HOKIE LAND REVISITED

It's been a couple weeks since the killings at Virgina Tech and there are several thoughts I have continuously had since the tragedy.

One: when is the United States finally going to take mental illness seriously? Too often, people with grave mental illness, which can manifest in a person's inability to cope with reality or produce violence brought on by disconnection with reality or adherence to a life lived by fantastical unreality, fall through the cracks of treatment.

Two: the Virgina Tech event also magnifies the age old debate about gun control. The shooter bought his guns and ammo with ease. The right to bare arms is a right that should be looked at immediately. Because guns exist does not mean everybody in the country should own one.

Three: The media coverage on the shootings was, of course, in today's age, over the top; symphonic soundtracks and movie style graphics included. Many interviews floated out the role of blame in the tragedy. The Va Tech administration. The Blacksburg police and sherrif's office. The truth is a small town law enforcement office did the best they could do under the circumstances. Perhaps the administration of the university could have gotten the word out to students earlier, but the truth of the matter is a killer had a gun, a mad, deluded passion and the element of surprise. There is nobody to be blame ultimately, but Seung-Hui Cho. Life is sudden, for better and for worse and many times there is no way it could have been forseen. Everybody walking the face of the earth have to deal with the truth of the fragility of existence and genuinely appreicate life itself.

Four: Seung-Hui Cho did a horrendous thing, a cowardly thing, but as we pray for his victims and there families, we should say a prayer for his family and yes, even for him. All are worthy in God's eyes; even though they may fall miles short in the eyes of their fellow human beings.