While theoretically my blog is supposed to be on whatever is occupying my mind at the time, I have been having a real struggle with deciding whether to write my thoughts on the tragedy at Virginia Tech. In some senses, I have had a real visceral honest response to this event, but in other ways it feels as though I don't really have the right. What can I say that hasn't already been said? What can I say that can even hold a spark to what someone from that university is going through? Do I even have any right to let this overwhelm me when I have no idea what it is really like to be engulfed in the reality of this? How can I even claim a fraction of their pain from my laptop checking CNN.com?
One of the better quotes I heard was from, I believe, the governor of Virginia, who asked people to hold aside their political agendas for the time being, and let people grieve before tying this all in to their "issue-du-jour". It is doubtless that this is going to spur on a lot of topical debates on gun control, security measures at the university, and risk assessment in mental illness. But there is enough time for that. The victims' parents, children, partners and friends do not give a shit about any of these issues at this exact moment. They just care that a life was cruelly ripped away from them by virtue of having a class in the wrong building at the wrong time.
What I can't get over is how, in the film, he rails against the evils of the rich... and then kills a holocaust survivor to make his point.
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5 years ago
4 comments:
You have every right to be overwhelmed by this - and to write down what you're feeling.
Sharing helps. Keeping the confusion inside makes it worse.
Grieve, question and lament.
I am on the same level as you on this one. It is absolutely tragic, but is it right of us to comment?
I haven't actually had the opportunity to see any of his video yet, but I'm sure it's frantic and disturbing.
I was motorcycling through the Blue Ridge mountains and the Shenandoah skyline with my dad and brother and a few others a month before this happened (yep, I love motorcycles, especially borrowed ones, since I don't own one personally--lucky to have a freakin' car). We rode through Blacksburg, actually. It was beautiful and peaceful. I could not picture it getting ripped apart like it did. It really is surreal to think about it.
And you brought up the best point in this--that to use this incident to push a political agenda would be smarmy as Satan's ass. (not the hockey player! ;)
And of course I had to comment on your happiness! You're bubbling over with it, in your own way. I can tell. It's cool how familiar we can get with one another through our writing.
Well, another night for the books. I like reading a bygone musing! before bed. It's a nice way to end a night, with a familiar voice.
Sweet dreams, my friend.
Much love and respect, as always.
Ignore that blip on your google reader. I only figured out a better way to end "The Greatest Love Poem Ever Written..."
Or you can check it out if that is thy royal wish, Princess.
It's all good in the hood!
And thanks for being so awesomely loyal in your reading. It really does make me happy to see your comments. If you ever have constructive criticism or ideas, don't be afraid to give me a shout! Or say anything else that it makes you think of. Sometimes the oddest little thing somebody says gets me to think of a better way to do things.
Well, that ends this top secret transmission. It's like email, but the blogger way.
And I'm glad you are there to listen and read.
Much love, and yes, I'll be reading your new post!
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