Friday, April 20, 2007

Virginia Tech: what can we learn from it?

Virginia Tech. 16 March 2007. 32 innocent (plus 1 not-so-innocent) lives lost. What can we learn from it?

The Herald Sun today compiled a moving snapshot of the lives of the people ended so abruptly by the senseless event. It was a simple yet compelling article, of which the first few paragraph I plagiarised shamelessly here:

THEY were the future. Thirty-two young adults and their Virginia Tech teachers studying languages, engineering, biology, political science -- the building blocks of a better world.

They came from all over the US and from abroad -- Peru, Indonesia, India.

A sullen loner not only killed them, he destroyed families, friendships and networks across the globe.

If you are interested to read more, click here.

In fact, you can feel more about the senselessness of this mass massacre after you read the myspace profiles of these people. Most of them are like me and you: happy, innocent, carefree peple at the peak of their lives. There's a link to their MySpace via MyDeathSpace.

It is all so sad...

School is supposed to be a santuary...

But what can we all learn from this?

That the US is stupid and should have gun control laws passed long ago?
That if you are an Asian student you are potentially a mass killer?
That the university should act more urgently after the first killing?
That the killer's teacher and friends should pick up the warning signs earlier?
Perhaps we should care more about people around us?

I hope everyone will learn something from this event, however senseless it may be or inconsequential it may seems.
Take a moment to reflect, to think.
They will die in vain if we do not learn something from their death.
It can be as simple as cherish life.
Or live life to the fullest.

May them rest in peace...

1 comment:

changyang1230 said...

I learnt the irony that the hundreds of thousands of civilians who died in Iraq doesn't attract as much attention as 32 people who died in US. Of course I feel sorrowful for them. I could feel the sadness and chill for the past few days. But at the same time, I just can't help exploring the irony behind our different set of standards and compassions when it comes to different people.