, and rewarding lives.

How to cope with stress, how to understand rejection and loss. How to find hope in times of despair.

We don’t have to teach doctrine, we can discuss the baptism of children, or purgatory, or indulgences, or the triune nature of God in church.

But teaching the basic principles upon which the Bible, and indeed this very Nation were founded, is NOT a violation of Church and State separation.

I keep reading all of these testimonies from people who "saw the signs" for the past month.

He was picked on, called names, withdrawn, his writings which he turned in were "disturbing." etc.

Did anyone take a Christian approach to his situation?

Was there a Christian counselor available on that campus?

I read that he carved what very well may be an Islamic statement into his arm.

Did anyone question "HIS" basis for absolute truth?

I doubt it.

Yet today, we, and more so the families mourn the deaths of over 30 children. Our very future.

And it really frightens me that so many just refuse to see the source of this growing problem in our Nation.

[LarryE]

Just like the Moslem who shot up the mall in Salt Lake City, and we're told that it wasn't his religion that caused him to run amok, the guy at VA Tech was apparently a Moslem. Will we ever hear this in the mainstream media? Don't hold your breath. The mainstream media, most all politicians, and various others will tell us that it was those evil, wicked guns that caused him to murder all his "fellows", not that it was his "religion of peace".

I'm sure that Chuck Schumer, Barbie Boxer, Di Feinstein, et al will save us though, or at least give it a good try.

[Terri]

I've been out of touch most of the afternoon.

Do you have a link to that, Larry?