Aussie Reactions to the Virginia Tech Shootings

My first entry back from New Zealand was supposed to be a recounting of how amazing the country and my time there was, but we came home to news more important than that.

As we went through the Sydney International Airport, the televisions were playing the news reporting on the incidents at Virginia Tech. I didn't see it, but heard about it from one of the other guys on my trip. My first thoughts went to Aunt Kathy, hoping that she was safe.

As soon as I got back to my apartment, Sarah asked me if I had heard about it, and I had a few friends ask me if I knew anyone or if I was okay. Mom IMed me when I got onto AIM (I had to write an essay in the library so I was on the internet at the same time) to let me know that everyone I know was okay, including Aunt Kathy. Unfortunately, my uncle's boss's wife was killed, and I'm sorry for the loss.

As soon as I was done writing my essay, I read about what was had happened on nytimes.com. At that point, everything was still pretty confused. I immediately wondered if the gunman was bullied or what sort of psychological issues he had.

The shooting was the top headline of the evening news. The report stressed that it was the largest school shooting since Columbine. Nine Australian students were at Virginia Tech, so that was reported as well. The Aussies blamed the shootings on the gun culture that the U.S. has; the shootings have sparked a renewed gun control debate in Australia.

I was amazed to see the difference between my assumptions and the Aussie assumptions to the causes. At first, I was angered by what I perceived as mistakes in the reporting (for example, labelling VT as being in the Northeast when I consider it mid-Atlantic, blaming the gun control laws and ignoring psychological factors, and the news station's opinion on what the debate on gun control is like in the U.S.). However, it was interesting seeing how another country around the world would interpret the events in my country.

My friends and I discussed what had happened. It almost feels like everyone knows someone who went there, especially the American kids; Ralph, who's from Lebanon, knows two students there. I kind of wish I was at home so that I could see how UR is coping with it. I've gotten e-mails meant for the student body, talking about candlelight vigils and such. On Facebook, there's groups sprouting up everywhere about the events. Apparently, the Westboro Bapist Church (the church who protests at soliders' funerals, claiming that God hates America because we don't kill gay people) is planning on protesting at the funerals. A Facebook group was started to help stop them from coming/being seen; people are planning on surrounding the funerals so that the protesters can't be seen by those mourning. I wish I could be there to help with that, since Westboro is absolutely psycho. (We used them in my Queer Theory class as an example of homophobia.)

Anyway, my next few entries will be recounting my trip in New Zealand. I'm glad that everyone I know is safe and I'm praying for the whole of Virginia Tech.