Orange and Maroon Glasses

This post (title, pictures and all) was copied from a hokie friend of mine. I would have simply linked to their blog but it is password protected. I thought it was great and asked if I could repost here and they said yes. - Joel



I have a lot of emotions that I can not explain; that I can not control. I have a lot of questions; few answers. As I watch my alma mater go through these trying times, I am proud to be a Hokie.

As the events occurred yesterday, I was impressed with the courage of those students and professors as they sacrificed themselves to save others. I heard reports of a professor blocking the door as students escaped through the window. I heard another story of a wound student and another student the held a door shut as the gunman shot through the door directly at them. I heard of another classroom in which the men barricaded the door and escorted the women to an anti-room. These men positioned themselves between the door and the anti-room and developed plans to stop the shooter should he enter.

Last night I watched in horror as the media tried to paint my beloved alma matter at fault in this incident. It was almost as if the media believed that Virgina Tech encouraged this behavior. Every reporter, every tv personality from Larry King to the local smuck was asking anyone they found on the street, in facebook, or in any way had a loose connection to the university if they blamed the university. During these initial interviews, the students that I saw were poised and said that now was not the time to point fingers. The students protected the administration. The Hokie students were loyal to their school.

Above all, the students showed what it means to be a Hokie. They showed compassion for fellow Hokies. They showed disdain for the gunman or anyone who would do harm to fellow Hokies. They showed tremendous loyalty to the school, the community, and to each other. The students demonstrated that VT's campus is a beloved location by all who have lived there. The students showed the world what it means to be Hokie.

As I walked Vespa tonight, I listened to the convocation and my eyes swelled when I heard the students cheer at the end of Nikki's speech. We will prevail. We are Virginia Tech.

I am proud of the way that the nation responded. I think that Kaine's speech was great. I was proud of the standing ovation the students, staff and faculty gave President Steger. I thought that the speech that President Bush gave was very good too. I saw a post on Techsideline that said the Aggies would play Echo Taps in honor of those who fell. I have always liked A&M. I think this quote is telling:

Ragan, an A&M student, who visited Virginia Tech's campus a few years ago, said his thoughts immediately went back to that visit.

"The people up there are really nice," he said. "I think Aggies would get along really well with the people at Virginia Tech."

This is a cartoon by Ben Lansing. I think that it captures the feelings of not just those schools included in the picture, but those around the nation. My sister said that those at her school all have "Today, I am Hokie." as their away messages.

As I sit here tonight and watch the scene of the candle light vigil, my heart pours out to these young students and I hope that they will be able to move on and do great things. I hope that they keep this incident close to their hearts and enact change in our society so that events like these become less common place. I do not know what would possess someone to do this.

I am proud of the way the Hokie community has responded. In such tragedy, it is great to see such compassion that ignites your basic belief that all men are good.

I hope Governor Kaine's prediction rings true for the school and the world. "The world saw you respond in a way that will build community" ~Governor Kaine