One time too many … but then, they all are

[aadler]

 
Though my current duty location is out of the country, even here the flags are at half-mast.

The scale of what was done at Virginia Tech shakes any civilized sensibilities, but the man’s actions were all too familiar. Any time someone sets out to kill large numbers of people (strangers, usually, targets of opportunity, chosen simply because he’s decided he wants to engage in mass slaughter), the motive is the same, the impulse is the same. He may be stopped — or run out of available victims — before he gets more than two or three, or he may run his tally up into the dozens … but, ultimately, it’s the same. Malevolence beyond the understanding of decency. Something that puts him totally outside humanity. Hate in bodily form.

This man had luck and location on his side, along with some planning: reports say he chained several of the exit doors before beginning, to hinder the escape of those in the building. Every time one of these events makes the headlines, similar people all over the country start taking notes, trying to figure out how to do it even better if they ever decide to go out in an explosion of murder.

They always commit suicide. Not one time in twenty is one of these filthy cowards stopped by police; they empty their weapons, keep reloading till they run out of targets, then find a secluded spot and kill themselves.

I wish there were some way to convince them to shoot themselves first. But then, I suppose the whole point is for them to inflict as much death and anguish as possible before they make their exit.

There is no cure for such things. (This post makes some skeptical observations on the likely response.) Evil has always existed and always will. The only sane response is to look to our own humanity, do everything in our power to apply it to everyone we deal with. Love the people around us, pray for the ones we can’t reach, do whatever is possible to improve the small corner of the world that we touch.

Every time we see something like this on BREAKING NEWS, the first thought is, Oh, God, not again.

But there’s always another one after that.

Comments

[lmzjewel.livejournal.com]

I heard on a news report that in a class there he attended he was called the "question mark boy" because the professor did some sort of exercise where he/she would call out each student's name and the student who was called out would say something about themselves, hobbies, interests, whatnot. Anyway, I believe thats what they said the exercise was. Anyway, he wrote his name down as "question mark" when the professor got to him, he/she asked if that was his real name. They said he always sat in the back of the class and never engaged in anything. Yet, this guy through his notes seemed to hate women, religion, and rich kids, he said. Pretty much everybody and everything from the sound of it. Yet, he never engaged in conversations with anybody enough to know anything about the people and things he was hating. I guess he didn't have much in life that he could say he was a success at. Although, in his poor excuse for a life he did succeed at one thing... he went from being question mark to being an evil, hateful, bastard. I realize that this isn't a very kind assessment to make of him, certainly not christian, but I don't feel that I'm off in it's accuracy. My heart really does hurt though for his parents, you know, cause you raise a child up and you want whats best for them and you hope that they grow up and excell and are happy in their life. And "G" to have your son grow up and do something this evil and cruel and to also know that he was so unhappy bitter would have to be so heartbreaking. I can't even imagine. I also hurt so much for the parents, family, and friends of his vicitms. So many people who had so much going for them just to have it cut short is just so very cruel. But, your right, of course, all you can do is the best that you can do and try to do good where your at and with what you've been given. If not, then people like him win. And I really hate it when people like him win.

LMZ

[aadler]

I realize that this isn’t a very kind assessment to make of him, certainly not Christian, but I don’t feel that I’m off in its accuracy.

He neither sought nor deserves kindness. And there’s nothing un-Christian in calling someone what he is/was: in this case, an evil, hateful bastard, with a long list of other names that could be added without ever straying from the truth.

… I really hate it when people like him win.

He didn’t win. The events of that day were his vengeful exit from a life at which he had failed in every respect. He was a contemptible nothing, and no amount of blood or bullets will ever change that.