By now, we have all heard about the senseless tragedy that occurred at Va. Tech (or VPISU if you want the official name).  For most of us here on JU, it was something that the 24 hour news services had to play over and over and over again, even when there was nothing new to report.  That is not new (or news) as we have come to expect it, and most at JU could escape it by simply turning off the 24 hour News Channels.

Not so in the Old Dominion, where we are subject to that coverage not only on all the regular news media outlets (CNN, Fox, MSNBC), but our local TV and Radio stations as well.  Tech is the largest school in Virginia, and there is hardly anyone in the state that does not know someone, or is related to someone, who goes there, myself included.

Several articles have been posted on JU about it, and with almost no exceptions, all have been reverent and respectful of those who lost their lives, and the families that lost loved ones.  There is a lot of anger in those articles, no doubt about that.  But that anger is directed towards the media and the blame game that started up almost before the shooting ended.  An anger that is, IMHO, justified at the vultures of the media.

It seems that the MSM has redefined its job.  Not just to report the news, but to assign itself the role of Nation conscious, and watchdog.  Along with Judge, Jury and Executioner.  They long ago stopped reporting the tragedy, and have sunk into a morass of finger pointing, blame flaming, and cries of outrage that "Someone" or "something" was not done to prevent this from occurring.  When sane, rational people can only feel sorrow and empathy for the victims of this event.

I was discussing this with a friend this morning.  And in that, I remarked that I was so glad my son and daughter were not at Tech (one goes to the other University in Virginia - the other wont be there for 4 months).  He stated it could have happened anywhere.  Yes it could have, but that was not my point.  It did happen at Tech, and I was not one of the 25,000 families that could not function yesterday worrying about if their loved one was among the victims.

It could have happened anywhere.  And sadly, probably will at some time in the future happen somewhere else.  And that is the real lesson that we are learning from this tragedy.  It has happened elsewhere, both in the USA and in other countries.  As we have seen and heard, no place is safe from demented people with a mission.  And nothing can be done to stop such people in a society that is open and free.

But when it does happen, we can act like the vultures of the press - looking for a body to blame and descend upon. Or we can act like the people of JU.  Mourning the loss, and offering moral support and comfort to the victims and their families.

The latter is what I am proud of at JU today (and yesterday).  The former is why I have no respect for what constitutes the Mainstream Media today.