Local students express concerns
description: By STEPHANIE HARRIS THOMAS, Hope Star Writer Published: Friday, April 20, 2007 6:21 PM CDT Students at the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope, as well as universities across Arkansas, are feeling the pain of the Virginia Tech student body. The tragic deaths at Virginia Tech have them feeling anxious about a place where they have always felt safe. But, UACCH students did not mind sharing their feelings and reactions about the shootings on Monday which left 33 people dead. "It makes you take a second thought about coming to school every day," Lacey Brent, a nursing student said. One student showed an expression of disbelief and sorrow when asked what was his reaction to the tragedy at Virginia Tech. "I don't really know what to say about it," student Jason Lamb said after a long silent pause. "It is taking its toll on everyone, especially everyone going to a university. "It also has parents worried about their sons or daughters being at a university," he said. "It was a horrible thing that happened...a tragedy. It is kind of scary too," LPN student Quana Ellis said. "It is really an eye-opener." "It makes you think," Chelsea Johnson, also a nursing student said. "Anything can happen at any given time," Lamb said. Another nursing major again reacted with fear. "Red flags were raised. They had warnings and they did not take heed. It is scary," Chelsea Johnson said. "I hope it does not happen here," Rebecca Allen said. Some students simply did not understand. "When they found two people shot they should have closed the school," said Ashley Linzy. Reacting to the accusations he had heard about the shootings, another student, James Stuart, said, "There's a lot of second guessing going on right now." Stuart said he did not really see that tightening of security would make a big difference in such a situation. "You would have to have guard shacks at every entrance and door," he said. "I think if someone wanted to do something like that they would some way, some…
creator: Stephanie Harris Thomas
date: 2007-06-01
contributor: Brent Jesiek
rights: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5
language: eng

Lodge: Cho's choice: Murder
description: By Richard Lodge/Daily News staff GHS Fri Apr 20, 2007, 12:20 AM EDT The debate over gun control in the wake of Monday's massacre at Virginia Tech had already reached the presidential campaign trial by midweek, and it's sure to surface many times between now and November 2008. Why had it been so easy for Cho Seung-Hui to buy a 9mm handgun from a Virginia gun shop, then use it to kill 32 fellow students and professors at Virginia Tech, those within the gun-control faction asked? If only the Virginia legislature hadn't voted down a bill in late 2006 that would have allowed students and staff at VT to carry guns on campus, Cho would have faced armed resistance before Monday became a massacre, declared the defenders of the Second Amendment. This tragic slice of life in America is only partly about guns, although that's likely what the debate will boil down to. The Virginia Tech massacre is about mental illness and whether we can learn to recognize it and treat it. As more comes out about Cho's disturbing behavior, the trail of red flags seems clear. One of his professors, Lucinda Roy, raised the alarm years ago about Cho's disturbing writings and behavior and tried to urge him into counseling. Virginia authorities revealed that in December 2005, a court magistrate ordered Cho to undergo an evaluation at a psychiatric hospital. The magistrate signed the order after an initial evaluation found probable cause that Cho was mentally ill and was a danger to himself or others. So how could Cho so easily buy a handgun - legally - from a Roanoke gun shop to use in his murderous spree? Tougher gun laws might have delayed Cho's purchase with a waiting period, but his lack of a criminal record would not have prevented the gun dealer from selling him the weapon. Should psychiatric exams be part of the process to buy a gun? There's not a legislature in the country that would have the backbone to do that. And even if they did, how would such an exam be done without excluding and stigm…
creator: Richard Lodge/Daily News Tribune Staff
date: 2007-05-31
contributor: Brent Jesiek
rights: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5
language: eng

Loganathan memorial
description: Memorial stone of G.V. Loganathan on 4/16/08. Photo by Brian Sewell. -- Original Source: http://flickr.com/photos/briansewell/2419986170/in/set-72157604577382666/
creator: Brian Sewell
date: 2008-05-02
contributor: Kacey Beddoes
rights: Brian Sewell <bwsewell@vt.edu>
language: eng

Looking Forward
description: By David J. Skorton May 2 2007 I had intended this final column of the academic year to be one mainly of gratitude to my colleagues at The Cornell Daily Sun and to readers of the newspaper for permitting me this space and for the tremendously helpful feedback I received as a result of these "From David" columns. I look forward to another year of useful interchange through this column and in many other fora in 2007-08. I believe we have made progress as a campus this year in confronting important issues, ranging from violence, to mental health, to what it means to be part of an inclusive campus community. Although we have not resolved some issues of importance to this campus, I believe we have learned a great deal together about how to have the sorts of conversations we need to have in order to create change. I am especially heartened by the progress we have made on diversity issues, and I look forward to continuing our progress with the support, leadership and encouragement of the University Diversity Council and through the self-governance processes underway to foster greater community involvement. As Cornellians, all of us can take pride in the achievements of our colleagues and friends this year. Some have won major national and international awards and many more have demonstrated a great willingness to share their skills and talents with the campus and the world — in the classroom, laboratory and studio; on the playing field; through public service; and through music, dance, theater and art. Eli Northrup '07 and Joshua Raff '07 have even come up with a rap to update the Alma Mater, which I heard performed last week by Pants Velour. Whether you are moving on to the next stage of your life or continuing on at Cornell, you have helped make this a vibrant and engaged community, and I congratulate you and thank you for your efforts. Unfortunately, the end of the academic year has brought with it the incomprehensible, horrific tragedy at Virginia Tech University. In…
creator: David J. Skorton
date: 2007-07-10
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: Jonny Lieberman <jdl46@cornell.edu>, <lieberman.jonny@gmail.com>
language: eng

Lori Haas Speaks at Lie-In
description: Lori Haas speaks at a student "lie-in" at the far end of the drillfield on April 16, 2008, A Day of Remembrance. Haas' daughter Emily was injured in the shootings at Virginia Tech. Organized by Virginia Tech senior Alison St. Onge, the lie-in was intended as a memorial to the victims and protest against easy access to firearms. Family and friends of the victims spoke at the event before dozens of supporters laid down in silent protest and reflection. Photo by Brent Jesiek. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0
creator: Brent Jesiek
date: 2008-05-07
contributor: Kacey Beddoes
rights: Brent Jesiek (bjesiek@vt.edu)
language: eng

Losing Students: Virginia Tech
description: by SamiSunshine That is a prime example of colleges not looking into the right cases and not checking up on people. Once Cho started to stalk people, he should have been expelled. They seem to spend more time fighting underage drinking than sexual assult. Relating that to the U of A, at one of the dorms my friend was staying with a girl who had moved into her room from another dorm. What my friend didn't know was that the girl was moved from the other room for taking a knife and slashing up the furniture and threatening people. Finally my friend got really scared because the girl did something similar again and instead of kicking the psycho girl out, they moved my friend in with another girl and the psycho has her own room. In this same dorm, another friend got kicked out of the dorm system because his roommates said he didn't clean and said he was smoking pot while there was no evidence of the fact. And counselors and administrators never get back to you. I had a really bad panic attack the night before an exam and I couldn't take it because of some harm I did to myself and I explained that to the dean's secretary who said that she was going to refer me to counselors who would call me in the next few day. They never called. I finally went to the counselors on my own and a lady gave me the names of therapists and said she would call in the next few days. She never called. I could have been so far on the edge that I could have harmed myself or others. I could have been another Cho. But, the university decided to not check up on me, a severely stressed out, freaked out person who was living in the dorms with many other students. I could have been a risk to others and they still did not make sure that I wasn't a threat to myself or others. I wouldn't be surprised if that had happened at Virginia Tech. Don't blame strict/lax gun laws, violence in the media, or society in general: blame the people who were supposed to be protecting, mentoring, and caring for the students…
creator: SamiSunshine
date: 2007-05-24
contributor: Brent Jesiek
rights: Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5
language: eng

Lost But Not Forgotten
description: LOST BUT NOT FORGOTTEN They lost their life on that fateful day April 16th together we pray. No motive, no means, to commit such a crime. What began a Monday morning, lost like a drop of a dime. A community, our school, Virginia Tech that is. What turned into a tragedy. once known as a serene state of bliss. It was a snowy, cold, spring morning when their world came to a halt. A day of great remembrance full of pain, grief, and fault. No one can possibly express this magnitude of distress. To hold their hand in silence and mourn those we miss. Where do we go from here? Is there any place to turn? To change the hands of time And take away their fear. Through the darkness of night until the break of a new day. Please remember our HOKIES This, I ask you to pray. Elizabeth Patterson
creator: Elizabeth Patterson
date: 2007-05-02
contributor: Elizabeth Patterson
language: eng

Love, UVA
description: One of eight large placards sent by UVA Students in support of Virginia Tech. Original source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/killfile/499375257/in/set-72157600298230023/ Photo Courtesy of Chris Thomas
creator: Chris Thomas
date: 2007-06-08
contributor: Chad Newswander
rights: Permission: Chris Thomas http://www.flickr.com/photos/killfile/499375257/in/set-72157600298230023/
language: eng

Lovely Towny
description: This woman was on College Ave. and Main Street after the convocation. This is a prime expample of how close our community is. I told her "I love you" and she replied "I love you more..." I love this town, I have lived here all my life (19 years) and there is no other town I would rather been raised in...
creator: Chelsea Clark
date: 2007-05-29
contributor: Chelsea Clark
language: eng

Lowering down the flag
description: In order to express the grief, Virginia Tech lowered down the national flag in front of the Burrus Hall for weeks after the shooting.
creator: Na Mi
date: 2007-08-13
contributor: Na Mi
language: eng

LSU quilt
description: This memorial quilt was presented by the State of Louisiana to the Alumni Association at the LSU-Virginia Tech football game on September 8, 2007. It hangs on the second floor of the Alumni Center. Each victim's name is stiched in the blue border. The yellow border is stiched with the words, "April 16 2007 Stich by Stich LSU Tigers Mend the Hokies Hearts." Photo taken 4/16/08.
creator: Kacey Beddoes
date: 2008-05-09
contributor: Kacey Beddoes
rights: Kacey Beddoes (kbeddoes@vt.edu)
language: eng

Lumbantoruan memorial
description: Memorial stone of Partahi Mamora Halomoan Lumbantoruan on 4/16/08. Photo of Brian Sewell. -- Original Source: http://flickr.com/photos/briansewell/2419986554/in/set-72157604577382666/
creator: Brian Sewell
date: 2008-05-02
contributor: Kacey Beddoes
rights: Brian Sewell <bwsewell@vt.edu>
language: eng

Luto en el país por matanza en Virginia
description: Identifican al agresor como un estudiante de Corea del Sur. Publicado por Diario la Raza 04-18-2007 Washington, D.C. — La policía de EE.UU. identificó como el autor de la matanza en la universidad virginia tech al estudiante surcoreano Cho Seung Hui, de 23 años, un joven descrito como "solitario" y cuyos escritos habían suscitado preocupación entre sus profesores. Hasta el momento se desconocen los motivos que llevaron a Cho, quien vivía en EU desde los 8 años y estudiaba filología inglesa, a matar a 32 personas, entre profesores y estudiantes —al menos dos latinoamericanos— y suicidarse. Una de sus profesoras recordaba ayer a la prensa el tono perturbador de algunos de sus ejercicios literarios, hasta el punto de que sus instructores le aconsejaron recibir ayuda psicológica. Según el diario Chicago Tribune, el asesino dejó una nota en su habitación en la que clamaba contra los "niños ricos", "la decadencia" y los "embusteros charlatanes" en el campus y asegura: "Me obligaste a hacerlo". Al parecer, según la cadena CNN, Cho compró una pistola Glock el mes pasado en una tienda de Roanoke, una ciudad vecina, y pagó por ella 571 dólares con un cheque. La matanza se produjo en dos fases: en un primer tiroteo murieron dos personas, un hombre y una mujer, en una residencia de estudiantes; y el segundo, en el que murió el resto, tuvo lugar dos horas más tarde, en las aulas de la Facultad de Ingeniería. Las autoridades han confirmado que las armas empleadas en la matanza fueron al menos dos pistolas y que una de ellas se usó en los dos tiroteos. "La evidencia no nos ha conducido a decir categóricamente que el mismo autor estuvo implicado en los dos tiroteos", pero "es ciertamente razonable suponer que Cho fue el autor en los dos incidentes", indicó el superintendente de la Policía de Virginia, Steven Flaherty. Entre los fallecidos se encuentran profesores y estudiantes. La lista completa no se ha dado a conocer pero sí han salido a la luz los …
creator: La Raza Newspaper
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Elva Orozco
rights: Jorge Mederos Executive Editor La Raza Chicago Inc. jorge.mederos@laraza.com August 13, 2007
language: spa

LUV CNU - "Children of April"
description: LUV CNU was formed in April of this year especially to record the song "Children of April", which is a tribute to the victims lost at Virginia Tech on 4/16/07. Based at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, where three of the vocalists go, LUV CNU offers this song as a gift to the VT community. A "no vocals" version has been added in case anyone wants to use the song to pay their own tribute. It is our hope that this song will bring some comfort to those who need it, and honor all of the victims who so richly deserve it. LUV CNU is: Emily Bettendorf, freshman, CNU - vocals. Joe Fitzpatrick, freshman, CNU - vocals and bass guitar. Frank Jordan, songwriter - vocals and guitar. Jason Kronstain, senior, Denbigh High - drums. Geyo Maganis, senior, Bruton High - keyboards. Will Smith, freshman, CNU - vocals. Tommy Fisher recorded and mixed Frank Jordan's tracks. Woody Bradfield of Independent Recording Services (I.R.S.) arranged the strings and recorded the remaining tracks, then mixed and mastered them all. Original Source: http://www.myspace.com/childrenofapril
creator: LUV CNU
date: 2007-05-20
contributor: Brent Jesiek
language: eng

LYONS: The impact of sports during tragedy
description: By:Chris Lyons Posted: 4/19/07 Originally, I was planning on writing a column about the debauchery that is Marathon Monday. As one of the biggest days here at our school, it only seemed right to dedicate an entire column taking a look at the day many students compare to Christmas. Everything started out according to plan. As the day began and the race went off with minimal rain. It seemed as though all would turn out OK. It's amazing how things can change in a blink of an eye. Since coming to school here at BU, I've stressed over numerous "problems" that all college students go through when they arrive in a new environment. Making friends, meeting girls (or boys) and rooting for athletic teams that give everyone stress at some point or another. Education, of course, can be thrown into this category as well. None of those seemed to matter when I went to check my computer Monday morning while taking a break in the Marathon action. As I went to ESPN.com as I always do, the breaking news at Virginia Tech put everything into perspective. All the things I constantly worry about as a sports fan were irrelevant once again. Suddenly, the marathon didn't matter. The Red Sox game being played down the street didn't matter. The wins and losses of Boston University athletics that I've worried about for the past three years didn't matter. Feelings reminiscent of those I had when I first heard of the Columbine High School shootings and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks rushed into my head. It seemed as though the death toll continued to rise each time I refreshed the page until the number reached 32 killed by a crazed gunman. Trying to talk about athletics at the time of a tragedy of this magnitude almost seems senseless. No matter how much passion we put into supporting or playing sports, they are just games at the end of the day. But somehow, sports always help play a huge role in the recovery process in situations like these. Columbine's football team's success the season after th…
creator: Chris Lyons
publisher: The Daily Free Press
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: Matt Negrin <editor@dailyfreepress.com>
language: eng

making sense of virginia tech
description: Beauty and Depravity | eugene cho's blog [eugenecho.com] Like everyone else - here [Seattle], there [Virginia], West [United States, East [Korea], and everywhere, I am trying to make sense of something that is simply - senselesss. Personally, the emotions have been even more convoluted because I am Korean-American. I am a Korean immigrant [immigrated at the age of 6] and understand the immigrant experience; I am a Korean-American Immigrant Male [who even shares the same last name - 'C-H-O' - as the gunman]. I am a Christian pastor involved in the institution of Religion that Seung Hui Cho criticized and expressed disappointment. For these reasons, many have asked, called, IM'd, and emailed asking me to share some of my thoughts - as a person, a Christian, an immigrant, a pastor, but especially as a Korean-American man. I'm sharing some thoughts [some which are still in vomitaceous process] in hopes that we can dialogue here - that it may serve as part of the healing and redemptive process. Monday night was an incredibly eerie day for me. After watching the news with incredulity and horror, I posted a blog entry about the tragedy in Virginia Tech. About 9pm [PST], I began to literally have over hundred people instantaneously get to my blog in a span of two hours. Search Views | seung cho blog 18, cho virginia tech myspace 17, virginia tech shooting cho 17, cho 15, cho virginia tech 15, virginia tech cho 13, cho virginia 9, virginia tech student shooter Cho 9, virginia shooter cho myspace 8, Sung Cho Blacksburg 7, virginia tech blog cho 7, blog virginia tech 2, cho seung virginia tech shooting 2, Cho, Korean, Blacksburg 2CHO, virginia shooting korean 2, Virginia Tech Myspace Cho 2, Cho myspace virginia tech 2, Cho Seung virginia tech 2, virginia tech cho shooting 2, Myspace Cho Virginia Tech 2, "Cho" Blacksburg 2, viginia tech cho korea shooting 2, "Cho" virginia tech korea myspace 2, cho virginia tech shoot 2, korean virginia tech cho 2, pastoral health 2, quest euge…
creator: Eugene Cho
date: 2007-06-16
contributor: Brent Jesiek
rights: Eugene Cho (eugene@seattlequest.org)
language: eng

Mantras can't make miracles
description: Although meditation can help ease stress, it won't cure what really ails students, society By Lara Loewenstein Thursday, May 3, 2007 Film director David Lynch has the answer to the itching question of how to stop school shootings forever - he's going to teach 1 million students transcendental meditation. I'm almost waiting for Tom Cruise to announce his plan to convert a second million to Scientology. Transcendental meditation is a practice in which participants sit comfortably with their eyes closed and recite a mantra for 20 minutes, twice a day. Unlike other forms of meditation, TM is not meant to involve any form of concentration or effort other than finding the time to practice it. Courses to learn TM cost about $2,500. It almost sounds like nap time. Expensive nap time. But the David Lynch Foundation wants to teach us. For free. Or rather, they want to fund UCLA to teach us - he's providing the funds for schools that want to include TM in their curriculum in order to end school violence. All the schools have to do is contact him. Unfortunately, I don't think UCLA is going to take up the offer. Unfortunate because TM does have some proven benefits - namely, reducing blood pressure and stress. But TM is not proven to stop violence. And honestly, I don't know what problems Lynch thinks people have that can all be eased with TM. Maybe all his frustrations with film directing can be fixed. But TM isn't going to put an end to concrete problems college students face such as paying school loans. And it certainly isn't going to solve mental instability, seemingly the cause of the recent Virginia Tech shooting. But even with all the things TM won't do, during the Web cast on Tuesday, Lynch, so-called quantum physicist John Hagelin and singer-song writer Donovan gave me an idea of what TM would do. After telling their personal stories about discovering TM, Hagelin described specifically how TM works. According to him, meditation allows the mind to settle inward, causing …
creator: Lara Loewenstein
date: 2007-07-15
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: Saba Riazati <editor@media.ucla.edu>
language: eng

Mariacristina Blog Archive for Virginia Tech
description: Arms Control Begins at Home April 29, 2007 at 3:28 pm · Filed under Virginia Tech, compassion, meditation, violence I need to be hit with a ton of bricks for a message to sink in. For a long time I've spoken about gun control, nuclear disarmament, and crisis prevention, but it took the VT massacre to finally get the message. I know this must appear selfish to the millions of people across the globe who wake up to gunshots on a regular basis, but since my own personal life is relatively peaceful, I didn't do anything overt to help stop violence. Until now. I used to think that all I could do was to practice a non-reactionary life by not exploding in anger toward those who cross me. Even though anger management and meditation on a worldwide scale to me is the answer to violence, I now think political activism must also be added to my list of solutions. No more cheering from the sidelines. My voice will be heard beyond the walls of my comfortable home. -- Making sense of slaughter April 20, 2007 at 7:17 pm · Filed under Virginia Tech, violence At the Virginia Tech memorial service, Nikki Giovanni gave a moving and memorable speech. Her words were poetry in motion, urging the students to "embrace their mourning". She reminded us that no victim ever asked to be rubbed out, citing examples of atrocities from Africa to the Appalachians. As an individual, I can shape what I want my life to be by acting on my dreams. That's what the students and teachers at VT were doing. But somehow their dream got tangled up with a madman's nightmare. Caught defensless and unaware, they were slaughtered as if they were still targets on a shooting range. Easy to mark. No, this guy wasn't insane. He chose to commit evil. But a long time ago a shift had taken place in his mind that separated him from the rest of the human race. He wasn't born evil. He had to become the monster. Something or someone shaped him into what he was. Where does evil begin? How do I reconcile the opposing images of s…
creator: Christine Swint
date: 2007-05-25
contributor: Brent Jesiek
language: eng

Mary Karen Read
description: Items left at the memorial plaque of Mary Read on the drillfield. Photo taken on 4-27-07. Photo by Teri H. Hoover.
creator: Teri H. Hoover
date: 2008-04-21
contributor: Kacey Beddoes
rights: Teri H. Hoover <crystalirisphotos@gmail.com>
language: eng

Mary Karen Read
description: Items left at the memorial plaque of Mary Read on the drillfield. Photo taken on 4-24-07. Photo by Teri H. Hoover.
creator: Teri H. Hoover
date: 2008-04-21
contributor: Kacey Beddoes
rights: Teri H. Hoover <crystalirisphotos@gmail.com>
language: eng