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Getting On : All My Politics
Virginia Tech: Tragedy, or Opportunity? | from conan - Friday, May 25, 2007
accessed 1392 times I wrote the following rant while watching a baseball game, and yes, there are a few made up words in it. I sent it to several newspapers in the area of the city I live to see if they would publish it. Anyways, enjoy if you can! I figured that if anything this would break up the monotonous banter on here...we shall see! Okay, when is enough, enough? I’m so sick of hearing about Virginia Tech and their grieving process or funds created or donated to help them heal. On Wednesday, May 23, 2007, the New York Yankees professional baseball franchise donated one million dollars, that’s right…ONE MILLION FRIGGING DOLLARS, to the Virginia Tech ‘Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund’. The Hokies, for those readers who don’t know, is the nickname of the school’s sports teams and by default the campus population and fans across the country.
What does the ‘Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund’ do? Well, according to Virginia Tech president Dr. Charles W. Steger, it’s designed to help with the ‘rehabilitation of the university after the tragedy of the April 16th massacre’.
So the university needs rehabilitation? Can this really be happening? Is our nation so pussified that over six weeks after a lunatic senselessly ends 32 lives an entire school and the surrounding community still feels like it needs to be rehabilitated at the expense of the nation, private industry, and professional sports franchises and athletes?
According to dictionary.com and the online Webster Dictionary, rehabilitate means:
1. to restore to a condition of good health, ability to work, or the like.
2. to restore to good condition, operation, or management, as a bankrupt business.
3. to reestablish the good reputation of (a person, one's character or name, etc.).
4. to restore formally to former capacity, standing, rank, rights, or privileges.
Now, maybe I’m missing something here in the double speak of today’s media terminology and bullshit meter, but it seems to me that in order for the Virginia Tech campus and community to be rehabilitated, it would require that they first are incapacitated to work, perform their daily function, operate smoothly or repair a tarnished reputation. I don’t see any of those as legitimate factors stemming from Seung-Hui Cho’s insanity. To the contrary, if he did anything it was to raise the awareness of the school, its campus and faculty and by his diabolical act alone created a feeling of compassion and fortitude within that community.
Dr. Steger commented further when asked what specifically the million dollar tax write-off was going to be used to accomplish; to ‘help with counseling services and provide general support to help families with their expenses, to help the community to try and heal and come back together’. When asked how the school and it’s student body were ‘getting through’ this difficult time, he replied that ‘we have a remarkably resilient community particularly the student body. They have been absolutely extraordinary…it’ll take a while to go through the grieving process and to overcome this but they’ll draw support and get through it with the help of things like tonight. You’re in a state of shock and have to work through that process and it’s still under way.’
Now there’s a surprise! A million dollars is going to help that community feel better about themselves again! Gee, go figure! I understand that it was tragic and senseless and all that other mumbo jumbo, but how many people were completely unaffected? The majority of the campus didn’t know that there had been a shooting until after many students left classes and were told to take cover or whisked away to safety. The campus itself was hardly disturbed during the height of the pandemonium. Most students didn’t know what had happened until watching the news or reading stories on the Internet.
This wasn’t even on the campus-wide scale that Columbine had been where every student knew what was happening while it was happening as the two perpetrators made their way methodically around campus and often engaged in conversation with their victims before killing them and turning their weapons around on themselves. That tragedy affected that whole school and that whole community. How many college students pay attention to the rest of the student body a month before finals? Almost none. I say this as a college student and one who interacts with college students as well. The students of Virginia Tech were distracted by the insane media coverage more so than they were by the killings, and the fact that this story is still generating headlines and outcry is just a terrible thing to have to witness.
Dr. Steger joked during his interview with the Yankee broadcasters that he was aggressively trying to find ways to fit ‘several thousand more seats’ into the stadium at VT where their football games are played, as he believed that there would be a more popular demand for people in the community to attend and ‘show their support’ for the school. Gee, I wonder what inspired that notion? You think a million dollars will help? Of course Dr. Steger wants more seats, because more seats means more tickets sold which means more revenue. Already Dr. Steger was able to boast that ‘acceptance and total applicants are increased substantially from this time last year’ which he then went on to describe as miraculous.
Please tell me I’m not the only one who sees the incredulous hypocrisy of the whole scene and wants to see this story disappear. Yes it’s true that I’m bringing it back up and rehashing on it, but that’s because I’m incredulous as to the audacity of the VT brass as well as the media and consequently, the American public. Enough is enough is enough!
There are so many more pressing issues in this country and internationally that need so much more of our peoples’ awareness, time, energy and effort to eradicate or change that it sickens me how much of our attention this story has managed to distract from the real issues at hand. Like the continued pussification of the Democratic congress and their back peddling already over the Iraq war and their stance on troop withdrawal and benchmarks for success. Or the new immigration bill that has everyone up in arms but no public outrage as no one seems to be able to either understand or explain the new bill to us thoroughly enough to convey what needs to happen or be fixed.
What about our governments continued ignoring of the energy crisis and environmental stability and climate change. Why is it that we are so content to be lulled into a sense of urgency over deaths of some students but still seem numb when told about yet another car bomb in Iraq or a bombing in Turkey last week (which didn’t even make the nightly news in America but could only be found online) or the continued embarrassment of our executive branch of government in their botched D.A. firings and subsequent cover-up and denial. Where did the media’s outrage and investigations and 24-hour coverage on those stories go? Where are the donation of funds to eradicate the rampant corruption in Washington D.C.? Where are the memorial funds for the families of those who died in Iraq during involuntarily extended tours of duty or for those who were incapacitated in some way and don’t have the proper therapy or means to pursue an active, ‘normal’, healthy life back home with their families? Why is this country so fucking stupid that all of its priorities are skewed to the point that we have become so divided with no concrete or solid plan to point us in a direction forward laid out by any party or individual currently running for president? Is it any wonder that our borders are failing when we can’t even graduate the majority of our minority students?
Fuck me, it’s frustrating being an American these days!
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Reader's comments on this article Add a new comment on this article |  from chann
Monday, June 11, 2007 - 22:12
 (Agree/Disagree?)
this is PRINCE C...........they banned me from posting for a week........that ban hasnt been lifted for abt 3 weeks now.......lift it......anyways....id like to start by saying that im so fucking cool i got people calling themselves "prince a"........secondly, im a composer, u raving u two raving idiots......my first article was looking for lyricists......hahaha........u two wont work tho.....plz lift my ban movingon....:)
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| | | | | | | | | | from Tinaph80
Sunday, June 10, 2007 - 09:00
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You're a crack head.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | |  From Samuel
Sunday, June 10, 2007, 14:47
(Agree/Disagree?)
LOL, well if you had come here in the earlier days you could have taken advantage of the Spell Checker that used to be hosted on this site. Now you have no defense against the Spelling Nazis! BWAH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!
Maybe if we all gang up on Johnnie Walker when he makes his next spelling mistake, it will give him the motivation needed to fix the Spell Checker :o)
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| | from Moonsetter
Friday, June 01, 2007 - 17:58
(Agree/Disagree?)
Cho was another fish out of water who was sickened by modern society and its shallowness and meaninglessness.
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| from prince c
Sunday, May 27, 2007 - 21:00
(Agree/Disagree?)
the whole lesson with virginia tech is......unsymmectricality.....look at his eyes.....they are not symmectrical........the mark of an evil genuis....beware unsymetrical eyes...
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| from prince c
Sunday, May 27, 2007 - 20:48
(Agree/Disagree?)
u fool....."tragedy or opportunity"?......an option in where it was not a tragedy is really fucking dumb.....not very of brain....
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| From conan
Sunday, May 27, 2007, 21:26
 (Agree/Disagree?)
While I seriously doubt that it would be much of an argument as to who is more 'of brain' on this site, my point in posting this article wasn't to debate whether or not the shootings were a tragedy or not but whether or not the tale was being used to promote the devastation and awareness or to make an opportunity to make some money off the memory of a tragedy. I thought that would have been clear from reading my article, but whatever...I guess you're not very of brain(reply to this comment) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | from madly
Saturday, May 26, 2007 - 17:42
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Although, it was a tragic event and I do feel sorry for the families of the victims, I would have to agree with you that it has been taken to an extreme and I believe the reason is far too obvious… money and profits. It is sad when people look to find opportunity out of catastrophe, but let’s be honest… being a victim brings in the big bucks. Why would they want to let it die when they can make it last and ride the wave of cash coming in for a time?
People get so caught up with charities and causes that it is easy to play on their emotions and their pocket books and of course it is usually tax deductible as well. Why would they want to stop broadcasting the news of such traumatic events when they know people will tune in to watch? Where some see disaster many see dollar signs. Until we stop watching and overreacting… they will continue to give us what we want and make tons of money in the process. It is really our own fault in the end because we create the need and they simply provide the hype we secretly desire.
It IS frustrating to be an American these days, almost embarrassing at times. We are such a lazy and overdramatic country that is so sheltered and so self centered that we don’t have any clue as to what is really going on in the world. Thousands die everyday, but we are only touched and moved to action when they die in our own country. As if the rest of the planet doesn’t count in the same way. Why is that, I wonder? Maybe that is why it is said that you should respect bacteria as it is the only “culture” some people have. We are a closed minded society waiting for something to entertain us. We don’t act… we react and we don’t live… we watch. So bring on the show and give us the best act you can. We love it! It makes us forget how dull and pathetic our little average lives are.
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| | | | From jolifam77
Saturday, May 26, 2007, 20:56
(Agree/Disagree?)
I'll add that viewing the above news clip, is seeing something surreal. A horrible thing occurs to two innocent people, and our benevolent news media makes light of it or ignores it. The U.S. News media is worse than the media put out of the Family--Pure Propaganda, no two ways about it. It's surreal because you can always predict the manner in which the media will treat racial issues and will always side with minorities and demonize any one trying to make a point about race, and the fact that blacks are preying on whites all over the place. Statistics show that blacks are much more violent than whites. That's the simple truth. It's a crime that the media isn't warning whites about how dangerous blacks are. The mainstream media operates as one body, just as the tentacles of the Family leadership and publications permeated our every day lives, the U.S. mainstream media (MSM) controls us, our thoughts, actions, etc.(reply to this comment) |
| | From rainy
Sunday, May 27, 2007, 03:01
(Agree/Disagree?)
I agree with part of what you're saying, Joli. The propaganda on mainstream American news broadcasts is sickening, and they constantly talk down to their audience as though they (by virtue of being news anchors I suppose) have some monopoly on morality. It's unbearable to watch. And if anyone gets on one of those shows with an opposing viewpoint to what is mainstram and acceptable, the condescending sniggers begin, mimicked by, I assume, most Americans at home. The smugness that comes across...and the homogonised thoughts being spoon-fed. The fear of being labeled unpatriotic that keeps them from honestly analysing so many issues, this is why I do not have cable TV.(reply to this comment) |
| | From rainy
Sunday, May 27, 2007, 03:07
(Agree/Disagree?)
I suppose I should also discuss the part I strongly disagree with you about...I just didn't want to start this whole thing up again. But if the news program was as you suggested, warning whites against blacks, it would be just as much biased propaganda, but it would be hate-filled, xenophobia-inciting propaganda. Do you really want the LA riots this year? And do you really think you can put a label on an entire race of people? I think that the news broadcasts promoting tolerance is a wonderful thing. We have new generations, and the hope is they will never know the ridiculous feuds of yesteryear. Children don't understand racism. It has to be taught. Let's not teach it.(reply to this comment) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | From Samuel
Monday, May 28, 2007, 17:39
(Agree/Disagree?)
So you expect me to give this guy a break? Not gonna do it! I told him in chat just yesterday that I will be mean when I think he needs it so don't take it personally. I like the guy, he minds me of myself before I took a few crash courses in the lessons of life. I don't, however, appreciate your high and mighty attitude. You're aren't any better than anyone esle, so get off your high horse and quit acting like you are.
And by the way, I posted this second comment on "your thread" just to annoy you :)(reply to this comment) |
| | From Samuel
Monday, May 28, 2007, 19:59
(Agree/Disagree?)
Okay, conan, you were right about me showing preference to Madly, but I still think you were wrong about my intentions and the reasons why I was doing it. I happen to enjoy talking to Madly. She's fun, easy to talk to about just about anything, and I feel I can trust her. I feel I can open up to her in a way I could never open up to someone in real life, without her being judgmental.
Is she the only one? No, I feel I can trust vix, Johnnie Walker, Rainy, sar, a few others. But for the most part, I can't open up in a comment on the main site without people judging me. But I admit it to preferring Madly, and I admit that I was probably abusing her kindness just before she left the site a couple months ago, and I am sorry for that. It was unfair to her, and it was unfair to me because I was using Madly as a crutch. I guess you could say I was letting other people think for me instead of thinking for myself. I'd actually look forward to coming to the site late at night in hopes that Madly would be there.
Yes, I do have a bad habit of defending people who I consider my friends before they have a chance to defend themselves. I guess I feel like I owe it to them, I don't know. I think it probably has to do with that fact that I neevr would have made it through middle school without encouragement from my friends, so I realize how much that encouragement can mean. And I guess I rationalize and think because I feel better when I get encouragement from my friends, everyone else needs it to, and I should give it to them. But of course, not everyone is the same way. We're all different. I guess some people are irritated by the idea that they need encouragement from someone else, and that is understandable. (reply to this comment) |
| | | | | | | | | | | from prince c
Saturday, May 26, 2007 - 01:09
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"i know someone (on this site) loves me, i know someone watches meee, i know someone keeps me, and writes....terrrms of use"
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| from prince c
Friday, May 25, 2007 - 22:20
(Agree/Disagree?)
why dont you answer that question under here?........now
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| from ErikMagnusLehnsher
Friday, May 25, 2007 - 20:18
(Agree/Disagree?)
I'm picking at details here but "Chan Ho Park"? Chan Ho Park's just an overpaid Korean Pitcher. Or was this an intential name change?
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