As you know I am a writer for my school newspaper and I am submitting this column for the next issue. I will post each version of it, and please let me know what you think as I go.
~Ian
School shootings are nothing new in this incredibly violent society we live in.
There have been five multiple murders at schools around the nation in the last 51 years.
Until April 16, the incident at the
Charles Whitman killed 15 people and wounded 31 in his 1966 killing spree.
The
Neither of these disasters measured up to the events at
Cho Seung-Hui, a VTU student, created scenes of terror and death across the campus, killing 32 people, injuring at least 28, and then taking his own life.
While these horrible events have affected the families and friends of the victims the most, the reach of the tragedies is far and wide, creating panic and fear in schools nationwide.
When I was in junior high, I never feared going to school except when I wasn’t ready for a test or forgot to do a project.
When Columbine happened during my eighth grade year, I began to fear what could happen to me at school.
Everyone wondered if it would happen on their campus, creating a panic around the
It scares me to know that I might know someone who could commit such evil acts.
The slaughter at Virginia Tech brings the fear of school violence into the national spotlight again.
Now we must worry about the possibility of something like the VTU killings happening here at Bacone, or anywhere else for that matter.
These school shootings bring to light the fact that we live in an increasingly violent society and must always worry what next disaster will befall our culture.
We must constantly be aware of the possibility of another tragedy, because thinking that it will never happen again would be ignorant.
Instead we need to ask ourselves and our schools what they are doing to ensure our safety.
What kind of security do our schools have in place to protect us from such violence?
Are we safe in our classrooms and hallways?
These are the questions that Bacone needs to answer.
The VTU shootings will fuel many new policies and bring changes to campuses, but at the cost of 32 innocent lives.
My heart goes out to the people affected by these heinous events, and I keep them in my thoughts and prayers.
It is sad that it takes things like Columbine, 9/11, and the killings at Virginia Tech to unite the nation.
I wish we could be united by the greatest things we do instead of the very worst.
3 comments:
The first thing I thought of when I heard on the radio 101 the WRIF about the shootings was the 1966 shooting.. It is a tragedy and I hope that schools will do more to insure they are ready for anything like this incase it is to happen again.. What we all need to remember is that we are all important and we are all human.. Don't get me wrong I am not defending what happened but all I am saying it that this guy was sick and needed help.. He needed someone to notice him and with poor communitcation with his family he had no one to turn to. Even when he wrote those sick letters in his english class he wsn't tended to.. Was this a desperate cry for help?? Think about the quiet guy in one of your classes and ask your self if you have ever smiled at him and said "Good moring" or "How are you today?" People..Kid's are mean these days.. Things like this are going to continue to happen until we learn to respect our peers and make them feel like they are worth something.. Children!! Are killing themselves because they can't handle the pressure anymore!! What is wrong with us??
Now this guy i question was very sick and he didn't care who he was shooting..whether it be the jocks or the loners ..Whatever.. But it is still something to think about right?
some people are very disturbed and may be sick. I think sometimes, they create their own relaities where everyone is against them and wronging them, so they lash out in such terrible ways. Its a terrible shame... so so terrible...
Ian
I have learned over the years that blogger is a give and take.. If you want people to read what you have to say then you have to read them as well.. What I do is find people that I like then read the people they like.. I don't always have time to do this and I post in sperts but it is fun!! And I love reading interesting people.. which are find to find these days since spam started taking over
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