Some Additional Thoughts about the Virginia Tech Tragedy

The impact of the Virginia Tech tragedy remains with us in many ways.  Colleges and universities continue to review their emergency and security plans … as they should.  Mental health professionals continue to discuss how to better address student issues on campuses … as they should.  State and federal legislators hold hearings and debate gun policies and privacy laws… as they should.  And the media continues to provide stories about the student who committed these horrific acts, the victims and their families, and the issues related to campus and community safety and security … as they should.

As time passes, the raw nerve of Virginia Tech will lessen and be replaced by the next unimaginable event in our world of never-ending crime and violence.  And that is a reality we must sadly face.  Violence is a part of our culture.  A day does not go by that we don’t hear about violent crimes in our own communities, in our nation, in our world.  And violence takes many forms.  While we react viscerally to senseless murders and overwhelming crimes like Virginia Tech, we seem to be less concerned and somewhat immune to the daily evidence of incivility, verbal abuse, racism, poverty and the social injustices that impact our worlds in similarly tragic ways.

One of the immediate reactions to the Virginia Tech tragedy is the need by our students and their parents to receive assurances that they are and will be safe.  At a weekend orientation for incoming freshmen at another institution, a colleague shared with me how parents demanded a “guarantee” that their child would be safe.  Sadly, there are few guarantees in life.  Despite all the safety and security procedures and plans, regardless of the levels of counseling and student services … tragedies will take place on college campuses, just as they will take place in our world.

My best answer is individual responsibility and action.  While we each run some risk of being an innocent victim, we all have a responsibility to be an active citizen.  We may not be able to change the world, but we can change our own local environment in positive ways.  The responsibility for campus safety and security does not rest solely with our security force and administrators.  It is the responsibility of everyone on campus.

We must work harder to create and sustain positive environments and accepting communities.  While individuals will vary in their points of view and interests, we can all act more civilly to everyone; we can all take an active role in working for the Common Good.  The lesson of Virginia Tech should not lead us to finger pointing but rather to joining hands to work for a better world … to be better people.  No one can guarantee that these tragedies will end, but it is a certainty that we can do more to make our campuses stronger and better communities for everyone.

(As always, your comments and questions are welcome.)