This is a terrible terrible ordeal for these poor people. The question is how could the shooting have started in the dorms at 7 a.m and two hours lapsed before more shooting occurred in the campus. Why wasn't this person captured.

I suspect that after today's events -- all colleges and universities will be putting in infrastructure for tightened security and response procedures. I know some students and parents are saying that they should've cancelled classes right away. But, this type of event could've have been just as deadly if that had happened (with the gunman shooting indiscriminately at anyone he encountered). Like everyone else, I'm shocked and saddened by the senseless killing of these students.

My thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in this horrible event. Will we ever truly understand why these things happen?

My comments are extreme sorrow for the families and loved ones of this evil tragedy.

My hope is that this nation turns its face to Jesus and bow the knees to sincerely pray for America and its people, to turn its face from wickedness and hatred and repent, that this great land be healed and its people set free.

This incident will not be the last of its kind as long as "safe" campuses ban firearms. The situation may have turned out very differently had one teacher or administrator been armed.

Madmen and criminals do NOT obey laws. They will not obey gun bans either. Anyone who believes otherwise is a victim of their own naivety.

Virginia voted down a proposal to allow LEGALLY obtained firearms on campus and made an idiotic statement about how it would keep their campuses safe. I hope it is oft quoted in the future.

Banning firearms only creates killing fields for the madmen and criminals who will always have access.

This is absolutely absurd. More measures need to be taken into acct for the safety of schools, daycares, etc..

It's seems like the world has gone madd. If I can't send my sone to college and have him safe?

Unspeakably sad day....Thoughts with the whole Va Tech family.

Take the guns away. How many deaths does it take to realize that there are too many people who can not be trusted to have access to guns. Some will say that owning guns is a right - but we will lose other more cherished rights as we try to install metal detectors everywhere, restrict movement everywhere, lock down our lifestyle - all because guns are more difficult to restrict than people. I have two children in college and I value their freedom to live in relative safety more than anyone's freedom to have guns.

I am a proud alumnus of Virginia Tech, so my comments are clouded by my sincere love for that university. The Hokie Nation of over 200,000 living alumni is resilient, and we will convey to the country and the world that our institution of higher learning will continue to grow and prosper, and we will not let one man ruin a time-tested and venerable university that is sincerely beloved by so many. Hokie For Life. Thank you.

I went to Va Tech and lived in West Ambler Johnson for 3 years. I was there only a few weeks ago for an alumni reunion. It was as peaceful then as I remember from 25 years ago. I am truly devastated and feel incredible pain and sadness for the families of those who suffered in this tragedy. My thoughts and prayers are with them.

As a student at Longwood University in Farmville, VA, I was shocked to hear President Steger say during his press conference that dormitories at Tech are unlocked and open during the daytime. How could they leave their students so vulnerable.

Even at small Longwood, all dorms require your student ID to enter and each ID is dorm-specific. After the gunman that was found on Tech's campus earlier this year, I'm appalled that the same policy wouldn't be carried out at such a large school.

Have the gun control supporters finally learned their lesson yet? Schools and churches are some of the only places in VA that one cannot legally carry a firearm for self-defense. It's time to ensure that our students have the ability to protect themselves! No law, no regulation--nothing can stop these psychos from killing lots of people..the only question is whether we will be able to protect ourselves or not. Always remember- Guns save lives! 2.5 million defensive uses per year...and counting.

What happend today was a tradgedy and my deepest sympathy's go to the families of the victims. But unfortunetly that is as far as my compassion goes. I live in Australia I can not for the life for me understand what is wrong with your sick country, you preech that you are the envy of the civilised world yet you kill each other like its a national sport, you hide behind an archaic so-caled 'right' that you need to bear arms. From who are you bearing these arms against... yourselves? Thankfully my country after sufering a massacre of similar scope a decade ago had the common sense and moral fortitude to impose restrictions on gun ownership, not ban but restrictions especially on types and magazine capacities and we have not had one massacre or large scale incident since, in fact gun related crimes are almost zero now. Why cant your country wake up and take a stand against something you surely know needs to be changed im sure your founding fathers would have more than understood that the time for every man and his dog having a small arsenal in his garage has gone the way of the steam engine. Please do not getme wrong I am not America bashing here I think very highly your country and I think their are many great aspects about your country but please for your own sakes grow up and move on from this pathetic and childish obsession with guns it is litterally destroying your country and embaresses your great nation internationaly. Laws can be changed you just need to have the courage to make that change hopefully the events of today will give you that courage.

Hi,
I was shocked today and so sorry for the families of those students who's lives have been taken so prematuerly.
i am English, and live in England, in my country you do not have a constitutional right to bear arms, I understand why your great nations founding farthers believed that it was needed to defend your fledgling nation, but that was 300yrs ago! How many more pointless deaths until you realise the only people who have a right to carry a gun are those appointed to defend you?
God bless

why is there no blood on the female, white w/white shirt and her arms pulled up? Why are the 4 policemen carrying the man from the football field looking amused and there is no blood on his body whichdoes not look limp? Why were there not sirens to alert the students? and why was there not a lock-down on every room after the shooting in the dorm and where were the swat team after that original shooting? Too many holes in this.

All the students, faculty and family members effected by this horrible, senseless tragedy will be in my prayers.

I found it wholely inappropriate for our President to include a 2nd Amendment plug in his condolences.

I am a parent and a faculty member at a large university. I went to Radford for a graduate degree so I am familiar with the Blacksburg area and the Tech campus. I cannot even begin to fathom a tragedy of this magnitude. The students and staff of Tech are in my thoughts and I hope that the community will come together in mourning and in healing. Again, my thoughts are with the community of Tech.

DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR I GAVE THE NEWS AT 5 AM EACH DAY OVER LOUDSPEAKERS PLACED ALL OVER THE CAMP LOCATED IN THE USA WHY CANT COLLEGE CAMPUSES DO THE SAME FOR EMERGENCIES

This is a tragic situation and my heart aches for the families of the victims. My husband is a college professor who is researching targeted school violence. We have been shocked at the lack of funding for research in this area. Quality research will help gain an understanding of these incidents and help develop ways to avert them.

The University President failed the students and should be fired for not broadcasting campus wide that there was a shooting on campus and the shooter was still loose. The police cannot stand back-they must go forward and confront shooters.

I'm Regina Alvarez in Sacramento, CA and I just want to tell all of you in Virginia Tech you are in our prayers. I will have my church pray for all those families that lost love ones and those who need the strength to go on with life, and continue to stand by you all. We're all americans and in these times we as americans have to remember to be there for each other in time of need.......You are all in my prayers!!.........SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA LOVES YOU ALL!!

Dear All:

This is just a comment about the "what if factor". What if the school locked down the campus earlier? Maybe the victims stayed in their classrooms and were killed because of a lock down. What if the police had shut down the campus? Maybe the suspect would have gone to an elementary school or a restaurant, then what?

No one seems to care that the under paid police and emergency personnel were running toward the danger and not away.

Ten years from now I hope someone does a study on the emergency personnel that responded to today's tragedy. How many were able to continue with their careers? How many had Family trouble or maybe ended marriages in a divorce? How many end up taking their own lives because of the unfair blame from this event?

I just wish everyone would not try to find blame so quickly! Remember, there was a suspect! Who was he? Why did he do this? Maybe it started with a Bully in third grade. Maybe he was abused by his Parents! Maybe the greater community ignored his cries for help!

It is just too early to try to find or place blame. So please be fair with your questions and reports. Don't make this a bigger tragedy than it already is by placing blame on those who sacrafice their lives everyday in order to make this World a better and safer place.

As I watched and listened to this tragic story unfold, and recall the several incidents of school violence in which the gunmen end up taking their own lifes, I could not help but wonder if we are seeing a form of violence that can be classified as "suicide shooter". We read about the suicide bombers in Iraq and elsewhere. But it sounds like we have our own problems of "suicide shooters" in this country who display the same reckless disregard for life, even if not terroism-related. My thoughts and prayers going out to all affected families of this horrendous tragedy.

As I understand it there is a Candlelight Vigil at Midnight tonight at George Mason University. It will be held at the clock tower.

This is a very sad day for all. Are hearts go out to all the familys and students.You are in our prayers in West Virginia.

We need more guns. Guns, guns, guns, no one will be safe unti all "right" minded people have guns Put them in cereal boxes. Pass them to your friends. This situation will never be resolved by more studies, it is here to stay because if anything incidents like this make more people buy guns. How many people will hand there's in?All we can be do is limit the carnage. Condolences to all on the recieving end of this horror.

We are nutured on violence be it on TV via the news or movies and shows that glorify violence like 24 fro example.

We live by the sword and we perish by it.

Yet we never stop to think about what all this exposure to violence is doing to our kids.

Senseless killings like today's make me a father of two children (due to go to college a few years down the road) want to scream out in anger at the stupidity of people who think guns don't kill, only people do.

Remind sme of thsoe who claim we should legalize drugs as its my body and I have the right to do waht I wish with it. What we know such people ignore is the fact drugs can make the lives of others (the drug users loved ones for example) miserable even though they may not be addicts.

When you make statements about the right to bear arms on the same day 33 lives were lost in one gun related incident you make the NRA seem like the milk board!

This is a terrible tragedy. Question I have is why did the VTech administration not inform students of the 1st shooting and lock down the school. They say that email would not have reached folks on the road and out walking to class.

How about Text Messages?!?! Every student uses text messages on their phone. Why doesn't the university have an emergency system where messages are sent to cell phones (obviously the system has to be in place already and students should be required to register their phone numbers for this service).

I was shocked by the incident and my deep condolences to the families, relatives, friends of the victims. The University President failed the students and should be fired for not broadcasting campus. My prayers to the god to rest their soul in the peace.

What I can't Belive is that they did not warn the students untill two hours after the first attack!?!?

I am so saddened and shocked by this. My heart just goes out to the family and friends of these victims. I live in Chicago, but I'm from Virginia and I was accepted to Tech. I've visited the campus many times, and I loved how peaceful and beautiful it was. This is supposed to be such an exciting and learning time for these young men and women. I hope they can find a way to honor the lives lost and still move forward with their own. The nation's with all of you.

Its unfortunate that the American public doesn't grieve this way every day. In Iraq, this would be a good day. When will the public learn that the policies and actions the government take undeniably influence its citizens. When a government uses violence as a means to an end, don't be suprised to see this often. Also, comments regarding student possesion of handguns in school are some of the most idiotic thoughts I have ever heard. If students in College carried guns, murders would go up. Why is it that the US has the highest gun violence rate in the world. One word, escalation.

My prayers go out to the families and friends who have lost loved ones today....there are no words to explain this tragedy, nor the senseless loss of life that goes on elsewhere in the world every day....

I am a recent Hokie alumni and a police officer in the area around Tech. I see so many comments of people already giving "what if" scenarios and bashing the president and police for not doing this and that. For those that are continually saying "why didnt the campus shut down after two students killed in the first incident"?

From the perspective of being a past student, if you are not familiar with the campus of Virginia Tech it is quite large (2600 acres), several miles across each way, hundreds of buildings, and at least 30,000 people on campus during the time of this incident. Closing campus and evacuating 30,000 people OFF of campus can't be done with the push of a button and especially with this situation it would have created a general panic within the community that would have caused even more problems then solutions. Imagine the traffic jams with several THOUSANDS of cars leaving all at once onto a relatively limited amounts of exits from the university.

Second, as a perspective from a police officer. Stop thinking about CSI and that everything in law enforcement happens instantaneously now. Interviewing witnesses, processing crime scenes, gathering evidence take HOURS and sometimes DAYS depending on the crime. If the first murders happened within two hours, the investigators would have been lucky to get a suspect description and find a few witnesses. However, they had already developed a suspect and information to believe the suspect and already left campus and believed to be fleeing the state from the witness. Never the less, all of you expect a decision to shut down the university which is basically a small town of 30,000 people immediately, especially when the AVAILABLE INFORMATION is that the police believe the suspect left and was gone. Just think about the circumstances and vastness of this tradgedy and stop blaming people already before we know all of the information available and stop turning this into a gun rights tyraid. Oh and by the way most guns criminals use are either stolen or traded to them for drugs, NOT bought at regular gun shops.

Our prayers for the victims and their families of this tragedy. May the God of Peace comfort your hearts.
TDB-Lubbock, Texas

I watched the events unfold at Virginia Tech today, coming to several stark realizations. The first is that these events don't seem to happen in other countries. The second is that they rarely involve poor young Black men. The third is that this nation MUST halt its OBCESSION with GUNS! Any homicidal maniac can get his hands on a gun in this country. Under that scenario, homeland security is a fantasy. I WANT THE NRA TO STOP CONTROLLING THIS ISSUE IN CONGRESS!!!!

terrible, terrible news but one thought comes to my mind, this is a time to start seriously thinking about gun control, nothing like this happend ever in europe, I wonder why....
ciao, Ale

I was a student at Va Tech in the mid-seventies and, though I graduated from another university (GMU), I still consider myself a Hokie. My sorrow is so deep and profound. My prayers and thoughts are with all of the students, faculty and staff at Tech, the parents of those lost or hurt, and the family of the misguided shooter. I hope this great academic institution can recover.

Matt White, you think arming more people is the answer?

G U N C O N T R O L - no guns, no killing. It's not that hard to comprehend

Guns don't kill decent, law-abiding Virginians, crazed Virginians armed with easily obtained weapons kill Virginians. Welcome to the world of the ready handgun.

Despite our strenuous efforts to limit handgun ownership to the very, very few who truly need one, senseless murders occur persistently in New York City, where 90% of the guns come from outside our state, in too many cases up I-95 from ... Virginia.

Why do these massacres occur so predominantly in states with lax or poorly enforced firearms control, where the "gun culture" is honored and respected? How long will it take you people to understand the simple, evident reality that no ordinary person on the street has any business possessing a handgun at all?

It is unbelievable that guards at the campus were unarmed. What the hell are faculty directors thinking? Stupid liberals want to keep guns from the lawful citizens while criminals who never abide by the rules keep killing inocent people!

The NRA. George Bush. The NRA. George Bush. Compassionate conservatism. Dick Cheney. Dick Cheney. Dick Cheney. The NRA. So many dead.

As long as we deny law-abiding students and teachers the right to carry guns for self-defense on campus, these "gun free zones" will be target-rich environments for criminals and madmen.

This is an incredibly sad by-product of the gun culture in the US. My heart goes out to the victims at Virginia Tech and their families.

Surely America it's time to reassess your gun policy. This is the latest in a long line of people bringing guns to schools and opening fire on random students. I wonder what it will take before there is serious talk about reducing the obscene amount of firearms in your society. Why do people need hand guns? Crime and crime prevention seems to be the only answer. Surely rifles are all you need for hunting. This state of affairs is a disgrace... yet another example of the myopic, belligerent politics that runs your country to the detriment of many inside your borders, and to the dismay of those outside.

Really isn't it time to do something about the ease of access to guns in your communities? Again my deepest sympathies to those that have lost loved ones. (Flame away on the second amendment and the right for everyone to carry heinously destructive weapons to defend you from external threats...)

I was just on the NRA site...

It seems this whole thing is Blomberg's fault.

I am shocked, stunned and greatly saddened by this senseless and very violent event. My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims, students, families, the VT community and all those affected. May God bless all those killed, injured and sufferring the effects of this inexplicable tragedy.

This vulgar incident is all the more repulsive in the fact that it has occurred in a place where the young go to build their future. My deepest sympathies go out to the victims, their families, and to all of us who are suffering through this.

However, I must also confess my disgust at the repugnant behavior of news organizations - specifically CNN - in their blatant attempt to twist and exploit this situation in a shameless attempt to build a story before all facts are known.

A disgusting day all around.

It was horrible and unbelievable ... but such violence happens almost every day in Iraq to people as innocent as those college students. Since most people in Iraq have guns (one for the house, one for the car), arming everybody is obviously not the answer to improving public safety.

I'm heartbroken by the tragedy at Virginia Tech but I'm furious with the television news media. They have already decided to crucify the college authorities for their decison to not close the campus after the first shooting. They interviewed shaken students and trid to lead them into criticizing the campus police. As one student pointed out, if they had cancelled classes, the gunman might have gone on to the cafeteria. Obviously it was the wrong decision but they did the best with the information that they had and will be haunted by their decision for the rest of their lives.
Pray God that you never make a mistake and Nancy Grace comes after you. It's not as if she ever made a mistake. Oh wait - she tried and convicted those Duke students who have now been completely exonerated.
This is why Americans hate the press.

As the father of the
Bluffton University baseball team that experienced the love of the nation can anyone tell me if a fund has been set up for the victims and their families? Please let me know at jamesgrandey@yahoo.com
God bless Virginia Tech
Jim Grandey

I am terribly dissappointed in the media's rush to condemn the actions of the Virginia Tech staff. The solution everyone mentions is locking down the campus sooner. Suppose they had locked down immediately after the first shooting event. Then this madman would have been locked in a dorm with 800 or more defenseless students. Can anyone believe this would have been a preferable situation?

My deepest sympathy to all those who have lost someone today. I can speak for everyone from UW Milwaukee when I say that our thoughts and prayers are with all of you.

I wish all of the news organizations would stop all of this media attention about this! I would bet there will be a number of copy cat shootings in the very near future. All of this attention is the worst possible thing you could do.

32+ lives are Lost. Not one reason for this tragedy. My problem gets even more compounded when my 3 kids ar getting ready to look for collages in the next few years. What a pain for the parents to loose their innocent Child to Such Unbearable voilence - The Nation is Shocked.

But on a daily basis twice/thrice this number are being killed in Iraq every day for the past 4 Years - On a regular basis -What are these moron Bush/Cheney and their sponsors doing about this ? Any Clue ?

All we worry about is the nearly 3400 US Soulders killed - What a SHAME !!!! The cost Life is any different in the US or Elsewhere ? May be Cheney has some answers to this.

Why do these things happen at schools and colleges? Simple, there is nothing to stop this from happening. The faculty, the staff, students, and in most localities even the on-site police do not have weapons to stop a madman. It's a lot like a wolf in a flock of sheep - a flock without a guard dog for protection. Dr. John Lott has shown conclusively that where there are more concealed carry holders there are fewer multiple murders. Why can't we accept this fact rather than relying on the myth that we can simply ban guns. By prohibiting weapons anywhere on campus we are insuring that madmen are free to kill as many as they can.

Email and text message notification should only be part of a comprehensive plan for emergency communications. One idea - AIR RAID SIREN. Very cheap, very effective at getting EVERYONE'S attention. Think big. And to the university president who said they thought the killer had "left the state"... ASSUME THE WORST, HOPE FOR THE BEST... not the other way around!!! Unbelievably bad management of this situation (indeed negligence) directly contributed to most of the deaths.

My heartfilt thoughts and prayers go out to the enitre VA Tech Family. This is indeed a very tragic day and those lost will not be forgotten.

God Bless Them All

I rarely do this but, after reading the comments posted here, I must add my own. My condolences go out to everyone on the Virginia Tech campus and the families of all those killed or injured. I include in these condolences the brave police officers and the Virginia Tech staff and its president. It's easy to analyze in hindsight and to blame but it seems to me that everyone did their best with the information they had on hand. I am certain that this tragedy will haunt them for years if not for the rest of their lives and I have nothing but sympathy for them.

The person to blame in this is the man who pulled the trigger and killed 33 and wounded more.

I am especially saddened by the blame laid on the police. To see them running in the photos, being on the front lines, doing their best to save those they could is to know what courage is.

What it is about this violence- and gun-obsessed society that allows this to happen? Why does this happen over and over again in the United States and only rarely elsewhere? That the president would have the gall to put in a plug for the Second Amendment as part of his condolence speech is far beyond even pale civility, let alone compassion.

Why is all the media - NBC, CNN etc - ranting on about why, after the murder at 7:15AM, the campus was not locked down, classes canceled and announcements made over non-existent loudspeakers?

That place encompasses 4 SQUARE MILES and there are 26,000 people coming and going - not all of whom live on the campus - and a vast complex of building.

What, they were to shut down a small city because of what looked to be a domestic violence murder?

How on earth would anyone go about contacting 26,000 people and closing down a small city?? And why would you???

Do they shutdown 4 square miles of DC or anywhere else because there is a violent crime?

Ban handguns! Keep rifles! And take a look at the empty soul that is America - consumerism, greed, corporate profile, abortion, hollywood, sex etc. etc. Only God can save todays children and it is the one thing they are denied in the name of freedom.

First of all, today is a sad day. For these stupid gun advocates NEVER would this maniac have killed 33 people with a knife. With a GUN things become easier. No one expects students to walk around with guns. No one except these moronic gun lovers. This is what happens when gun lovers get pissed off. When people without guns get pissed off ... they get in fights and end up locked up. When gun perverts get pissed they take out innocent lives. The US may be a country with the most amount of PhD's and millionaires but having so many guns in this country is simply beyond any comprehension.

End the violence: NO MORE GUNS FOR ANYONE IN THE US!

For those who think this incident is reason for a call for increasing the allowance of handguns to be carried in public or on Universities, I have a simple question. Just what does your version of a great civilized society look like with average citizens walking around with handguns?

In the the 19th century a man was allowed to be a man and carry a gun to protect his family from Indians, robbers, bullies or wild animals. Today the first words out of a Liberals mouth are take away the law abiding citizens guns the moment a easily preventable crime like this massacre occurs. Hell any armed citizen could have shot back at this maniac and killed him. But thanks to our wonderful gun control the only armed citizen present was this maniac. Isn't it time we give back our citizens right and means to protect themselves in public? The world isn't civilized yet to be without guns and everyone knows it.

GUN CONTROL¡¡¡¡¡ NOW¡¡¡¡¡

When is America going to wake up and do something about their ridiculous gun laws?

My heart goes out to all affected by this terrible tragedy (which could've been avoided if not for the easy access to such deadly weapons).

Nikki - Queensland, Australia

Firstly, my sincere condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the victims.... Hopfully, everyone is providing comfort and emotional support.....Also, hopefully parents & students are speaking frequently (even at 18-22 years of age, moms and dads are vital to their children's emotional well-being; peers can do only so much). One thing that's not been mentioned much is that the shooter seemed to know his way around the buildings; therefore it's possible he was a student or employee who had been terminated or dismissed from VT. There are a number of steps that schools and businesses can take when someone is released from employment (or other connection) such as clear and calm explanations via an "exit interview", warnings not to appear without permission (if deemed necessary), and advising security staff oa all recent terminations of employment (etc). These advisories were put into place after a number of workplace incidents, including a few fatal killings, involving former supervisors, coworkers, etc., and may not have been used at VT to deal with a "disgruntled" student or employee........

When did campus police contact outside local law enforcement agencies?So often in an effort to cover campus crimes many colleges try to take on situations that are beyond their capablities. As a DC area resident I have witnessed (during the sniper) how quickly state and local police can secure an area. Had Va Tech solicited help could they not have alerted and informed students to the situation within moments of discovering the first three murders and possibly a massive infiltration of helicopters and police vehicles may have intimidated the murderer and he would have killed himself sooner.

I would like to express my sympathy with the people of the US over this tragedy.

I cannot understand the people who maintain that the answer to events like this is to allow more people to carry firearms. It seems to me that the ready availability of guns in the US is the problem.
I am Irish and here it would be very difficult for an ordinary person to obtain the type of weapons used by this demented killer. Here one never sees guns here, even our police force is unarmed and events like this never happen.

Iam from Ireland and visited my sister and family last Oct,they live in Sailsbury MD.What amazed me was while visiting a hunting supply shop was that i as a visitor could handle a rifle and the amo was on full open display.In an enclosed case handguns and basically all the gear to kit out any person eligable to grab a gun and go.Iam not saying this is encouraging people to shoot human beings but in the wrong hands this type of easy access must be a contributing factor.

Even though I am three thousand miles away and almost ten years out of VT, this catastrophe hits me in the gut over and over. No one should ever see the name of their alma mater on Dateline followed by the word "Massacre". How twisted will the "best years of your life" become for the current crop of Hokies?

As for the victims themselves and their families, words simply fail me.

I'm feeling sad for everyone who was killed at this bad day but I ask my self why these things don't happen in germany that often? The only answer I have is that in the USA every stupid idiot is able to buy a gun. That is your problem and not that the world has gone mad.......far from it.

I live in the UK where there is a complete ban on handguns in private hands. Result? Virtually no gun murders and those that do occur are perpetrated by people who have had to go to some lengths to get illegal weapons. A trip to the local gunshop was not an option. While no society is 100% safe I feel much more comfortable walking around my city than I would in say New York.
Yes, the people who commit crimes like this one in Virginia are probably crazed but consider how much less death would have occured had the guy only managed to get hold of a knife.
While the American mentality is gun obsessed the US will have to accept occasional mass murder and regular more mundane killings. That's it. Enjoy.

I am so very sorry for the loss that parents, students, and faculty have survived today.
Talk with each other console each other and may we all learn from this tragic days events so this does not ever have to happen again.
Aloha,
Dorothy

Anger and blame will not bring peace to those that are grieving nor will these emotions and defenses bring back these young students.
Many people state what "should" be done and how that needs to happen. Let all of us wait just a bit and focus our attention and prayers with the community and families that are dealing with burying their sons and daughters. Focus is perhaps a necessary piece to learn and change from this very sad event.
God Bless
Aloha,
Dorothy

In the European Union, we have 2.8 murders per 100.000 citizens.
We have severe gun control laws.
We don´t have death penalty.
In The U.S. many states do execute death penalty.
Most states don´t have severe gun laws.
The average of murders is 5.6 per 100.000 citizens, ans nearly 8 in the states which do execute death penalty.
Any conclusions?

Even very far away from US, in Romania- a country in which, till now, these things didn't happen, we feel grief and pain and we support all the families who lost their loving ones. How could this thing happen? Buying guns should be restricted at maximum!!!! God bless all the people that were killed and died in such stupid, incomprehensible way and their families. Ligia POP, 25,RO

I believe every student must carry a gun with at least 2 bullets: one to kill the attacker and one to kill themselves in case they fail to do the first and subsequently they are in danger to be tortured... These 2 bullets need to be financed by either the school, the government or be the NRA.
Life would be so much safer.

Why is everybody crying now, but at the moment of voting people choose a gunlinking president. Stop to be hypocrite and throw away that ridiculous law to "protect yourself". We (EU) don't need it, neither do you. Tip: watch the documentary of Michael Moore.

Was my "post" of last night on scapegoats censored or did you just not receive it? I don't see it posted, but I don't want to jump to conclusions like so many people are doing over this. Please explain so I can know if I said something inappropriate... and can learn thereby.

Personally I would like to know as much about this incident as possible instead of taking little bits like Asian male, young, and boy scout attire to assume anything.

Frankly speaking I think the press conference last night was unnecessary as the answers were of the "no comment" type that hardly helped clarify the situation.

Too many press conferences and too many leaks make a mess of things.

Also while it is a free country faculty and students should have been told to avoid adding fuel to the fire by making comments or sending the media emails.

I find it ahrd to beleive nealry 24 hours after the incident we still cannot figure out whether the two incidents were related. Calling the first incident a domestic one but then admitting there is a person of interest makes for a racy romance novel and diminishes the reality of 33 deaths of whom possibly 32 people were innocent.

I am terribly dissappointed in the media's rush to condemn the actions of the Virginia Tech staff. The solution everyone mentions is locking down the campus sooner. Suppose they had locked down immediately after the first shooting event. Then this madman would have been locked in a dorm with 800 or more defenseless students. Can anyone believe this would have been a preferable situation?

My thoughts go to all those who suffered from this tragedy. Incidents like this make me wish that all those civilians who want to "bear arms", volunteer to take their "well regulated militia" to Afghanistan or Iraq & give the real soldiers there a break.
From Oz,
Dave

Strongly condemn the violence happened there. If same scene happens then its not recommended for anybody who want to study in US after spending lots of money.
US govt. should tightened security in the institution. Guilty must be punished.

When will the USA learn that it has a problem with guns/gun culture?

Here in Britain private ownership of guns became ilegal after one massacre too many
(The Massacre at Dunblane School)
Addmittedly this is a bit extreme, but stricter gun control is a must!!!

it is easy to blame those in charge when you haven't ever been to VT and understand the campus. I am so sick of armchair critics who obviously have no idea about what is fair reporting. 2 of my children and their father graduated from VT. He and I lived there for 3 years while I worked and he got his BS. Blacksburg has very good law enforcement. They don't deserve the second guessing from people who are just trying to get face time on tv.

I can not believe the news reports on television, I heard one reporter say to a student, 'well now that the shock is wearing off how do you feel?' The student replied, 'I disagree, we are just finding out the names of the dead.'
Of all the questions on how this kind of action could be prevented, I find it amazing that no one has the courage to say anything about gun control. I have heard 'crisis management plan' safety and security, cell phone text message systems, all well and good, but what about the guns? People with guns are killing other people without guns. Guns are for killing, expecially the kind of gun this fellow had. The right to bear arms just means lets all just kill each other, this is crazy.

Delaying release of Shooter's ID --- This delay of shooter's ID is painting with a very broad brush on all Asian students on College campuses across the country. What are they waiting for?? Why so cautious releasing this monster's ID?

VTech Officials -- Please expedite the release of the shooter's ID. Your delay is causing so much undeserving attention to all Asian students on your campus and across the country. Please do not repeat the delayed action. Release the Shooter's detailed Identity immediately.

Academic inertia caught up with VA Tech. I watched the first news conference with the university president and he didn't seem to think it was any big deal that it took two hours to put up a warning. The real world has no idea how sloooowly things happen in academia. It takes a year to hire a professor and five years to change something in the curriculum. My university has NO PLANS for something like this, but maybe now that will change...

Now is not the time to play the "Blame Game". Families are hurting for the loss of their loved ones. Friends and others are in mourning regarding this terrible thing that has happened. Let us Pray for the loss, Pray for the families that will have to try and heal after this, and Pray that this does not happen to another College. So many of "What could have been Leaders fo tomorrow" are gone. This has touched everyone here in Atlanta, GA. We are praying and will continue to keep the students, faculty and families in our prayers.

My prayers are with the families and the students of the VT tragedy. The level of resilience on the campus is commendable. I was extremely impressed with the articulate interviews the students were able to conduct after such a tragedy. The whole country is with VT and we all offer our support to those effected by this horrible event.

While this tragedy is utterly heartbreaking and sickening, it is unfair to blame the administration and law enforcement for not doing enough. How could they have possibly predicted the series of events? They acted with the very limited information that was available to them. The only person who deserves blame is the gunman.

I'm amazed people are trying to blame the University for the subsequent deaths. Does the administration wish they'd done something different? No doubt. Would it have prevented further killings? It's hard to see how since the killer was a student he could have been locked down in a building and shot as many or more. As if we're supposed to have policies and plans in place for mass killings. What we need to have is a shift away from America's culture of violence. If you believe in karma, we're in a lot trouble.

Lack of serial numbers on the weapons is a sign of a terrorist act.

When will America wake up and realize that we need meaningful gun control laws? Will it take more gun massacres of innocent people? We only need to look to Canada, which has real gun control and had 149 murders by guns in 2002, compared to over 10,000 murders in the US.

We can overcome the immense clout and power of the anti-gun control forces of the NRA and its monied friends. Why not start today!

Life, especially human life is so very precious, and every time something like that hits the news, I see so much suffering in people of all ages and the questioning of why and how this is again happening.
Violence begets violence and violence in society cannot be stopped until the slaughter of innocent animals is stopped.
From a physiological perspective any animal, specially mammals close to humans like the cows, secrete enormous amounts of adrenaline at the point of death, which is held within the meat.
One of the symptoms of fear is a peculiar sensation at the base of the stomach, that is the adenoid gland, which any doctor will confirm is secreting adrenalin to prepare the body to defend itself or run from the scene. Adrenalin could be called the drug of violence, because it causes violence. Ingesting any animal, especially cow meat, increases the adrenalin levels in the body to extremely high levels.
A Police study in Bombay of statistics taken over 20 years confirmed that 80% of the violent crime was attributable to 8% of the population who are (melechas) meat eaters.
Free thinking individuals and the scientific community need to study and understand this problem closely.
In the old vedic society, the military class of people, who go to war, were allowed meat and blood, but common workers, merchants and those in search of higher education were encouraged to be peaceful, control their mind and senses and stay away from foods in the mode of ignorance and passion. We are not talking of religion here we are talking of science and the scientific community should be encouraged to investigate these matters and have the answers that the public requests in these cases.
If Schools, Colleges and Universities had vegetarian cafeterias, we would quickly see the difference.
So many statistics show us that our present lifestyle has created uncontrollable obesity and high crime and suicide rates, etc. The intelligent scientific and governing class of people need to re-evaluate our present situation and understand the basic laws nature.

My heart and prayers go out to the families of the murdered people at VA Tech. and to the families of the wounded. This tragedy gets me in the stomach and brings to mind a similar shooting in Chicago. It was 1960 or 1961. There was a Catholic boarding school for girls. A man shot and killed 95 girls and 6 staff members for a total of 101 victims.(I believe these numbers are correct although something tells me the final number was higher.) The shooter was later identified as a custodial person. One girl survived and although wounded herself, was able to crawl under a bed and cover herself with blankets. She too played dead. Thus she was able to give positive identification of the gunman.You may check this out yourself I am sure, simply by searching the archives of the Chicago newspapers. As you can see this incicdent in Chicago could offically be classified as "the worst shooting in America's history" Thank you for reading this.

The problem i have with the police saying that they were investigating the first shooting as a "murder / suicide is that there would have been a weapon on the scene. Its been reported that the same gun that shot the first two people was found at the second scene so obviously it wasn't at the first scene. so...how was it a murder/ suicide?? There is no doubt in my mind that the second shooting did not have to happen. The whole campus should have been alerted immediately and police presence should have been wide spread!

Howard Kurtz in his column today says he can't so far fault the press in this case. The one thing I can fault them for is asking survivors the question, "How do you feel about...." in contexts where it is perfectly obvious how people feel. Someone made a young man cry this morning by asking him, "How does it feel to be a hero?" because of his role in helping blockade a classroom door. Any "How do you feel" questions in most emotional contexts are a combination of lazy, intrusive, and obvious. It almost appears the journalists are TRYING to provoke a response that might be good television, at the expense of the person who has agreed to speak with them.

Imagine that a South Korean killing a bunch of innocent people. It's not the Univerity's fault, this guy woke up with a plan. We need to be more aware of what some people are acting like.

Come on people, America needs TIGHTER GUN CONTROL!!!!!!!!!!!

My heart and love to all of the families of the injured and deceased. I am crying along with you :-(((((((

xo

American values are at stake with this massacre of students. If America does not change its violent ways and turn to traditional morality of the 1950s, then the whole nation will sink like the Titanic. I mean just look at the condition of the society. If you can't think and reach the true conclusion then you simply go watch films like SAW III and CAPTIVITY. YOu will get the idea that our country is slowly being ruined. How can we tolerate such glorification of abuse towards women and children. We are heading towards a rotten core in the center of our heart. Children are bing execeuted inside schools and collages and our government is only interested in making its members millionaires by the time they leave office at next elections. No one give a thought to others. Neighbors have become strangers. Unless we go back to basic that once made America great, we will all be destroyed by our own arrogance and suspicisions towards one another. I am saddened by Virginia slaughter. I feel political and religious leaders ought to have courage to speak at moral decline out our values.

Imagine this tradgedy repeating itself every single day , but with three times the casualties...thats what Iraqis deal with. If "only" 32 innocent people died on any given day in Baghdad, that would be considered a good day. How sad for everyone involved ...anywhere where homicidal gunmen (with or without uniforms) kill at will.

Diane Sawyer and ABC need to apologize for untruthful reporting... read on...

Diane Sawyer was interviewing the president of Va. Tech this morning for
the shooting rampage. She bluntly asked the question about whether the
killer was a Chinese male from the city of Shanghai. It is now confirmed that the killer was a Korean decedent. I am baffled by the fact that Diane Sawyer, an experienced journalist and ABC anchor could make such wild and untruthful speculation / guess in front of thousands of viewers. What kind of lousy source does she or ABC have? I have been watching Diane Sawyer's shows and ABC forever, but now I have my reservation about the truthfulness of your reporting.....

There must be something we can do to make sure that this SENSELESS TRAGEDY never ever happens again. Does anyone know what color ribbon we're supposed to wear?

I can only imagine the pain the parents, relatives,friends, and the students are going through right now. I do not think the President of the school or VT's police force are at fault but I blame the person who committed the horrific crime. I have a son who is experiencing his first year in college in Maryland and I pray every day and nite for his safety. It can happen any place but I until we do something about the relax laws in getting weapons in the hands of unresponsible folks we will continue to see more of this craziness.

It was such a big tragedy that shocked me to death. As also a parent of a college student, my heart is trembling ... where is a save place?! After the shock, I started to think - WHY? HOW? WHAT? ...

As many others, I do not understand how it could happen after two hours that the first shoot and death happened. I could not believe that the VA Tech President Steger even said: "We thought we had it under control. I don't think anyone could have predicted." and "We have handled this as skillfully as anyone." Before the shooter was arrested, how could the President and the Police Chief believe that it was "under control"?! What are the procedures of the campus security and emergency response? Did they ask for more help from the local police department? Or they were trying to minimize the impacts or even hiding the facts? The President would have to take the legal responsibility if so.

On the other hand, schools, researchers, educators and media, as well as parents should think this very seriously to find out Why - what made this young man became so cold-blooded and what triggered him to kill so many people? Are we having a successful education? Is it enough to just teach the youth science knowledge and art skills? What kind of products that our public or commercial communication medias brought to and influenced the young generation? Should the college/university psychological guidance and counseling to be enhanced, and how? What are the correct procedures of campus safety and emergency response?

Furthermore, after this incident, what should be the right way to help the people, the community to cope with this? Hope no more hatefulness will be induced and no discrimination will be lead to.

God, please help our children! My deepest condolence and prayers go to the victims' families. Peace.

Even though it is almost a decade after my graduation I am terribly disturbed by the shootings at Va Tech. My heartfelt condolences to the students, staff, and faculty who were victims of this shooting. The students, faculty, parents, and staff are always in my prayers. It is time for the United States to wake up to such shootings.

I have been on this planet for over half a century. I have studied many histories of the world. There has been violence on this planet in all of human history. Violence is a integral part of human nature; to deny this would be a lie. Understand that if we want to stop the instruments of violence from being made, we must completely change all of our governments and that we must give up our propensity to fight wars. We must completely destroy all of our weapons as one complete race of human beings. But we cannot do it because we are not strong in our convictions to be better. That is the greatest sadness and it will probably take us away from our lives and our future. No one deserves this violence.

Perhaps the NRA will suggest that all faculty be required to carry arms, especially during exams.

My heart aches for everyone there at Virginia Tech who went thru something that we can never understand. I want you to know that you are in my thoughts and prayers as I watch the television and cry along with all of you. May God bless you all and may the thoughts that everyone in our country is thinking and praying for you all.

Without addressing the depth and breadth of such a tragedy as this, I would like to comment on the unseemly zeal of several news media who have reported this event as the "deadliest" shooting in US history. Does the name "Wounded Knee" ring a bell, or do reporters not study US history these days? There were several massacres of Native American peoples far in excess of the numbers in this tragedy. Additionally, for those who did not even describe yesterday's event as a shooting, but simply as the "worst" or "deadliest" killing event in our history, there were at least two events, one in Oklahome, one in Florida, where entire towns of black people were burned to the ground, killing many more than 30 people. The news media are not reporting news when they use their capacity to name an event and do so in a rhetorical and inflammatory fashion. Shame on you!

Perhaps those event do not count in your record keeping, as the victims were not white. Racism hides everywhere.

God bless the Hokie nation. All the world hurts for you today. May the coming days bring you peace.

I would like it noted that the person who committed this crime was not an American citizen and had no right to possess firearms. That the serial numbers were filed from these weapons indicates that they were likely illegally obtained, also. A firearm with the serial number filed off would not even be transferable at a gun show. It was very likely obtained via a gang or crime syndicate and was the result of a theft.

The blame for this mess and ones like it in the future lies squarely with the gun control crowd like Dave. First, a ban on private transfers of firearms at gun shows and through newspapers without a background check and clearance would prevent nonresidents from obtaining weapons. But this is not going to happen when every legal gun owner understands that for you, this is merely a first step in your ultimate goal of identifying gun owners so that you can eventually elect some like minded gun control fanatic who will confiscate and destroy every privately owned gun. It wouldn't matter if that elected official was later removed or defeated, the deed would be done. This is exactly what occurred in Autralia and in England. No legitimate gun owner is going to even chance that happening. We await clarification from the Supreme Court that the Second Amendment applies to individuals. Then, you can work with gun owners, acknowledging there *right* to possess firearms for sporting pourposes and drop this nonsense about confiscating their guns. Secondly, you can support and require some sort of simply test, similar to a driving test, that every gun or ammunition purchaser or hunter must pass to ensure safe gun handling and storage. This woul not have the remotest chance of passing as law unless and until the Second Amendment issue is resolved. And third, you can require that all guns, unless under the immediate control of the owner, be locked in a steel safe weighting at least 200 pounds and that the ammunition be locked separately in a steel box. This would largely eliminate the availability of firearms obtained by theft.

If you are truly interested in gun safety, you will take these simple and logical steps. I am a liberal and a gun owner. There are A LOT of us and we have been making these points for quite some time, but it has been lost in the clammer and blathering of the wing nuts on either side of this issue. I, for one, am pretty sure that you are one of the gun control wing nuts and are nt truly interested in gun safety, but rather only interested in furthering the hysteria of the soccer moms for some sort of "points".

Why would public need guns?. Why doesn't America have tight gun control?. It seems to me there are more terrorists within the U.S. than outside, whether it is White, Asian or African American. Why doesn't such a thing happen in countries like Australia, New Zealand, India and those places.

Having this liberal gun policy along with the so called "high-tech" video games involving killing people, and the United States unnecessarily interfering in other countries issues (while U.S. has its own issues that cannot be handled) such as Muslim countries causing outrage are root cause of these issues.

The United States Government should close out all gun retailers and it should have total gun control and give it to individual based on a thorough need analysis after doing a thorough back ground check of the individuals rather than giving gun access to a child as soon as it is born.

While I cannot relate to what happened at
Virginia Tech, and I cannot relate to how it feels to outlive a child or spouse, my heart breaks for everyone in the Virginia Tech community. I applaud Dr. Steger, the Virginia Tech Police Department, and the Public Information Office for their handling of this incident. The media whines because they don't have answers to questions that can't BE answered. We will never know why the shooter did what he did. Only the shooter knows that, and he's dead. People are quick to criticize the president and public safety for not doing something sooner. Based on the information available to them at the time, they acted accordingly. I don't care how well trained you are or what you say you would do in a crisis situation. Until you are faced with it, you don't know how you'll respond. All the training in the world does not prepare you to deal with a tragedy of this magnitude because you can't imagine it ever happening. I commend Dr. Steger and his staff for their efforts. This horrific experience is heartwrenching and overwhelming, and NOBODY is prepared to deal with.

As an european, I am not at all surprised to read that someone writes: "My hope is that this nation turns its face to Jesus and bow the knees to sincerely pray for America and its people, to turn its face from wickedness and hatred and repent, that this great land be healed and its people set free." Sure: that's the solution: Pray, Holy America, And Buy Guns. And do some more "quality research" to find out why this keeps on happeninh - or, use common sense to find out why this is not happening in the UK, or France, or Belgium...
In the meantime, sure, "The University President failed the students and should be firede. Why not gun him down?

Don't you, american people, realize that, despide the deep sorrow we feel for the kiiled ones, we don't really feel they were INNOCENTS? You're not innocent of you government's decisions, you are NOT innocent of your own laws.

And, you're not innocent to have the most PLAINLY STUPID president in mankind's history: how does the bastard dare continue to say that he feels that every american is entitled to carry a gun? This guy is MAD.

Please, american people, STAY HOME, and don't bother bring what you dare call democracy to the rest of the world: we've been doing without you for thousand of years, and we'd be better off without you, silly people.

Greetings from up North

The washignton Post asked for solutions.
I am offering a solution.

After viewing the carnage at Virginia tech, I will first send you my sincere condolences.

The most important question that must be asked now is:

What happened in the life of the aggressor for him to be so violent.
How was he brought up, how was he treated as a child.

I, having been raised in a very violent environment, sought answers to that and found at least one we could deal with.

I am talking about adrenaline addiction and here is how it is transmitted to the children.

In the Judeo Christian empire, when a couple is expecting their first child. they buy a crib. (Small wooden cage)
In well to do families, the crib is placed in a separate room from the mother. When the child is born it is put to sleep in that crib.
If it wakes up in the middle of the night, it starts screaming, totally terrified of being alone and keeps on crying it's poor little hart out
until someone comes to it's rescue. This provokes a massive rush of adrenaline and sometimes goes on for several years.
The child develops an addiction to adrenaline.

I have been working with Native Elders fro the last 12 years and asked them what they did when a baby was put to sleep.
The Grand Mothers told me that they made a small hammock, put the child in it and suspended the child a few inches above it's mother.
In this way, the child could smell his mother all night long and if it was cold, it was kept warmed by the body heat emanating from her body.

There is a world of difference between those 2 approaches.

When a child grows up addicted to adrenaline, if he is male, there is a very good chance he will become a violent adult capable of killing
in an ultimate rush of adrenaline and if she is female, fall in love with a violent mate. In many cases, if she manages to get ride of her aggressor
she will fall in love with another one soon after. And the cycle is transmitted from generation to generation.

When the Jews were slaves, when a woman gave birth, the child was taken away from the mother and put in a small wooden cage,
a crib by any other name. Three thousand years later, they still don't know how to raise a child.

If we are to stop violence in our society, we must teach our children what love and respect is and show them how to raise a child with love and respect.

One thing is certain: there will be a nuclear war one day soon. All of us will be held accountable on that day.

As a parent of a college age student, this news has left me absolutley breathless. I thought that after the killing of the Amish school children, that would be the worst we would see. Now this. ALL of the victims and those involved have the heartfelt sympathy of the whole nation during these tragic times. I pray for your strength, understanding and healing as we try to cope with this horrendous occurrence.

My deepest sympathies go out to the families of loved ones lost as well as to the wounded and their families. My heart also goes out to all of the students at Virginia Tech. All of us, whether directly a part of the Virginia Tech family or not, feel the depth of this horrific event and pray for healing and comfort as we struggle to make sense of all of this and move on.

It's so tragic. God bless the whole community of Blacksburg. The whole country is with you.

and I don't know how to describe how sorry I am. As a Korean, I sincerely apologize for this massacre. Only if we could turn back time... This inhumane massacre shouldn't have ever happened. To the families and friends of the victims and to all Americans, I am truly more than ever sorry. May they rest in peace .

Thank you Eric(see way above)..former alumni and p.o. First, I want to acknowledge any and every one who has been affected by this horrible day in history.

I also want to say that this happened quicker than the public understands and it's not an everyday occurence...so sure mistakes were made....good things occured too because it could have been worse....I only mean that in the way of the estimated population on the grounds at the time of the incident.

This is real life and I take my hat off to anyone who did anything to aid this campus yesterday.

Make a difference in someone else's life and that will ensure that you at least leave a deposit that can reproduce after it's owm kind when you leave here.

After this madness in Virginia we should push for stricter gun
laws!

Walter Yong

History Repeats Itself

You would think that after Columbine and the school house shootings in PA, that police would be trained to realize that these deranged individuals are not out to take hostages but to kill as many people as possible and then commit suicide.

Why did the Police not go directly in. As the CNN video shows, police had plenty of time to surround the building and stand by as over 30 shots were fired.

If their excuse was a locked door, why did they not drive a squad car thru the door.

Too bad that one of those policeman didn't have the common sense and courage as "Dirty Harry", the outcome would have been alot different.

This incident was very horrible. As a nation we need to stop saying "Why did they not do this or that." We need to be thinking of the families & the studetns that this happened to. The media needs to back off & let these people greive in peace. As well as let the community begin the healing process.

I am outraged that the first comment from the White House about this event was to reaffirm the right of every American to carry firearms. The guns this person was able to acquire serve no purpose but to harm as many people and as quickly as possible. There can be no legitimate argument for allowing such things to be had freely. Everyone who had a hand in making this possible shares in the guilt of this moment.

My heart goes out to all the families who lost their dear loved ones.
These college students certainly didn't deserve to die. How could the college facility not take swift action before this gunman had the chance to enter the building and take these young lives. He was not an American citizen and should not of been allowed to purchase a firearm let alone 2 weapons. This is the second time a serious incident has happened at this university. There needs to be strict security policy in regards to these students so this will never happen again. It will be sometime before these students feel safe once again. They don't need to feel like they have to look over their shoulder all the time. Schools of all kinds are suppose to be a SAFE haven for our children NOT a war zone. The gun policy needs to be even more difficult to obtain a gun. Not everyone needs to have a gun. It's not the gun that kills It's the bullet! There needs to be a better policy in schools for students who are having difficulities emotionally. To many people reach out for help and never receive that help and then something like this happens needlessly.

These are sad times, us Americans are stress out from the tribulations on our country. But we are refusing to be awake from our old ways. Most of us worship money as source of life, and our leaders bare that attitude. This is the God bless country, is it not. The land of milk and honey, have we turned away from God? What's wrong with our culture, is it not other country has the same difficult people. But the other cultures look out after each other and embrace people that are different. What cause this American want a be turn to evil? What did Jesus said to the Pharisees who among you are not sinners cast the first stone? We all have lot of sayings but let's leave the VT official's along so they can do there job!!! Ask you self what you have done differently in that situation, it's always hind site, is it not. So clam it all of your finger pointers.
What we can do is pray to our Lord for forgiveness and guide us was through this hard time with wisdom.
May God wipe a way sorrow and pains for the familys of loosing love one from this heartrending incident, and guide them through rest of their lives.

While many will discuss gun control issues, banning guns will not restrict their availability. Even declaring the campus a gun-free zone, which should be enforced, will not stop gunmen or restrict the carnage they can perpetrate.

I respectfully submit that providing a gun (or other means of self-protection) behind a safety glass, much like a fire-alarm, in each classroom is an option to consider. This kind of safety gun is not available except for an emergency. With modern technology, there could be electronic monitoring to immediately detect use/misuse. Students could be offered instruction on how to react in such situations and to use the weapon safely.

Unfortunately, if we accept the fact that guns are widespread in our society, then we have to plan effective countermeasures and prevention strategies. Of course, counseling and early detection of dangerous behavior should be vigorously promoted.

Commenters have a strong tendency to view these events from a single vantage point or a position that "these things will stop if you only do X." Rather, the solution is multifaceted. ""We cannot segregate the human heart from the environment outside us and say that once one of these is reformed everything will be improved. Man is organic with the world. His inner life moulds the environment and is itself also deeply affected by it. The one acts upon the other and every abiding change in the life of man is the result of these mutual reactions." (Baha'i writings). When people think that "if there had been guns on the campus" or "if only guns were more strictly controlled", they are falling for the sucker's choice. The foolish adage that "Guns don't kill people, people kill people" is a trap. The fact is that "people with guns can kill people." We have a responsibility to exercise reasonable restraint on the availability of guns AND work diligently on the problems that lead some people to crime or rage. We must work on better security AND on spiritual nurturing AND on the inculcation of virtues AND better interventions. But I do not hold out much hope that groups like the NRA will cooperate with groups concerned about gun related violence to forge a real holistic approach.

This is not a time to look at who did what and who did not do what. It is a time to pray for America, and especially for the families going through such a hard time. "Father in the name of Jesus Christ I thank your for this day. I pray that you wipe away the tears of these families who are going through such a hard time. I pray that they may find solace in you. I pray Holy Spirit of God that you will encompass around this Nation especially at this time. Father we come against every work of the enemy in the Name of Jesus Christ. Protect our schools and our nation against such rampages. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray, AMEN"

My husband and I spent some of our best years at VT as undergrads, about 15 years ago. We are now in Ohio, far from Blacksburg, however, we are both shaken to our core. This story is heartbreaking. Our deepest sympathies to all affected by this tragedy. The nation is devestated. Just remember, our hearts are with you. Be strong.

The bottom line is that politically protected easy access to guns is what turned this student into a killer, and enabled the massacre of 32 human beings.

God bless and heal the hearts of those who are hurting. But honestly, the governor's speech is awful, disjointed, rambling and stumpy. Is he running for next term or is he sharing in a tragedy here? Uck.

Remember when Bush went to the mine in PA after the disaster, hoping that nobody would notice that he had gutted the Bureau of Mine Safety? He wanted to score political points, hoping the obliviousness of the masses would give him cover. I would liken his visit to VA Tech to his PA visit. I hope someone follows up on what has happened with gun safety since, let's say, the sniper incident. Immunity for gun shops, etc., etc., etc. It makes me sick that this President, who has been a champion to the gun nuts, now tries to score points by appearing concerned with the inevitable aftermath of easily available guns and the hobbling of the ATF and other regulatory agencies. Bush keeps lowering the chutzpah bar.

I'm just wondering how hard it could have been AT LEAST to cancel all classes, after the first shooting.

And surely the campus, indeed every campus, should have some armed (with guns AND a state-of-the-art communications system) security personnel based at strategic sites on the campus, constantly on the move checking all campus sites (and watching live surveillance-camera results -- of the cameras in the buildings).

Even then, had the first shooting not happened -- had the shooter gone only to the classroom building -- there could not have been any warnings or cancellation of classes.

What then????

Gun advocates would have you beleive that arming everyone will make everyone safer. Imagine thousands of these types of incidents occurring in public places accross the US. Handguns need to be illegal - period. Own a rifle if you wish to protect yourself from your enemies. VT - our condolences from Maine.

TO THE STUDENTS, FAMILY AND THE BLACKSBURG COMMUNITY, AS THE PARENT OF A FEMALE STUDENT AROUND THE MOUNTAIN FROM YOU, MY PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU ALL. PLEASE STAY FOCUSED ON GOD AND NOT GET CAUGHT UP IN THE MEDIA SOAP OPERA FOR ONCE THOSE FOLKS MAKE THE DOLLARS FROM YOUR TRAGEDY, YOU SHALL NOT HEAR FROM THEM AGAIN. FOR THIS TOO SHALL PASS WITH QUITE A BIT OF TIME AND PRAYER.

my thoughts are consumed by the tragedy -- my deepest sorrow and heartfelt condolences to those who have been affected by this event.

Ban semiautomatic handguns now, and fire the head of VA Tech police and the President of the U.

There is no need for anyone to own a handgun--that's the job of the police. As for all the NRA memebers that espouse "self protection" and try to argue that if everyone had guns there'd be less violence, riddle me this: Why do nations such as The UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, etc. etc. that impose either complete or limited bans on handguns have far, far fewer gun related acts of violence in their countries? (there were several times more gun related homocides in NYC last year than in all of the UK). This is simple. The right to bear arms, gives a state the right to arm its own militia (the Nat'l Guard). IT does not give every self-entitled wack job to walk around armed to the teeth with a glock 9mm and a magazine full of 19 cop killer bullets.

Also, I'm sick of hearing about how the guns used in crimes weren't procured from gun shops, but from drug deals etc. Listen close: Drug dealers don't MAKE GUNS! Sure, eventually they filter down to the drug dealers, but they're not the ultimate source. Ban the guns and eventually (NOT immediately) they decrease in number and eventually there are fewer gun related crimes.

As for the VA Tech people-- forget about the total lockdown. I'm not arguing that they should've locked everyone in classrooms or dormrooms. However, if the police have even AN INKLING that MY LIFE might be in danger, I think I have the right to know, so that I can take appropriate action. I would've have liked to have known before I went to German Class that there was a shooter on the lose. Then I could at least make my own decision about whether to go to class or not. An email 2 hours later just doesn't cut it. I don't care what the current thinking about the boyfriend who had fled was. They were wrong! That's why you take an abundance of caution in these cases. You don't play with people's lives.

I can only imagine in my worst of nightmares the deepness of sorrow that the families of the lost must be feeling on this awful day. But to see George W. Bush standing on the podium, misty eyed lamenting these lost innocent souls while at the same time hundreds of innocent Iraqis are dying weekly because of his folly is more than I can stand.
Those lost innocent Iraqi souls are mentioned no more than footnotes between commercials and the latest updates on the Anne Nicole saga.
All that I can hope is that God damns his soul to the deepest reaches of hell.

There will be lots of crocodile tears, lots of well-meaning but ultimately meaningless expressions of "grief" -- and nothing will happen.

The NRA and the gun crazies will still hold America hostage.

Why don't these tragedies happen in Hawaii?

Why is the firearms-related murder rate less in Hawaii then in any other state?

Gun control, people, gun control.

That, and the fact that Hawaii is not connected by Interstates to gun-crazed, lax-lawed States like Virginia.

Nothing meaningful happened after the Columbine slaughter.

Nothing meaningful happened after the University of Texas slaughter.

Nothing meaningful happened after the Red Lake High School slaughter.

Nothing meaningful happened after the Amish school slaughter.

And nothing meaningful will happen when (not if) the next slaughter happens.

What makes you think that you or your family are any safer than any of the 32 slaughtered yesterday?

What makes you think that Congress -- who made the gun industry the only industry in America that is immune from being sued -- what makes you think that Congress gives a damn?

Welcome to the United States of Special Interests, where yesterday 32 people were deprived of their "unalienable Right" to "Life, liberty and the Pursuit of happiness..." by a cynical, heartless gun lobby and a bought-and-paid-for Congress.

I was at home yesterday, I left to run an errand, when I returned home, and turned on the television to see breaking news about Virginia tech. It is a tradegdy, The campus should have been closed after the initial shooting, especially when there was no suspect in custody, to me that could mean he still on campus, and he is still armed. I am not understanding the rationale for assuming that the gunman had left the campus. If there was a PA system in that school it would have reached a large number of those poor student to make them aware of the danger sooner than. This is the end of the school year what harm would it have done to cancel classes until they found out where the suspect was. My heart goes out to those students, and there parents. You send your babies out into the world to prepare them to make a difference in the world. In today's society to get your child to the point of attending college is a great accomplishment, and to have there lives senselessly taken. I am praying for them all.

It was so sad what happend to our childs.

With this tragedy comes an opportunity for the governor and the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia to put into place and enforce stricter gun controls in Virginia.

Surely, all peoples around the world are shocked and saddened by this obscene unspeakable crime. But while we are saddened and feeling grief, let's not forget that we live in the most violent society in the world today built around a culture of guns and violence. And let's forever remember that America's actions have caused similar mayhem in a country on the other side of the world. Do any Americans and so-called "Christians" ever mourn for the hundred of innocent civilians killed in Irag every week. I guess not, after all they're not "civilized Christians" but does that make them any less human? This kind of sick hypocrisy ensures that the sick wave of killing in Iraq and in the US will go on, and on. I feel more saddened by the disease of violence in America than the losses of 31 students.

My heart goes out to those families who have lost loved ones. I have created a blog that I hope people will visit and leave their prayers.

http://memorial4virginiatech.blogspot.com/

Sincerely,

Bill Fields

I am currently studying in London, UK and cannot believe this crisis. It is hard to imagine these acts of violence going on in our university's. My heart goes out to the families that have lost loved ones at Virginia Tech.

Sincerely,

Bill Fields

My heart goes out to the parents of the students who lost their lives. I know what it is like to lose a child.

No reason what so ever why there was not a lockdown. Look at what happened at Colimbine High here in Colorado. Now this...innocent people were killed or injured because you had NO LOCKDOWN!!! What were you thinking? I mean...come on, this is not like you did not have the warning signs on this guy and what did you do to help prevent this? I am appauled at the sinceless killings that happened here at VA Tech and from what has been said, it should have never happened. Lockdown!!!!!!!!Until you have everything under control...LOCKDOWN...This could have possibly saved innocent lives you think? I'm grieved for the victims and the families....more than this...I believe the President of the school and police department should be accountable for their actions. This is tragic.....I'm so asshamed of our security measures here in the U.S. and how lightly we seem to take things that are serious. We are living in very dangerous times and I believe we should not take anything for granted and never assume...always be sure. This way you don't gamble with other peoples lives. I mean please...look at the guy who called in to VA Tech and wanted to know if everything was ok. He was told to PROCEED....not STAY HOME,,,,no, it was to proceed with caution. The police assumed it was domestic violence before they had all the answers. So carelessly they led others to believe the same and to go on with their lives cautiously...How can you do this? I'm so distraught over this ....How can I send my son to a college like this? NO WAY!!! Why didn't the president of the school along with the govenor of the state ever even mentioned the loss of the lives and give condolences? Did they tell you they were working on a plan to prevent this in the future? NONONONONONO! Talk to the people at Columbine High in Colorado. You might learn how to deal with this better. In the mean time ,,,,May God have mercy on you and help you...in Jesus Name

The NRA gun fascists want you to believe that armed guards, staff, and students are the solution to these massacres. Let's imagine for a second what their twisted world looks like: every professor armed with a 9mm semi-automatic in a shoulder harness. Gestapo guards in every hallway stopping suspicious looking people on a whim. And if everyone has a gun, how do the guards know who to stop and detain? Answer that you NRA geniuses! In the NRA world, everyone is armed to the teeth. After it's their "right". So then imagine what happens when an insane person opens up in a classroom with his AK-47? Before he can be shot, he's killed 10 people. In the ensuing melee, gun slinging "heroes" open fire on the gunman with their 357 magnums, no doubt missing at times and killing innocent bystanders. Then the guards come rushing in and see students with guns firing at other students. So they kill them all and in the end there are 50 deaths instead of 10. Is this a world that anyone really wants? When will they learn that guns are tools of violence meant to kill either animals or people and will never be tools of "safety" or peace?

This day is in some ways worse than 911. Our country is losing its mind and soul and killing itself with its own guns - as most suicides do.