How safe do you feel when you attend school everyday? Many students and faculty don’t really think too much about school being a dangerous place; however, after a couple of school shootings had taken place their minds and thoughts may have changed completely. On April 16, 2007, in the town of Blacksburg Virginia, a college student who attended Virginia Tech, opened gunfire to his fellow classmates.
This shooting has been considered to be the biggest massacre in all of American history. There are many things to be discussed in this major tragedy. Some of them include the events leading up to the shooting, the timeline that the shootings occurred, the causes, and the significance in this particular shooting. The Virginia Tech is only one of the several examples of the horrible behavior and violence in our school systems today.
To begin with, there were several events leading up to the shootings on the campus of Virginia Tech. Cho Seung Hui, 23, an English major from Korea, was identified as the person responsible for the shootings (New York Times). Many students and faculty members described Cho as a very quiet and lonely person who very seldom said anything. He always had a very depressed look to him as if he had someone really close pass away.
It seemed as if no one really knew who he was or what he was about other than just walking by him or seeing him in class. Cho attended professor Nikki Giovanni’s creative writing class and it wasn’t long before she began to question some of his work (Washington Post). Cho’s work seemed to be very morbid and worry some of his classmates up to the point that his peers quit attending class because they began to be scared of what he could be capable of. Cho’s writing was so dark and graphic that it was pretty much unacceptable for college papers. According to the Washington Post, the chairmen of the English department, Lucinda Roy, had decided to teach Cho on a one on one basis (“ Virginia Tech Shootings” 2007). It wasn’t long before Roy had noticed that Cho seemed to have some issues and suggested him to go to the counseling center.
Roy claimed that she had tried to explain to the board and faculty members that there was a serious problem with Cho; however, nobody took notice to anything she was saying. Next, On April 16, 2007, Cho Seung Hui, a student at Virginia Tech College, apparently had nowhere else to turn in his life other than to go on a massive killing spree. According to CNN News, a timeline of exactly what happened during the massacre was explained. It all began at 7: 15am in the West Ambler Johnston Hall, which houses close to 900 students, a 911 call was made claiming that two students had been shot. Between the hours of 7: 30am and 9am police and school board members discussed who on earth would possibly do something like this.
Shortly after the school began to send students notices via email to notify them of the shootings. Around 9: 45am another 911 call was made claiming that more shootings had taken place in the Norris Hall and this time 31 students were killed including Cho, who shot himself after going on the viscous rampage. Several messages were sent to the students of Virginia Tech notifying them of the second shootings via email. Shortly after noon the president of the college released information that classes would be canceled and counseling centers were readily available to anyone in need.
According to MSNBC News, nearly two days after the biggest school massacre in history, they received a package that was sent to them from Cho Seung Hui and entailed some very terrifying videos, photos, and documents that Cho had wrote. It was soon discovered just exactly what Cho was doing in between the two horrible shootings. A package that was received at the news station was post marked for the day the shootings took place and it was checked in at 9: 01am; however, Cho had the wrong zip code and the package didn’t make it until two days after the shooting. This basically told authorities that Cho had made a trip back to his dorm room to compile his materials and then went to the post office in between shootings to mail this terrifying package filled with anger towards almost everyone and everything.
Furthermore, the many causes of why something this mind blowing could actually happen in our country and feel so close to home. It is absolutely amazing how the viciousness of a single person could affect the lives of so many people. Several people had begun to wonder what might have been the cause of this massacre. One of the causes brought to attention was the fact that Virginia Tech College didn’t take proper responsibility when notified by faculty and students that Cho may be a dangerous individual. If fact, if the school would have looked further into the gunman’s history and the many complaints people were constantly filing against him then maybe this wouldn’t have happened. However, we must not go back in time and say “ what if” because that will not change what has already happened.
Another cause for this tragedy may be the violent movies, music, or television shows. Several of people are influenced by the things they see whether they want to admit it or not is a different story. It seems like the more graphic and gorier the movie the better; however, the people who write these movies don’t think of the impact the movie may have on an individual’s life. Last, this cause brings me to the wonderful thing called videogames. Videogames these days have come along way from what they used to be. Back in the day people played simple games like Pac Man and Mario brothers; although, times have definitely changed.
The violence these videogames entail is through the roof with stealing things, killing people, blowing things up, and even taking drugs throughout the game. What kind of an influence is that for a person of any age? Finally, this brings a lot of significance to this type of situation. If people don’t catch and try to help other people this may just happen again in the future and as a matter of fact it has already happened again at Northern Illinois University where six people were killed. It seems as if the media that we give these killers is just ammunition for those out there considering in joining in theses hateful acts. If someone is acting funny you should most likely get him or her help if at all possible. College campuses around the United States should better secure and keep closer eyes on the people that are attending their schools.
As a consequence to the school shootings that have happened over the years, professors may be asked to carry weapons. How safe would you feel with being lectured by a professor that is armed? This seems a little silly because you never know when a person could snap, and I don’t think that the faculty should be looked upon as trust worthy in this sense. It is very easy to tick off your professor especially with the number of students they have in each class. Who’s to say that the teacher won’t go haywire and start unloading fire upon random students just out of pure anger towards something else? Other forms of precaution should be taken first like hiring more guards, installing metal detectors at each entrance, and placing surveillance cameras in all angles of every building. Some schools have started a new drill that pertains to the school shootings and where a safe area is to commute to.
Now those suggestions are far more likely to be safer than arming faculty, and before you know it students will be aloud to be armed as well. Exactly what would this world be coming to by letting everyone walk around with a gun while attending college to get an education? Nevertheless, an article written by Eddie Isler and Ellie McDaniel (gunwoners. org) explained how people should in fact be able to carry guns to school for protection. Gun Owners of America have decided to pass the law that people who have a gun card will now be aloud to carry a gun while attending school. So what it comes down to is the choice of if you want schools to find other ways of security, or if you would rather just be able to carry a gun at all times on campus to protect yourself.
Overall, this massacre that occurred on April 16, 2007 that involved Cho Seung Hui as the killer has devastated the country at a high cost. Many lives were claimed on that day and recently another school shooting took place at Northern Illinois University that took the life of six students, which happens to be closer to home for the people attending Rend Lake. Honestly it scares the crap out of me knowing that at any time someone could just start shooting people at random. There have been several of things in school shootings that need to be closely examined. Some of these include the way people act while attending school and if anything may be fishy, the several different patterns these killers seem to be using, their family background, and their media influences.
We must also look at what the significance of this tragedy could further entail, such as what could possibly happen again and just how comfortable you really feel with students and teachers being armed. School security around the world should buckle down and put an end to school shootings before, yet another repetition of the Virginia Tech massacre takes place and claims even more lives.
