that story broke my heart. what an honorable and wonderful gift he gave his students by giving them time to escape. i don't know if it's the age, or the fact that he was a survivor or what, it just gets to me.

UCR Response to Virginia Tech Tragedy
(April 16, 2007) — Students, faculty and staff at the University of California, Riverside are stunned and saddened by today’s shootings at Virginia Tech.

In a letter to Virginia Tech President Charles Steger faxed today, Chancellor France Córdova wrote, "I want to extend our heartfelt condolences to you, your campus, and its wider community of parents, family, alumni and friends, for the tragedy that took place on your campus today. … Our thoughts and prayers are with you and all of those affected."

The University of California Police Department is committed to maintaining a safe environment for the students, faculty and staff members on this campus, said Mike Lane, Chief of Police at UC Riverside. "We have highly-trained and equipped sworn police personnel who work 24 hours a day to prevent and respond to crimes and critical circumstances."

He said as details emerge from the Virginia Tech, his department will learn from the experiences of that campus to keep this campus safer.

"We rely on each student, faculty and staff member to continue taking an active role in telling us about any criminal or suspicious activity," he said. “Sharing this information becomes the responsibility of all members of the campus which may help prevent some crimes from occurring." UCPD keeps the campus informed of crime reports via email. The University Police Department is asking all members of the campus to call 911 in the event of an emergency.

The UCR Counseling Center is a resource for anyone from the campus community who is distraught by the news today.

"At times like these, the effects of such a tragedy may impact those far removed from the location, and may be affecting even those of us here at UCR," said Brad Compliment, director of the UCR Counseling Center.

The center is staffed with a number of trained and licensed professionals who are experienced in helping our students with a broad range of emotional questions and challenges.

The UCR Counseling Center operates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding university holidays. The phone number is (951) 827-5531, for appointments. The Center also offers a walk-in service for individuals who are in crisis between 8:30-4:30 pm. The web site is http://counseling.ucr.edu.

After hours, students in crisis should call the HELPline at (951) 686-HELP for a 24-Hour Crisis/Suicide Intervention Hotline. Additional assistance is also available by calling 9-1-1 and the police will respond promptly.

In addition, UC Riverside will lower flags to half staff and plan a campus memorial for the lives lost.



My heart goes out to the students, staff, faculty, alumni and friends of VA Tech.

"An abnormal reaction to an abnormal situation is normal." I would have imagined that he was too numb to discuss it, and too raw to cancel class.

When I sat back, and thought of all the things that happened in history this week (some, undoubtedly, purposely held on a certain day), I thought about the professor who had survived the Holocaust, and now I hear cancer, who sacrificed his life for others. Liviu Librescu couldn't have been very old during the Holocaust, yet he died so that other young people would live. May his name be written in the Book of Life.


BTW, the picture of the student being carried out, bleeding from his femoral artery is from my college roomie's hometown, about 5 miles from my brother. He's looking at very serious surgery, once he's stabilized.

I go to ECU, and am a news editor at the paper. We ran articles in every section about the incident. Additionally the school held a vigil, followed by aninterfaith campus prayer and meditation service. The school's also called in outside counselors to be on campus to speak to students at the counseling center who need to talk.

I just can't believe all this is happening. Here's a letter I wrote that ran in today's paper...


To the Campus Community, Virginia Tech Community, friends and family:

We would like to offer our sympathies in connection with the tragedy that occurred yesterday at Virginia Tech. The loss of life sustained by the school will not be forgotten, nor will the voices of those that mourn, both here and throughout the rest of the country.

Today's issue offers articles that reflect and comment upon these recent events in an effort to enlighten and comfort readers, and address various aspects of the shooting.

We encourage everyone to keep an open mind and open heart for those that suffer as you peruse today's issue. In a way, we all suffer, as we are united as a nation in shock.

Although details emerge even as each of you read, the world will likely never know for sure why such a horrendous thing would happen, could happen. All that can be done from here is to pick up the pieces, to remember, and to rebuild.

Our hearts go out to those who have suffered in this tragedy, and know that we are all grieved, as college students, faculty members, staff members, parents, siblings and as Americans. We will remember those we lost yesterday at Virginia Tech; it could have been any one of us.

We will do our best to represent the consequences and aftermath of what has, unfortunately, assumed its place as the worst shooting in our nation's history.

We also sincerely hope that such a terrible event may never happen again, neither during our lifetimes nor in the lives of those that follow in our footsteps.

With deepest sympathy,

So I have heard from a number of people that America's #1 nutjob Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church are planning on holding protests at the funerals and memorial services for the victims. Has anyone heard of anything similar?

I really hope this isn't true........but if it is....I could see it getting really ugly.

I heard that too. The worst part is the motorcycle blockade that keeps WBC from getting too close at military funerals will not be able to go to most of the funerals, seeing as that most of the deceased are not military.

I have also heard something similar. Though I pray that the reports are false, I don't put anything past Phelps and his crazy group. They have posted a comment on their website, but I refuse to repost it because it is just more press for him. The statement is extremely offensive to say the least.

I saw it linked to one of the many facebook groups. The facebook group then in turn provided links to Phelp's website wear they speak about what they are going to do and why.

www.godhatesamerica.com

(Phelp's site)

Phelps wants attention. If none is given to him, they will eventually stop protesting the funerals.
Problem is they're a family full of lawyers and they know exactly how far they can go legally. They're also pretty sue-happy. If they do this, I hope people get gigantic blank signs and hold a faux-test in front of them.

I'm going to post it in the interest of news. I doubt they'll get any more press out of this here.
From their website
Ok, question here. I get their normal thing of "God Hates Fags" and that soldiers die because America's in bed with the sodomites or some such idiocy. I think they're morons but they've at least articulated their moronic point.

But are they really saying that yesterday, someone "shot" at the servants of God and so God's getting back by shooting college students? WTF are they referring to? They said that the people shooting at the "servants of God" missed. Again, did something else happen at 7:00 AM EDT yesterday that they're trying to connect here? Or are they just more off their rockers than usual?

Side note: The vast majority of the WBC is Phelps' family. He raised them all to be good little brainwashed lawyers which is how they slap a lawsuit on everyone as fast as possible.

I hope the Patriot Guard Riders will stand guard if it becomes necessary. Those guys are awesome.

ETA: Damn I got distracted while posting. Y'all beat me to it.
The Patriot Guard
I know it's outside of their normal duties, but they're the best guys for the job.

My thoughts are with the friends and families of all the students and faculty at VT. I lost a sister suddenly in college (bacterial meningitis) and I have been a different person ever since then. Having a strong support system like friends and sorority sisters helps tremendously though; I'm thankful they can lean on each other during this difficult time.
So we have heard that a Kappa Kappa Gamma woman lost her life, and two Pi Beta Phis and an Alpha Delta Pi were injured. Are there any others? Any fraternity men? Our alumnae panhellenic group here in Madison are going to be sending sympathy cards (the least we can do), so if anyone hears anything, please update us all.
As it can be found on their website, I thought I would post the general address for VT's office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, in case anyone else wants to send condolences...
41 Owens Hall
Blacksburg, VA 24061

Take care, everybody,
Fraternally,
Karla

thank you--- as you probably know already, my sisters and I are all accounted for and unharmed. right now, we are just trying to support each other and especially the chapters who were directly affected...
thanks for your thoughts and prayers and please keep everyone in the virginia tech community and the victims and their families in your prayers and thoughts. this is just a very hard time for everyone.......:(

One of the young men featured in the photos that appeared on the home page of many of the news sites yesterday is the nephew of my high school librarian, apparently. He was shot three times...the first time in the leg (which is the most serious injury), then in the behind and shoulder when the shooter came back to the classroom five minutes later.

It was very heroic of the professor who survived the Holocaust to give up his life to save others. It is remarkable. It shows true heroism and courage. He escaped, lived a long and rich life, and now allowed others to live. Amazing.

My school already asked everyone to enter their cell phone numbers, so that they can text us in case there is an emergency like that. There is also a condolence message from the president.