I am thrilled that the gunman is dead.

I do not want to know his motivations. In fact, I do not want to know his name. Just bury him in the landfill.

Any speculation, as far as I am concerned, is evil voyeurism that only motivates the next killer.

My condolences to the people who lost loved ones.

"The inevitable cries for gun control have already started on the left side of the blogosphere, but the traditional apportioning of blame, explanations of how Bush is at fault for this tragedy, and calls for new legislation don't seem to have gotten started yet. That should start to change by later tonight or some time tomorrow at the latest."

John, now why did you put the following phrase in? "explanations of how Bush is at fault for this tragedy"

Jesus Christ, Fox is reporting that aside from 32 dead, "dozens wounded."

It sounds like a scene from freaking Baghdad!

John, now why did you put the following phrase in? "explanations of how Bush is at fault for this tragedy"

Posted by fiza
April 16, 2007 3:35 PM

B/C fans of a police state will cry that this could have been stopped if Bush would have only......

All teachers need to be armed and it needs to be a requirement. They need to qualify on the shooting range just like police officers or they should lose their jobs.

We've known this since Columbine. Killers still use our schools and campuses like shooting galleries.

My prayers are with the victims, all of them. When will we learn?

I agree, no name. Don't glorifiy him, let him rot in anonymity.

Posted by Retired_Navy
April 16, 2007 3:18 PM

I would like to know his citizenship status, and his religion.

"Some guys, regardless of race, just don't know how to deal with a girlfriend who strayed (if in fact that is what happened).

Posted by David_Maquera
April 16, 2007 3:50 PM |

"

My god that is the understatement of the year.

Oh, I'll totally commit: This guy was Muslim. He's a jihadist. If he was upset about his girlfriend, it was because she wouldn't bow down like a slave to his every whim, which is what Muslims expect of women.

If I'm wrong, I'll admit I'm wrong. But the pattern is so prevalent, I'm going to call this what I think it is: muslim jihad.

I hate to admit it, but my suspicions lie in with Bonnie on this one.

The guy is reported by some to be Asian (Indonesia, Philippines both have big Muslim populations), I have heard that some law enforcement (which includes FBI) is speculating that he had some kind of military or law enforcement training, and the campus was subject to a couple of bomb threats in previous months. Could someone have been studying the campus emergency response? Also, how likely is it that a simple student flipping out over his girlfriend is going to methodically be able to murder 32 people?

That being said, I do very much hope I am wrong.

And my thoughts and prayers go out to those at VaTech and their families.

Yep, committing violence while muslim = jihad. What else you gonna call it? Oh, I know, we'll call it "insurgency."

I know the answer, but I'll ask this anyway: If it turns out that the shooter was not Muslim, but was Christian/Jewish/Hindu/Buddhist/atheist, will those of you jumping to the "Must be Muslim" conclusion with absolutely no evidence still assume religion as the probable motive for the crime?

I would probably give 50/50 odds that it would be a Jihadist. There are probably as many crazy non-jihadists out there, but they are spread through a much larger population. The Jihadists make up a much larger percentage of a much smaller population of Muslims in the US.

'Posted by maledicta
April 16, 2007 4:12 PM |

'

No, because when Christians/Jews/Hindus/Buddhists get mad for religious reasons they don't go slaughter the nearest infidel they can lay their hands on.

It might have something to do with his victims being unsuspecting college students, the vast majority of whom I'm guessing had never been shot at before and who had no idea what to do in that situation.

Posted by maledicta
April 16, 2007 4:08 PM

I would agree with that. Large schools like VA Tech have lecture halls that easily hold 300+ people, with no sort of security system. A person of any age or background can put on a cap and t-shirt with the school's logo and wear a backpack, and then walk around campus and no one would think anything about it.

"Posted by Bonnie_"

Let's review: You're making an assertion with absolutely no evidence backing you up. You're confident that you're right, but even if it turns out you're not, dammit, you're still right and you're not apologizing.

Good work, bonnie. Nothing like preempting the debunking of your own arguments with a refusal to acknowledge your mistake.

"No, because when Christians/Jews/Hindus/Buddhists get mad for religious reasons they don't go slaughter the nearest infidel they can lay their hands on."

I'm not taking the bait and getting into that debate, because it's patently irrelevant to this thread. It's sufficient to say you're thoroughly ignorant of history, and to note the double-standard that exists for religions you like vs. religions you don't. Remember, I didn't say anything about Muslims. You people are the ones who just announced - again, with no supporting evidence - that the shooter just had to be a Muslim, apparently under the assumption that mass murder is apparently inconceivable to other races/creeds.

"So will the left start calling it murder when Palistinians strap bombs to children to walk into a crowded Jewish market."

Beats me, I'm not on the Left. Dumb assumption on your part.

I know the answer, but I'll ask this anyway: If it turns out that the shooter was not Muslim, but was Christian/Jewish/Hindu/Buddhist/atheist, will those of you jumping to the "Must be Muslim" conclusion with absolutely no evidence still assume religion as the probable motive for the crime?

Posted by maledicta
April 16, 2007 4:12 PM |

Well, Jesus said "turn the other cheek." Muhammad advocated the cutting off of heads of Jews. I understand why you said "I know the answer"

Beats me, I'm not on the Left. Dumb assumption on your part.

Posted by maledicta
April 16, 2007 4:27 PM |

Well, let me rephrase so that you will be included: When will Dumbasses start calling it murder when Palistinians strap bombs to children to walk into a crowded Jewish market?

I'm still of the opinion that the death toll is indicative that this guy knew how to make his shots count, large lecture halls aside. Yes, it was a target rich environment, but just having lots of targets doesn't mean you are going to make your shots count like that.

Posted by aharris
April 16, 2007 4:31 PM |

Agreed. I heard reports that he was chaining doors shut when he walked in to keep people from escaping.

Yep, committing violence while muslim = jihad. What else you gonna call it? Oh, I know, we'll call it "insurgency."

Posted by Bonnie_
April 16, 2007 4:06 PM

How about just plain crazy, Bonnie? Or, as maledicta said, "murder"? If the guy was saying "Allah Akbar," while this was going down, then yes, we're looking at a jihad situation. But for you to strike an alarmist pose and claim "jihad" every time Muslim goes off the deep end, well the words for that are PARANOID and DELUSIONAL.

Here's what I think on the whole Muslim thing:

Earlier today I read that one witness reported that it was an "Asian" student. The first thing that popped in my mind was that he may very well turn out to be Muslim. I don't know if I'm right, and it wouldn't do any of us any good if I am, but I definitely think it could turn out that way. I don't want to speculate, because I could easily be wrong (it's just a hunch afterall) and it wouldn't change the fact that it's a tragedy...32 people will still be dead (I know the killer makes 32, but he's somebody's son, somebody's brother, so I feel for them). Only time will tell.

The only thing I will speculate on is this: If in fact he turns out to be Muslim, there will be almost NO media mention of it. Just as the case with the Salt Lake City Mall shooting a few months ago. A young guy goes into the mall killing people and everyone of course assumes it's some crazy white guy. Then, come to find out, it was a MUSLIM Bosnian immigrant and, from what I recall reading, all the victims he attacked were white (please correct me if I'm wrong, but that's the story I read and heard). The reason I'm not 100% sure is that NOBODY reported that little tidbit...I heard it on a conservative radio show that I can't recall right now, but I definitely didn't see that little morsel of information in the paper or on television. That is exactly what I think will happen in this case if it turns out he was Muslim...the media will just sweep it under the rug. But if it turns out he was ever involved in a Christian church, that will be mentioned in every article and television story, guaranteed.

All I can do is pray for the souls of the victims, their loved ones, and the family of the killer (I don't know anything about them yet, so I choose to err on the side of compassion). The only comfort I can take from this (if you can even call it that) is right now that sumbitch is face to face with the Lord and no punishment we can conjure up will compare to what he is suffering as we speak.

"Also, how likely is it that a simple student flipping out over his girlfriend is going to methodically be able to murder 32 people?"

Can't believe I forgot to say this earlier, but it also probably had quite a bit to do with his targets being unable to defend themselves. This is a college campus - no one is carrying a gun, except for security guards. He knows in advance there's no one to shoot back at him.

Lets wait till we get the full story before we start blaming anyone. Everyone knew that the Oklahoma City bombing had to be a Muslim terrorist attack.

Well, we'll find out soon enough who the hell the shooter was and what his motivation was.

Right now, we don't even know if the initial morning shooting that left two dead had anything to do with the mass killing that went on later today.

My observation is simply that killing over 30 people because your distraught over some broad doesn't make much sense, and that the whole act - right down to locking doors to keep people from escaping - seems to well planned to be the act of someone who just went bonkers this morning. This thing was very well thought out, and to my mind taht rules out an act of passion of some sort.

I'm sure we'll find out the identity, nationality, and religious affiliation of the killer in due course...

Posted by CoolCzech
April 16, 2007 5:46 PM

And if he was a "Fundamentalist Christian," we'll never hear the end of how dangers Christians are

Perhaps if guns had not been banned on campus someone could have toted in a firearm for self defense. Apparently they waited 2 hours before warning the students, before sounding any alarm.

There's nothing that points toward any jihadi behavior here or gives any indication of him being motivated by any religious zealotry. He appears, at first glance, to be a garden variety murdering monster.

I wouldn't agree with the idea of arming teachers. When I was in college an American History teacher I had was the one guy I would bet on pulling something like this. Besides, I thought all college instructors were crazy liberals.

Folks, can we, for just one day, focus on the tragedy and prayer for the victims, rather than starting the same right vs left bullshit.

This was an American tragedy. We should view it as that.

Actually Cav, the reason the press uses the term Asian as opposed to Oriental is that Oriental hasn't been used by the press for about 20-ish years now.

I suspect that's a distinct possibility, Cavalier, but I'm willing to wait before pouncing on it...

'Apparently they waited 2 hours before warning the students, before sounding any alarm."

That's what I can't believe about all this. The first shooting occurs at 7:15 when he goes into the dorm and kills two people, wounds a couple more (some by jumping out of second story windows). He doesn't go into the lecture hall until two hours later (9:00-9:30), which is when the massacre occurs.

That's two hours between the shootings. You're the University President; you've just had a double homicide on campus in a dorm, with others wounded to boot. The gunman or gunmen are still on the loose, possibly still on campus. How do you not close campus down? At that point, they should have gotten on the horn through every means available - emails, loudspeakers, calling rooms one by one - and put the campus on lockdown. Do not go to class, do not leave your rooms, do not open the windows. How did this not happen? How do you have a double homicide on campus with the gunman still at large and not warn people?

The University of Virginia Tech is going to have its ass sued off after today, and based on what we know, they deserve it. I'm just dumbfounded by this; I don't even have any kind of an explanation. But how they could go two hours without cancelling class, without even warning people, is just incredible to me.

Posted by lumberjack7393
April 16, 2007 6:05 PM |

- Well, if it turns out to be an "Asian" in Dearborn, MI by way of Saudi Arabia, I suspect we'll hear about how he was driven to gun down 32 people by the way the airline insensitively kicked those Imams pretending to be terrorists off the plane...

It sounds like a scene from freaking Baghdad!

Posted by CoolCzech
April 16, 2007 3:43 PM

How revealing that it takes a tragedy of epic proportions on a U.S. college campus for some conservative to admit that Iraq is a worse tragedy and that Baghdad is a nightmare.

Any war is a tragedy, Huck.

MENTAL IMAGE ALERT!

I can hear Rosie now...

Posted by CoolCzech
April 16, 2007 5:57 PM

If the murderer is called a Christian (it is not a Christian), Rosie will be orgasmic.

How could this guy have murdered 32 people and wound dozens more? Simple: the school was a "gun-free zone." There was no one around with the ability to stop him.

Yeah from what I understand, it took two hours for the university to warn the students, apparently to avoid panic or alarm. Which is sort of the point of an alarm: to cause alarm.

But you're right, if at least one guy had gone heeled in the university, maybe this murderer wouldn't have gotten far. Maybe he wouldn't have even tried.

Posted by aharris
April 16, 2007 5:59 PM |

I was at that OU/KSU game, and heard the bomb go off when that kid blew himself up. I have been amazed and sickened at the media cover up that followed. Although, I will say, to my understanding he never did try to get past any security checkpointss, his bomb exploded right outside the science building where they believe he made it. But evidence indicates he was heading towards the stadium when it happened.

But yes, it was almost definately a case of a Muslim or Muslim sympathizer attempting a suicide bombing at a major (80K plus) sporting event. And most Americans never heard anything about it.

"First time I've heard it."

Then you don't pay very close attention to things.

"the press is being awfully damned coy about calling him "asian" and not "oriental,""

Who uses the word "oriental" anymore, seriously? That tells us absolutely nothing other than the desire to remain politically correct in your terminology (since there are volumes of literature out there about how terms like "oriental" and "The Orient" are offensive).

"Yeah, CavalierX, let's arm people to the teeth like we do in Baghdad and other militarized zones. That'll stop the crazies from their murderous ways!"

Hyperbole doesn't lead to greater understanding of the situation. No one is suggesting we arm anyone "to the teeth." What we're saying is that if one person in that lecture hall had been carrying one gun, there might be 30 less dead students today. More importantly, if the gunman had thought that one person in that lecture hall might have had one gun, he would have been much less likely to do what he did.

Who are you trying to kid, Tom? When your five year old daughter goes off to school every morning, you hit her up for her lunch money.

Why do you think he has to worry about whether she's packing?

Any war is a tragedy, Huck.

Posted by CoolCzech
April 16, 2007 6:24 PM

Agreed, CoolCzech. So we'll spend days and weeks talking about this one event, obsessing over it. Yet when a car bomb takes hundreds of lives in Iraq, and I obsess over it, you'll be telling me to stop being so negative and focus on all the wonderful things happening there, right?

Think about your reaction to this tragic event at VA Tech and the parallel you drew to Baghdad the next time you think to chastise liberals or the MSM for obsessing over the daily violence in Iraq.