Virginia Tech

Whoever thought there was absolution through murder never felt the collective impact of a world's horror, pity. Would such torrid emotion penetrate the impassive face if it were not disfigured and marred in suicide? I would imagine there would be some human remnant, some whisper struggling to overcome hoofbeats and rage, some delicate tether to reality, but maybe he lost that long ago. Some characterize it by ethics - it's wrong to unconditionally inflict pain on another; others by logic - what would society be like if this were the norm?; others by emotion - that's just a repulsive idea; yet others by plain common sense - why would you do such a thing?

How does one lose it? Is there a biologic basis? Did society fail him? Was it destined? But how could someone resign that so many innocent people were destined to pass on a day that wore a mask hiding its obsequies with a facade of normalcy? The entire philosophic notion of free will encompasses the very strong feeling I have that my actions are mine. I can refrain from doing something; I am responsible for my actions. Did he have such free will? If so, why did he choose to do what he did? Was there a possibility that such sadness could have been averted? How are victims and their families supposed to think about this "fateful" day. Destiny is only such insomuch as we concede our individual metaphysical tethers to some metaphoric spider weaving intricate webs between disparate people and events.

My sincerest sympathy to the members of the Virginia Tech community and all those affected by this terrible incident. My thoughts and prayers go out; may mother's embrace welcome the victims home. I honor the inestimable courage and sacrifice of those who put themselves in the way of danger to help others. I may know my cranial nerves and the treatment for a pneumothorax and how to diagnose hemochromatosis, but all I really have is compassion, and that from the greatest depths I can find.