This isn’t a tragedy. A tragedy is when a tornado or hurricane wipes out a town killing people. This killing was an act of pure evil. An evil person who carried a Glock pistol, guns and a vest full of ammos for the express purpose to kill and injure as many innocent people as possible on the campus of Virginia Tech. This was a total disregard for human decency and respect.
Now, some people, believe it or not, would find this whole thing “amusing.” I certainly don’t. This was an unwanted but horrible and vicious crime that took place. I won’t mention who found this whole thing “amusing” just because Virginia Tech has a few known rivalries with other universities and doesn't have any soft spots for them Hokies.
The "amused" comment was blogged by somebody within the Deaf community. The same person who believes also that this is all about “reaping what you sow” which is a totally ludicrous comment. Purely on the sick side of things. Virginia Tech students who were lined up against the wall of their classroom and shot execution style had nothing to do with “you reap what you sow.” None of the students did anything to that deranged killer to deserve this but were in fact innocent victims caught at the wrong place at the wrong time. Just like the Beslan massacre in Russia where hundreds of children and adults were murdered by Islamic terrorists wielding guns and explosives.
An armed group took over 1000 children and teachers hostage on 1 September 2004. On 3 September, following explosions and gunfire and an assault by state security forces, more than 330 people were dead, including at least 176 children. Many hundreds of people were injured.
Amusing, huh? Absolutely not. Hokies or not, these victimes deserve our utmost respect in times of mourning.
Anybody who says in the context of “reap what you sow” about killings at Virginia Tech or elsewhere is clearly not thinking because none of the victims did anything bad to deserve any of this. For the Virginia Tech students they were sowing a good education for a good life. I'm sure the people at other universities who are rivals against Virginia Tech will surely stand shoulder to shoulder with the families and friends of the victims at Virginia Tech in full solidarity and respect. There is nothing to be "amused" by all this in any context.
This isn’t about deaf people who occassionally may write down the wrong words when trying to express a thought or feeling. I understand that and that’s entirely forgivable. However, the “reap what you sow” comment was made after the “amused” comment in one deaf person’s blog is indicative of not writing it in error context wise but did so with a conscious effort. Just like the conscious effort on wishing the death of a deaf father’s son in the hope he’d trip over his son so he'd feel guilty for the rest of his life. Or wishing that one deaf person would die in flames just so that the Deaf community would be "better off" without him. Or wishing another deaf person brain damage. Or laugh at a dead U.S. soldier (who was the cousin of a hard of hearing person) who was murdered prior to the start of the Iraq war in Kuwait in the well publicized grenade tent attack.
I am generally appalled at how some members of the Deaf community continue to turn a blind eye toward certain Deaf people who have the audacity to be heartless, thoughtless and above all violate just about every rules of internet courtesy when it comes to blogging or making comments. And at the same time put that same person on a pedestal. This makes no sense at all. And when people continue to hold certain deaf people on a pedestal who do these things then they are no better off themselves and are equally guilty.
I am just hoping and praying that this person will have enough sense to acknowledge what was written did indeed show certain insensitivity towards the families and friends of victims murdered at Virginia Tech. And acknowledge that it was done in error. A public apology to the victims out there in the blogosphere would be nice as well.
UPDATE: The Virginia Cavalier Athletic Director expresses condolences to their rival team, Virginia Tech Hokies.
Statement from Athletics Director Craig Littlepage on Monday's Tragic Events at Virginia Tech
Thoughts and prayers go out to everyone at Virginia Tech.
April 17, 2007
The following is a statement by Virginia Athletics Director Craig Littlepage concerning the events at Virginia Tech on Monday.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone touched by the devastating events at Virginia Tech. We join our colleagues around the Commonwealth and nationally in expressing our sorrow to the students, faculty, staff and alumni of Virginia Tech. Many of us know individuals who work or study at Virginia Tech or have family members and friends who do, and our hearts are with all of them. This is a time when we all must be available to provide support, assistance and understanding to those affected by what has happened in Blacksburg."
Even though they are fierce team rivals they, too, recognize the importance of expressing condelences and prayers for the victims and families. I suppose the VA Cavalier also does not find this whole thing "amusing" just because they are rivals to begin with? None of that "soft spot for Hokies" stuff, I tell ya.
Thank you, Craig. You're the smart and honest person here.
UPDATE II: The deaf person in question has since removed the blog post. I can imagine why this was done. However, doing so would probably make things a bit worse because an apology hasn't been issued to the victims of families and friends for making that remark, no acknowledgement mentioned of the faux pas blog of the year, and the fact that Google still has the cache version of that blogpost that is now forever archived.
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