A Hokie Nation...

I'm sure everyone has heard of the Virginia Tech Massacre. Thankfully, everyone I know at Tech is safe and sound. I hope all the injured will recover and find peace. I hope all the friends and family of the dead will find peace as well.

One girl's mom was on the news tonight, she was talking about how her daughter would return to Tech. According to her mom, the daughter said that the fight to recovery is not over until she goes back to Tech and graduates. It's fairly impressive in my opinion.

I am still in a bit of disbelief about the whole ordeal, but more noticeably I'm angry. I'm slightly angry at Tech for not informing their students more quickly, but I understand that it's a large school (one of the largest schools in Virginia), and that it would be hard for them to inform the entire student body. Especially with a great portion of the student body living off campus.

I also understand that the police, campus officials, and everyone involved thought the first shootings were isolated--they honestly had no reason to think otherwise. And I can understand that the same people would want more answers on the first shootings before announcing it. But, I think the students deserved to know what was happening, especially since it was that grave of an issue.

But honestly, what's making me the angriest of all is the reaction; but most notably Facebook. Yes, I will admit that I was attached to my Facebook and the Internet when I first heard about the incident. Once I knew that everyone I knew was safe and unharmed, again I cannot express how thankful I am for that, I stepped back.

Out of respect for those that I did not know, I have expressed my grief and sorrow for their fates and stepped back. The last thing the wounded, their friends and families, the dead, and their friends and families need right now is a billion and one people grieving over their son or daughter when those grievers did not know the son or daughter.

I don't even want to sign onto Facebook right now because I don't want to be bombarded with groups asking me to express my prayers, sorrow, or concern for Tech. I joined the first group that asked me, and for me that is enough. I am subtle in my grief, see it for what you may. But I have always felt that there is an incredible amount of honesty with subtlety.

If it were me, I'd be annoyed. If it were my friend, I'd be pissed. If it was my brother or sister, I'd feel a range of emotions; from pissed to the need to protect to who knows. And I don't even want to know what I would feel if it were my son or daughter.

Someone anonymously carved an incredibly sweet epitaph in the tree for one of the dead. I think what makes it so incredible is the anonymity. That way only the dead, the carver, and--possibly--those who know the carver know who said it and the connection between the dead and the carver. But yet, everyone can know how incredible of a person the dead was, and in a way--through his friends and family--will continue to be.

On the other hand, as an aspiring journalist, I'm torn. What do journalists do? The names of the dead should be released so anyone who knew them will know what happened. The same goes for the injured list. But where is the line? Everyone gets an obituary, does that negate the publicity these obits are getting? Technically, the journalists are just doing their jobs and reporting the news. But at what point does the news stop and the dramatization begin? When is it too much.

All I know, is that journalists publish things to please the media and the readers. The media are incredibly demanding and critical of journalists. I'd say about 70 percent of the media are demanding the press to publish 100 percent of the information, no if-ands-or-buts. While the other 30 percent are scrutinizing the media for doing just that. There is honestly no middle ground.

I'm going to end this here because I feel I could force this discussion into 50 different lights and fields, but it'll all come down to the same question. "How much is too much?"

Again, and most importantly, my heart goes out to the injured, the dead, and their families and friends. May all of the injured recover quickly and fully. And everyone find peace within this terrifyingly chaotic tragedy.

And to those who knew people who died--please remember, and trust me on this, that people only truly die after you have forgotten them. It'll be hard at first, but keep on to those memories; both good and bad. Because in no time--or so it will seem once you get there--you'll be able to laugh and make snide inside jokes about the person. And for a moment, a glimpse in time, that person will still be alive.

Also, you never know when you'll be scared out of your mind about moving forward in life and suddenly be bombarded by their memory. Be it a familiar scent, a hang out spot, a drink, or maybe you said something they would say (for those who have friends that verbally slip up from time to time)--then you'll find strength to move forward in life. Keep them in your heart, and they will live forever.