Redefining Tragedy

I've been bad about the blog again. So much has happened. Harry Reid conceding defeat to the terrorists. The Virginia Tech suicide gunman. Upholding the partial birth ban.

I find myself quite angry at most of this. But sadly I find my gift for invective lacking. Not that I'm too bad at it, I can do a good zinger or two at need. But my abilities pale in comparison to the current situation.

We'll start with Virginia Tech.

I saw something the other night with Dennis Miller. He said we should give everyone a pass on comments about tragedies for 48 hours. Good policy. So I didn't want to write until we had some more complete news.

Some have questioned whether the victims should have charged the murderer. My Katrina experience makes me loathe to trust media reports, and also to make a judgement on a situation when I wasn't there. I don't know if the murderer's tactics were such as to make a rush highly unsuccessful. They may have been. But I'm not in awe of his capabilities.

We need to remember to be thankful that this murderer was, on the whole, unskilled.

The use of the chain to delay anyone from interrupting his plans was effective.

But the use of a .22 caliber weapon is fortunate for the victims. That explains several of the "through and through" wounds with minimal expansion of the projectile.

The news also says he had 17 magazines. How many were for the Glock and how many were for the P-22 is unknown to me. The press says that he could have fired nearly 200 rounds. Sorry, but I'm a shooter. And hold a concealed permit. I practice. For close range pistol, one hit in four is atrocious. We're lucky he didn't know too much.

Also, he could never have qualified for a CHP with such poor accuracy.

Maybe he was mentally disturbed, but his response was just evil. I'm sick of the question of "why". Because he was a homicidal maniac, that's why.

He railed against "privelege" in his manifesto. Sorry, son, but you had an opportunity to get a degree from Va. Tech. Your sister went to Princeton. That's better than 95% of Americans, the wealthiest nation on Earth. Then just compare yourself to the rest of the world. You were just a self pitying psychopath. Here is where my invective fails me.

What would I say to him if I could? I'll have to paraphrase Shakespere. Scorn and defiance, slight regard, contempt and anything that may not misbecome the sender, doth he prize you at. Thus says thenakedemperor. Take that, english major.

My condolences to the families and friends, to Virginia Tech, to Blacksburg, and the nation. I know thenakedempress sends hers too.

Let's examine the responses to this tragedy.

The Virginia Tech faculty and students had cameras shoved in their faces. They were totally unprepared for this tragedy, or the media storm that has followed.

Every single one I've seen has been articulate, eloquent, compassionate, and dignified in this time of the near ultimate test. They have shown great poise and dignity when their world was shattered.

Tragedy is by nature a defining moment. But sometimes the response is so positive that it is the response that is the defining moment, not the tragedy. See Apollo 13 for full details.

Rest assured, Hokies, that the murderer will fade. You response never will. Well Done.

The media, on the other hand, rushed to feed on the bodies of the dead. Vultures. And they just had to show the graphic pictures and play the ranting of the murderer.

Your sports departments refuse to show people (not players) running across the field at sporting events. The sports guys know that to give such publicity hounds a break only encourages more like them.

It seems the "dumb jocks" have figured out what the smart newsies haven't.

This murderer killed to get his maniac raving publicized. Should we give a murderer what he wants? And don't you think that the next time some raving loon figures he has nothing to lose, he'll figure out that you guys will give him his 15 minutes? Maybe next time he'll even have the correct Zip code.

So now we come to the new definitions from this tragedy:

Hokie: Adj. Elegance under extreme pressure.

Hokey: Adj engaging in dangerous and enabling behavior using contrived excuses to cover greed. See NBC. See MSM.

Until Later,

thenakedemperor