Reality...Come Too Late

In the wake the the Virgina Tech killing spree, things are no different than they were.

What do I mean by that?  I mean that American's only take things seriously when there are multiple body bags in front of them.  The warnings are not taken to heed, the threats are never present.  The only time a threat is really present, is after a deranged person has slaughtered thirty some young people and then turned his weapon upon himself.  Even after that, the threat doesn't exist anymore.  It referred to in the media as a 'tragedy', not a 'massacre'.  There was 'nothing anyone could do', when there was everything that could have been done.

I find myself really angry after these events.  I don't know anyone that attends VT, and I don't know any of the victims or their families.  I do know what it is like to live in fear.  I know what its like to be a daughter, a sister, a friend, a girl and a woman.  I know that I am outraged that nothing was done to stop the shootings from occurring.  I know that I could walk out of my dorm room on morning and not make it to my destination.   I also know that if I could have anything in the moments that I was confronted by a psychotic killer, I would want to know that everything had been done to make sure that more parents would not be missing a child and that fewer body bags were needed.

What makes me the most irate is the fact that the University of Hawaii had a bomb threat on the 16th of April and half the staff and most of the student body was not informed until the 17th of April.

Shouldn't what happened in Virginia be a sign to every other large establishment, school or office, that these threats, whether they be fire alarms or bombings, be taken seriously?  Apparently not.  Apparently the University of Hawaii doesn't even feel that it is necessary to release evacuation plans to all of its faculty.  Only certain faculty members know what to do in the event of an emergency.  But how would they know it was an emergency if no one is even notified of a threat?  What's going to happen if I'm sitting in class one day and a bomb goes off in the building I am in, simply because someone at the top of the chain decided that the threat was not great enough to worry about?  What if some person knocks on my door and points a gun at me and the school treats it as a domestic disturbance issue?

I know I may sound paranoid, but I find this attitude to be so typical.  I observed it in the wake of 9/11.  The atrocious murder that was committed on that day saddened the nation, but when action was taken against these attacks, half the people balked at the last minute.  Has the two faced attitude of politicians taken over society as well?

Example.  When a friend of mine was approached and asked if she knew about the bomb threat her answer was this:  'Oh yeah, we get them all the time.  Doesn't matter.  Not really a big deal.'  When asked if she had even heard about what happened at VT she stated that, 'that was a shooting, not a bomb threat.'  I then stated that they were both acts of terrorism and should be taken quite seriously.  The instant that the word 'Terrorism' left my mouth, the room fell silent and I was greeted by hateful gazes.  Scrutinizing looks, like I had just made some sort of racist comment.  Has the word 'Terror' become taboo?

Terrorism is not just something that occurs outside our borders.  Its not something confined to the Middle East or North Korea.  Terrorism is a global threat.  Acts of terror are committed almost every minute.  Its alive and well in the United States.  Does anyone not remember the Oklahoma City bombing?  It wasn't very long ago.  Terrorism is not confined to an outside threat, but also an inner one. 

I guess my point is, that I would rather be evacuated from a building with no bomb and know that it is safe, than have it go off right next to me.  I would rather know that someone is shooting people up on the campus and try to run for my life, than to have them walk through my class room door and watch them take out student after student and then round on me.  I'd rather be safe an alive than have my parents find out that I was killed because the school didn't take a threat seriously.

No place is out of the reach of terror.  I think that we should prepare ourselves for anything that it may have in store for us.

Comments

[Kirsten]

Plus, the guy made bomb threats the week before...so distinguishing between the two doesn't make that much sense.

[GZ Expat]

Madrid Train Bombings...
London Tube Bombings...
World Trade Center...
Nairobi Embassy Bombings...
Beruit Embassy Bombings...
Lockerbie Bombing...

Need we go on? Bomb 'threats' are often times acted upon...hundreds have died as a result.

[Sebastien]

I'm hoping I didn't make u huge mskatie movin to Rochester, the first day of unpacking my friendly neighbor comes over and precedes to tell me all the mess that Rochester is, being new to the state I was shocked of all problems, council, school board, baseball???? how could baseball be corrupt my neighbor seeing I had three boys said to stay away from the organization, the lady who runs it is nothing but a thief and is two seconds away from Hitler and her husband doesn't ever work and their kid is suspended from school every week she went on about how Hitler isnt aloud around money at PTA functions and got kicked off the football organization what is wrong with people that they have to steal from children organizations I guess my boys won't be playing any Rochester sports : (Well-loved.

[Bruno]

Last Monday there was a bomb threat,the dogs were bghurot in all precautions followed. Then that afternoon another threat found in the bathroom. It was for the following day, Friday, and then again this Friday Where were the dogs and protection on Tuesday, and Friday?? Is it costing too much to protect our kids? School board can spend 8 million on renovating the pis poor excuse for a school, but won't pay to protect these kids. Pathetic!!! A BOMB THREAT IS A BOMB THREAT, YOU IDIOTS CANNOT PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH DAYS YOU PROTECT OUR KIDS. Get your heads out of your asses!Well-loved.

[Katka]

Terry - Hi Laurie! Thanks for sharing the link to your blog Sounds (and looks) like it a was a wodfurnel vacation. Your photos are always amazing! Roy & I spent our honeymoon canoeing around the Florida springs a beautiful area! But even then (28 years ago), I remember the same feeling you described of being jolted by the sudden appearance of manicured lawns & McMansions. I can't remember which river it was on, but one day we paddled by an alligator that was about 10 feet long, and Roy was absolutely convincecd it was a prop put there by the paddle company (like Disneyland). However, growing up in Hilton Head and quite familiar with gators, I knew it was the real thing. We paddled quietly by and the alligator never even twitched. He was probably used to paddlers floating by every few minutes.Roy is coming to Florida for a weekend in November to jury an art festival organized by alumna Jenni MacInnes Coolidge (Mus. of Florida Art). Initially I was planning to come with him and make a mini vacation out of it, but about a week later, Roy was invited to be a visiting artist in Hawaii for a week, so I decided to make it a BIG vacation and go there instead! We've never been to HI so we're really looking forward to it.All my best to you! Keep up the good work!TerryJuly 11, 2011 10:42 am