30 killed on Virginia Tech campus
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 6:45 pm
Discussion for learners and teachers of English
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Hi Lenny when this hit the news here I nearly died. I just can't believe it. So stupid!! So many innocent people caught up in this bull...t. OMG I just feel so badly for the families. As for Danyet's attitudes towards guns i would prefer not to go there because we will always be at odds. It is ok to be a cowboy and bear arms when you need to shoot wolves etc, but people are another thing. Thanks Lenny for posting this i'm so glad that someone did. I just hate this type of stuff it actually hurts to think that society is ok with kids killing kids!!LennyeTran wrote:F! Another shooting!
:x See, Danyet, this is the reason why the right to bear arms is stupid!
Israeli Professor Tried to Save Students' Lives
By Julie Stahl
CNSNews.com Jerusalem Bureau Chief
April 17, 2007
Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - Former colleagues said research and teaching were very important to Liviu Librescu, a professor from Israel who was among those murdered at Virginia Tech on Monday. He died trying save his students' lives.
Librescu, 75, immigrated to Israel from formerly communist Romania more than 25 years ago. He later moved to the U.S. and became a lecturer at Virginia Tech's Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics. He had been teaching there for 20 years.
A Holocaust survivor, Librescu died on the same day that Israel was marking Holocaust Martyrs and Heroes Remembrance Day.
A brilliant scientist, Librescu didn't even have a drivers' license because research was everything for him, said Tel Aviv University Professor Jacob Aboudi. He never paid attention to luxuries, Aboudi said in a telephone interview. "He cared about the students."
A student in Librescu's class, Alec Calhoun, told the Associated Press that Librescu's class heard a "thunderous sound" from the classroom next door as the gunfire erupted on Monday.
Calhoun was among those who jumped out of a second floor window. Before he leapt, he said, he turned around and saw Librescu attempting to block the door. He was shot and killed.
"He was an extraordinary person," said Dr. Doron Shalev. Shalev received his doctoral degree in mechanical engineering from Virginia Tech. During his five years there, Shalev said he studied under Librescu and later worked with him in writing a number of academic papers.
"He was totally devoted to research and teaching. He was a person with a special [sense of] human," Shalev told Cybercast News Service.
He never spoke about the Holocaust, but in the early hours of the morning after finishing their work together, Librescu would share with Shalev details about his life in Romania. After writing a book in Romania, Librescu risked his life to smuggle it out to the West page by page, Shalev said.
When Librescu decided to leave Romania for Israel, he was fired from his job, as was customary in communist countries in the 1970s. But he left his house every day as if to go work and studied in a library so the neighbors wouldn't know that he had lost his job, said Shalev.
Some of the habits he developed in Romania stuck with him. He was always afraid his home was bugged, so if he had something important to discuss with his wife he would go outside. Even in Blacksburg, Virginia, he stuck to that habit, Shalev said.
Shalev described Blacksburg as "heaven on earth." He said he once had an office in Norris Hall, where at least 30 of the victims were killed on Monday. One of his children was born there, he said.
"We never locked our houses or cars. This is a place of no crime," he said. Now to think that worst massacre ever in the history of the U.S. happened there, he said, "it's beyond any understanding."
Maybe none of the above Lenny he might just be a sick p.ick???!!! What is really frightening is that everyone thinks that these situations are isolated to US soil, they aren't. You only have to look at what happened in Russia. Personally I think my country is a ticking time bomb for this sort of thing. I have heard stories for years about kids carrying knifes and kids getting stabbed. Just a few years ago a kid bought a arrow gun (don't know the name but they are banned here) over the internet and went to a local high school and shot his girlfriend and another girl through the leg. Two boys at the school tackled him to the ground before he could do anymore damage. It is only a matter of time!LennyeTran wrote:More of him
This guy clearly was sick! I wonder what happened to him back then. Was he abused or molested?
How is only police having LEGAL guns going to help me? The police only arrive in time to draw white chalk lines around dead bodies. And that is exactly ALL THEY DID AT VIRGINIA TECH. The police did not save even ONE person there!!Personally I think the only people that should carry fire arms are the people that are paid and licensed to do so for the protection of others, i.e. police, military, security.
The latest news I read said that he was picked on and teased in schoolShazzam wrote:Maybe none of the above Lenny he might just be a sick p.ick???!!!LennyeTran wrote:More of him
This guy clearly was sick! I wonder what happened to him back then. Was he abused or molested?
Exactly! Japan and Vietnam are also another examples, I think. Last time I heard one kid killed himself because he was bullied in school in Japan. And in Vietnam, one kid killed herself because the teacher humiliated her in front of the whole class. I mean, when you think of school, you never thought this kinda thing would happen. The educational area, where students learn to be good people and look what's happened.Shazzam wrote:What is really frightening is that everyone thinks that these situations are isolated to US soil, they aren't. You only have to look at what happened in Russia. Personally I think my country is a ticking time bomb for this sort of thing. I have heard stories for years about kids carrying knifes and kids getting stabbed. Just a few years ago a kid bought a arrow gun (don't know the name but they are banned here) over the internet and went to a local high school and shot his girlfriend and another girl through the leg. Two boys at the school tackled him to the ground before he could do anymore damage. It is only a matter of time!
Last night we and my uncle debated about this, and I think he got some good points. He said one example: with a crime rate in the US, especially where we live, it'd be more protected if we're allowed to carry guns as a personal protection. It's because there are police in the city to protect the residents; however, what if those bad guys put one house on fire and then went to rob another house while the police and firemen were helping that house? The whole city could have gone chaotic if the citizens couldn't protect themselves.Shazzam wrote:I think the one thing that helps in my country is the strong gun laws we have in place. I know that Danyet will firmly disagree with this as he believes that everyone should carry a gun; just like a mobile phone. For what reason I don't know?
Not all, though.Shazzam wrote:Personally I have never needed to feel that insecure. I think s..it happens you are in the wrong place at the wrong time. However having said that I feel the US has a gun happy culture. People weild them around like NIKE shoes in the streets.
This is why they asked, is it guns that kill people or is it people who kill people?Shazzam wrote:It is one thing to say you should have one for protection (which ultimately is stupid) but another to say you should just carry arms for the sake of it. Personally I think the only people that should carry fire arms are the people that are paid and licensed to do so for the protection of others, i.e. police, military, security.
Shazzam wrote:Just my opinion. I think countries like the US have to start cutting back on the sale of guns for private use, plus investigate people further prior to issuing gun licenses (it is an open market).
Also gun is not the only the option that using to kill people when his mind really turns into evil side. He could use anything such as a home make bomb, a knife, a hammer or a pair of scissors to hurt other people.LennyeTran wrote:Shazzam wrote:LennyeTran wrote:More of him
But the thing is that when bad people want to get something, there are tons of ways to get it in the black market. So, my concern is, how could we control it, so guns could only be reached to certain kinda people?
Exactly. My biology teacher once said, even a person who had a high school level of chemistry could be capable of making anthrax to kill bunch of people in a subway. Thankfully we don't have that many crazy psychos out there!vince90 wrote:
Also gun is not the only the option that using to kill people when his mind really turns into evil side. He could use anything such as a home make bomb, a knife, a hammer or a pair of scissors to hurt other people.
Yeah, I wonder why he wasn't treated properly. Did his family pull him out of the treatment, or the authority decided that he would be fine afterwards? I mean, it'd be imbecile if they thought he would be fine by himself.danyet wrote:I think that the biggest failure here is that the records that showed that he was dangerous were ignored by a judge, who refused to have him treated in a state hospital. This was even after psychologists had said that he was dangerous to the public.
I agree! That is what I meant by INVESTIGATION! The people that sell these guns are limited by the information provided I am aware of that. The laws need to be looked at!!!danyet wrote:I think that the biggest failure here is that the records that showed that he was dangerous were ignored by a judge, who refused to have him treated in a state hospital. This was even after psychologists had said that he was dangerous to the public.
Therefore, when he went into the store to purchase a gun the check that was done on him to see if he could be trusted with a weapon showed nothing!!
If the people who were responsible for treating his mental illness had all done their jobs he would have been listed as "Unstable" and would have been on a list of people that could not buy a gun. The gun store owner would have seen this list and would not have sold any firearm to him. I'm not sure but I think also that he would have been reported to the police for trying to buy a gun afterwards.
We already have plenty of gun laws, we just need to see that these laws are obeyed properly.
Actually I heard today that his parents has already warned the School that their son was suicidal.LennyeTran wrote:Yeah, I wonder why he wasn't treated properly. Did his family pull him out of the treatment, or the authority decided that he would be fine afterwards? I mean, it'd be imbecile if they thought he would be fine by himself.danyet wrote:I think that the biggest failure here is that the records that showed that he was dangerous were ignored by a judge, who refused to have him treated in a state hospital. This was even after psychologists had said that he was dangerous to the public.
Yeh but think about it?? Suicidal is different from HOMICIDAL!!! It is hear-say! You can't go with that.danyet wrote:Actually I heard today that his parents has already warned the School that their son was suicidal.LennyeTran wrote:Yeah, I wonder why he wasn't treated properly. Did his family pull him out of the treatment, or the authority decided that he would be fine afterwards? I mean, it'd be imbecile if they thought he would be fine by himself.danyet wrote:I think that the biggest failure here is that the records that showed that he was dangerous were ignored by a judge, who refused to have him treated in a state hospital. This was even after psychologists had said that he was dangerous to the public.
His parents? They came out to talk? Last time, I read some news and it said they committed suicide after hearing about what their son did. And I know his sister has been in hiding. According to what I've heard from the news I have to say, what a strange family!danyet wrote: Actually I heard today that his parents has already warned the School that their son was suicidal.
No! I haven't heard the parents but I heard on a national radio talk program that they warned the school.LennyeTran wrote:His parents? They came out to talk? Last time, I read some news and it said they committed suicide after hearing about what their son did. And I know his sister has been in hiding. According to what I've heard from the news I have to say, what a strange family!danyet wrote: Actually I heard today that his parents has already warned the School that their son was suicidal.
I believe this is not the only reason why there are school shootings in the States. Media and violent video games play a huge part also.samck wrote:It is tragedy again . As we know it isn’t the first time about campus killing in the U.S.A So I am not in shock ,I believe it will be not the last tragedy. Because It is so easy to get arms for the citizens.
Where? :?Shazzam wrote:Well there is another shooting someone was shot at NASA. What the????
I didn't hear anything. What happened?Shazzam wrote:Well there is another shooting someone was shot at NASA. What the????
The reason why I didn't go in this whole race thing because I think it was unnecessary. From what you said, if the gunman was a white person, they wouldn't say which ethnicity he really was. I think you forgot one thing that Caucasians have been in the US for many generations. Most of them are, as I usually joke around, mutts. They refer themselves as Caucasian or White. They don't say, "Hey, I'm Italian-Polish-English-Spanish." (my ex was). Same with African-Americans. Asians, on the other hand, are quite different. This guy, obviously, was only 1.5 generation. He was still Korean although he'd been in the States most of his life. Therefore, I don't see anything wrong when they called him Korean.Yen wrote: Moreover, the South Koreans are worrying they might singled out for discrimination in the US as a result of the shooting because in the News, they are always emphasize the killer is Asian or he is Korean while if that killer is white, they avoid to say his nationality.... Do you notice that??
Some Korean communities even went further to apologize for what this guy did. Maybe you have a different perception of this apology than I, but I was quite irritated when they did it. I didn't take it as a genuine gesture. Instead it seemed racist to me. I can understand why the family had to apologize. He was a part of his family after all. And they was indirectly responsible for what he did as a rule of what family means. Other Koreans, on the other hand, have done nothing. Why did they feel the need to apologize for? Just because he was Korean? Therefore, they indirectly singled him out as a a member of their community, and not an individual of the States. Then they're afraid people would take revenge on them because they're Koreans who did not kill those students. Now, who is the racist one, tell me please?Yen wrote: Moreover, the South Koreans are worrying they might singled out for discrimination in the US
It was posted on msn news here over the weekend I think it happened on Friday; you should be able to find something out about it on the net. I couldn't believe it.Dixie wrote:I didn't hear anything. What happened?Shazzam wrote:Well there is another shooting someone was shot at NASA. What the????
I can't find it. :?Shazzam wrote:It was posted on msn news here over the weekend I think it happened on Friday; you should be able to find something out about it on the net. I couldn't believe it.Dixie wrote:I didn't hear anything. What happened?Shazzam wrote:Well there is another shooting someone was shot at NASA. What the????
http://news.google.com.au/news?q=Shooti ... s&ct=titleLennyeTran wrote:I can't find it. :?Shazzam wrote:It was posted on msn news here over the weekend I think it happened on Friday; you should be able to find something out about it on the net. I couldn't believe it.Dixie wrote: I didn't hear anything. What happened?
Exactly!
That´s the point!!! You see, I´m glad to hear that an american citizen like you think in that way, but, sadly, there are a few of your fellow countryman and countrywoman which don´t share your point of view. If you want an explanation to understand korean community behavior, you should review recent american history. How we could forget americans behavior after 9/11 (a few of them of course), when anyone looks like an arab were considered as a terrorist, including those who have been living in american soil for generations.Then they're afraid people would take revenge on them because they're Koreans who did not kill those students. Now, who is the racist one, tell me please?
The difference is that they didn't apologize; they demanded for protection because they knew they were protected by the laws. International and born-here Middle East students in my school were protected by the security for a whole month after 9.11 happened. Two girls in my anthropology class told me they came to the Dean office and demanded protection, and the Dean felt it was right to protect them from imbecile students. That's what Koreans should do.jrkp wrote:How we could forget americans behavior after 9/11 (a few of them of course), when anyone looks like an arab were considered as a terrorist, including those who have been living in american soil for generations.