Our thoughts go out to Virginia Tech. by Matt McGann '00
All of us here are quite saddened by the shooting at Virginia Tech. I don’t know what to say.
Today, President Susan Hockfield sent this message out to the MIT community:
From: Susan Hockfield
Subject: Tragedy at Virginia Tech
Date: April 17, 2007
To: [email protected]
Reply-To: [email protected]To Members of the MIT Community:
Yesterday’s tragic events at Virginia Tech have shocked and saddened
all of us. We offer MIT’s condolences to the students, faculty, and
staff of Virginia Tech and to their families.We invite all members of the MIT community to an interfaith ceremony
of healing and reflection, organized by the Institute’s chaplains,
tomorrow afternoon, Wednesday, April 18, at 4:00 p.m. in the Chapel.
We anticipate that in the days to come members of the community will
organize additional opportunities to gather in remembrance. At the
same time, we encourage those with connections to the Virginia Tech
community and those who find themselves particularly disturbed by
yesterday’s events to contact the many individuals and offices at the
Institute who can offer support, including the Mental Health service
in MIT Medical and the housemasters and tutors in the residence
system.In the wake of the events at Virginia Tech, many have asked about our
preparations in the event of an emergency at MIT. The Institute
maintains comprehensive emergency preparedness plans, which are
assessed and updated regularly. We are fortunate to be able to rely
on the professionalism and expertise of our colleagues in the MIT
Police, the Environment, Health, and Safety Office, the Department of
Facilities, the Medical Department, and the Housing Office. All of
these key operational areas have comprehensive and tested action plans
in place, which they would implement in the event of an emergency.Our thoughts will be with the Virginia Tech community during the days
of mourning ahead.Sincerely,
Susan Hockfield
Matt, I wanted to thank you for making this post, and especially for sharing Susan Hockfield’s e-mail. I believe the shootings have deeply shaken all of us, even those of us who aren’t directly tied to the Virginia Tech community; yet it’s strangely comforting to know that everyone at MIT is in the same state as we are.
Our prayers are with the families of the victims.
It was a horrible to think that something like this had to happen, and we should never take life for granted. I will remember and pray for these families and I pray that God will ease their pain and give them strength to deal with the days ahead.
As I wrote on the commemorative book at the Anne Frank in Amsterdam last week, “God is stronger than hate.”
Sincere condolences to all…..
As I wrote on the commemorative book at the Anne Frank in Amsterdam last week, “God is stronger than hate.”
Sincere condolences to all…..
Our prayers go out to all the familes, man.
We had a moment of silience for them in my school today…
Also on this same topic; what happened yesterday kind of makes you think; what kind of world do we live in that something like this could happen? For me at least, it makes me think.
::sigh:: …the world in which we live in…
Our thoughts and sympathy go out to everyone involved. Keep strong, be brave; you will get through this.
It’s a great tragedy which is a paradigm of the present day world filled with terror and violence.our heart is filled with deep sorrow and we send our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved familiies all over.
To those of the Virginia Tech family;
My prayers go out to friends, family, faculity, and the community for your loss. I can’t even imagine your loss….
I feel that there are many of strong character and christian belief that will mourn and move on but will never forget what has transpired.
you are in my prayers.
Ruben Vasquez
It’s hard even to imagine what they have lost.
May God give them courage to face this.We are all with them.
“THEY WERE AT WRONG PLACE AT WRONG TIME” president Bush set speaking about 33 people dead at Virginia Tech.
– How “COLLEGE” can be a “WRONG PLACE” and “STUDYING” at ” WRONG TIME”?
It is just shameless cowering of failure of this administration to make americens safe in there homes. Innocent people are paying price for that.
Do something. America.
Just changing politic, the leaders, and way of interacting with rest of the World after WWII, made Germany the most prestigious country at World today.
Wake up America. “COLLEGE” newer was “WRONG PLACE” and ” STUDY ” NEWER WAS ” at “WRONG TIME” (except in middle age) , but “OUR KNOWLEDGE” can be late, and price what 33 fallen heros at Virginia Tech payed, is to high. But, like all heros, they tried and they succeeded, living this world with powerful message : Coexistence and Peace at Earth.
Make your choice. You have so many good choices in next presidential election, and I hope, your choice will be “Peace”. And do not forget, I am telling you from refugees experience: only truly democrats can build democracy and make Peace work.
White, black, women,.. Doesn’t matter if Country or peace is in question.
– “Let America be America again”…
My condolences to You, to fallen American Heros families, and to all Mankind. It is really planetary tragedy for all of as. Ibrahim Pelesic
may this day in april be forever sketched into the minds of all americans as a wake up call to not only the vulnerability of our country is but what we can learn what steps to insure this may never ever happen again
as for the families of the victims may an angel be sitting on your shoulders to help comfort you n all loved 1s n finally to the poor victims that died on that dreadful day in april may all your souls be lifted to heaven by the angels that have guided u threough life may they guide u to heaven godspeed and rest in peace
may this day in april be forever sketched into the minds of all americans as a wake up call to not only the vulnerability of our country is but what we can learn what steps to insure this may never ever happen again
as for the families of the victims may an angel be sitting on your shoulders to help comfort you n all loved 1s n finally to the poor victims that died on that dreadful day in april may all your souls be lifted to heaven by the angels that have guided u threough life may they guide u to heaven godspeed and rest in peace
may this day in april be forever sketched into the minds of all americans as a wake up call to not only the vulnerability of our country is but what we can learn what steps to insure this may never ever happen again
as for the families of the victims may an angel be sitting on your shoulders to help comfort you n all loved 1s n finally to the poor victims that died on that dreadful day in april may all your souls be lifted to heaven by the angels that have guided u threough life may they guide u to heaven godspeed and rest in peace
aww… what to say… what can one say? i remember reading, when the news came… I had just left the library, and before me was the flag, and it was at half staff. I ran back inside, and went to the computer… I read that the shootings were suposedly conducted by a 6 foot asian man, who at this moment was unidentafiable. And i remember thinking, unidentifiable? how many 6-foot asians are thier in virginia! least of all those that have access to V.T. Alas, one of my friends was shot in the leg… im just glad he made it out…
Godspeed to the rest.
I would like to offer my sincere condolences to everybody associated with the victims. Even here, half way around the earth, this news has shocked us. I cried for the students whom I had never met. I hope such a brutality will never occur again.
My heart goes out as well, to all those affected by this tragedy. What a sad state our world is in… Let us work together to improve it and to prevent such events from ever occurring again!
I don’t even know what to say about the events at Virginia Tech. It’s my dad’s alma mater; we were shocked when we found out what happened.
I’m praying. I don’t know if it helps (I’m agnostic), but I’m praying.
Yikes. I was totally shocked by finding out about it right after the first shooting, then watching it the rest of the day…
I hope that it doesn’t happen again. Bla…
it was my birthday on monday, and all i can say is i’ll remember the VT tragedy for the rest of my life.
The disregard for human life amazes me. Why didnt anyone notice the kid…there were red flags all over the place in his writing, his demeanor…its that people just dont care…this could have all been avoided if someone had the courage and helped the kid out…now 31 innocent people are dead, their education lost forever, their families grieving for the rest of their lives. This wasnt a massacre…this was a tragedy that was not suppose to happen.
RE: Ibrahim Pelesic’s post
Your post saddened me because you neglected the fact that President Bush and his wife just wanted to mourn with the Virginia Tech community during this distraught and difficult time. It is out of their compassion! Why did you have to use this “WRONG PLACE at the WRONG TIME” to make your political statement?!!!!
I am an immigrant from a semi-oppressed one-party-ruler country and came to US for graduate study. Now that I have raised a family and worked in this country for over 2 decades. I am forever grateful to US that provided me with abundant opportunity to have a new life. Unfortunately, I did observe that our society seemed to be sicker but this deteriorating of the society is not just happening in the US. In fact, it is all over the world where human exists if you cared to read local news from other different parts of the world. All I can say is that America is still a great country. American people in general are polite, strong and compassionate! Strangers helped me in numerous ways during my staying in this country….
My heart goes out to all the victims’ family and their friends, including the troubled killer’s family. It is a time to be united in our common human spirit – Hope, Faith and Love. May God bless America.
Ibrahim Pelesic,
you’re pathetic, using this tragedy as a soapbox to proclaim your political views.
Hold It, hold it, hold it! Ibrahim Pelesic is NOT pathetic. Some people, like myself, have a giant bias against our current president, and some people, like myself, have a giant love for school, education and knowledge. And some, like myself, dislike hereing slander… even if it was in good taste… from a person we strongly dislike… at a moment such as revealing as the V.T shootings.
BUT THAT DOES NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTTTTTT GIVE ANY OF US THE RIGHT TO CRITISICE ANOTHER!!!
Just because Ibrahim Pelesic saw a moment to say what he felt doesnt grant any of us the right to call him pathetic, ignorant or blaphemous! its not morrally right!! Thats wrong!
We must have both foresight and hindsight in dealing with these issues of delacacy, and insulting someone because he told us what he thought is the EXACT way to recreat a V.T rampage. Your trying to have him pent up his ideas, his anger, and everything else he thought at that moment of clarity. And if that happens enough… guess what? something IRRATIONAL might happen.
Let us learn to respect other peoples apinions, without resulting to railraiding them with insults about what they believe. They are as equally right, or wrong, and are as equally human as YOU.
We can all learn from this, Its not what you say that necasarilly proves who you are… its also the way you handle the things you dislike. And quite frankly, im disapointed to find such remarks on an mit blog.
I have a feeling we will be hearing from Ibrahim Pelesic soon. Im with him. He saw an opertunity to express his dislike, and he wanted to make it known. Quite frankly, when i heard the presidents statement, i thought the same thing. i think someone should be commemborated for putting in out in public.
kudos to you, Ibrahim Pelesic!!
So…you’re saying that if the President had said “in the RIGHT place at the WRONG time”, then you’d have no issue with it?
Take issue with his speech writers.
If Clinton had been the speaker instead, would you have found as much fault with the wording???
I’m going to shut down this thread before it gets too political. It’s still an admissions blog, folks. (thanks)