# Massacre at Virginia Tech (In light of Iraq deaths) \[ed. title\]
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massacre-at-virginia-tech-in-light-of-iraq-deaths-ed-title/400402
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [April 16, 2007, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massacre-at-virginia-tech-in-light-of-iraq-deaths-ed-title/400402 "2007-04-16T23:58:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2007, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massacre-at-virginia-tech-in-light-of-iraq-deaths-ed-title/400402/1 "2007-04-16T23:58:58Z")
With 32 dead and every news program offering extensive coverage, if I’m a soldier in Pakastan or Iraq, I’ve got to be thinking; 32 dead in America is a huge tragedy but 3,000+ dead Americans over here is just a statistic and a small price to pay for bringing democracy to that region.
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### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2007, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massacre-at-virginia-tech-in-light-of-iraq-deaths-ed-title/400402/2 "2007-04-17T00:17:57Z")
What’s the debate here, and why do you think soldiers believe Americans don’t care what is happening?
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### Author:  [@enigm4tic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enigm4tic)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2007, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massacre-at-virginia-tech-in-light-of-iraq-deaths-ed-title/400402/3 "2007-04-17T00:21:30Z")
Actually, they aren’t really a statistic, we hear personal stories of tragedy from American Soldiers all the time.
MAYBE if you were an iraqi citizen, but I still think it’s more of a “news item” that 32 of our home-soil citizens died in a civilian massacre than a militarized area, Iraqi news I’m sure covers as many Iraqi civilian tragedies as it can.
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### Author:  [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2007, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massacre-at-virginia-tech-in-light-of-iraq-deaths-ed-title/400402/4 "2007-04-17T00:23:41Z")
It is an unfortunate part of human nature that we suffer from what I might call the “fatigue factor”. After hearing about so many bad things it is hard to maintain outrage over things that are perceived as awful or unjust. At some point you simply shake your head, tell yourself that it’s all so awful, and put it out of your mind. It becomes background noise. The war is ongoing, it’s going on 6 years, and it is not soon to end. With that in mind, do you find yourself on the edge of your seat every night waiting for the daily report? Of course not. I’d be surprised if you were even a tenth as outraged about the events of 9/11 as you were then.
This is fresh, it’s unprecedented, and it hit closer to home. It’s hard to put yourself in the boots of a soldier in Baghdad. It’s not hard to put yourself in the shoes of a college student. That is why this is such a big deal.
I would be willing to bet a goodly sum of money that the soldiers not on duty are watching the news about this just like we are. I did when I was over there.
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### Author:  [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2007, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massacre-at-virginia-tech-in-light-of-iraq-deaths-ed-title/400402/5 "2007-04-17T00:47:25Z")
Funny, the OP was first on my list of top ten things that have nothing to do with this tragedy:
1. The shootings represents a typical day of car bombings in Iraq
2. If only the gun-control people didn’t prevent them from having guns, they could have defended themselves
3. Marilyn Manson
4. Grand Theft Auto
5. Gangsta rap
6. George W Bush
7. Global warming
8. Imus / Rutgers
9. 1920s Style Death Rays
10. Hi Opal!
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### Author:  [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2007, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massacre-at-virginia-tech-in-light-of-iraq-deaths-ed-title/400402/6 "2007-04-17T00:52:20Z")
32 more casualties of global warming.
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### Author:  [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2007, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massacre-at-virginia-tech-in-light-of-iraq-deaths-ed-title/400402/7 "2007-04-17T01:21:13Z")
[QUOTE=Scylla]
32 more casualties of global warming.
[/QUOTE]
You really shouldn’t make me laugh in a thread like this. Shame on you, you evil republican.
On a more serious note, **Airman Doors** is right about human nature but I’m not sure if it’s unfortunate. I’m pretty sure I’d either go insane or kill myself if I didn’t filter out the soul-destroying , mindblowing amount of unthinkable atrocities and overwhelming tragedies reported daily by the media.
I stopped watching or listening to the news 6 months ago. Now I only watch the Daily Show.
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### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2007, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massacre-at-virginia-tech-in-light-of-iraq-deaths-ed-title/400402/8 "2007-04-17T01:49:16Z")
Not to minimize the loss of a soldier’s life, but we (and they) understand that they’re getting into possible danger when they serve. It’s sad when they die, but it’s not the same kind of shock. You’re not supposed to be taking your life in your hands when you go to class.
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### Author:  [@El\_Zagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Zagna)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2007, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massacre-at-virginia-tech-in-light-of-iraq-deaths-ed-title/400402/9 "2007-04-17T02:08:13Z")
You expect people to die in war; you don’t expect them to die going to class. That’s why it’s news.
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### Author:  [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2007, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massacre-at-virginia-tech-in-light-of-iraq-deaths-ed-title/400402/10 "2007-04-17T02:40:58Z")
[QUOTE=randwill]
. . . 3,000+ dead Americans over here is just a statistic and a small price to pay for bringing democracy to that region.
[/QUOTE]
Even one death is not a small price to pay, for any reason. It’s especially tragic if all those Americans (and of course, others) are dying for no reason whatsoever.
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### Author:  [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2007, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massacre-at-virginia-tech-in-light-of-iraq-deaths-ed-title/400402/11 "2007-04-17T02:43:25Z")
[QUOTE=msmith537]
Funny, the OP was first on my list of top ten things that have nothing to do with this tragedy:
1. The shootings represents a typical day of car bombings in Iraq
2. If only the gun-control people didn’t prevent them from having guns, they could have defended themselves
3. Marilyn Manson
4. Grand Theft Auto
5. Gangsta rap
6. George W Bush
7. Global warming
8. Imus / Rutgers
9. 1920s Style Death Rays
10. Hi Opal!
[/QUOTE]
Hey! I thought Opal was always supposed to be #3.
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### Author:  [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2007, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massacre-at-virginia-tech-in-light-of-iraq-deaths-ed-title/400402/12 "2007-04-17T03:12:41Z")
[QUOTE=panache45]
Hey! I thought Opal was always supposed to be #3.
[/QUOTE]
Unless it’s a lettered list… in which case the third item should be
C) No evil.
Well, at least Virginia Tech students can feel safer knowing that the gun ban on campus will prevent something like this from happening again.
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### Author:  [@Honesty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honesty)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2007, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massacre-at-virginia-tech-in-light-of-iraq-deaths-ed-title/400402/13 "2007-04-17T03:48:57Z")
[QUOTE=Scylla]
32 more casualties of global warming.
[/QUOTE]
No. In a week or two, I’m sure the media will, just like Columbine, blame rap music for pushing these vulnerable white kids over the edge.
- Honesty
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### Author:  [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2007, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massacre-at-virginia-tech-in-light-of-iraq-deaths-ed-title/400402/14 "2007-04-17T04:02:30Z")
[QUOTE=Honesty]
No. In a week or two, I’m sure the media will, just like Columbine, blame rap music for pushing these vulnerable white kids over the edge.
- Honesty
[/QUOTE]
I don’t remember rap being blamed for Columbine. It was Marilyn Manson and Doom that got the blame, IIRC.
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### Author:  [@Honesty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honesty)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2007, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massacre-at-virginia-tech-in-light-of-iraq-deaths-ed-title/400402/15 "2007-04-17T05:13:25Z")
[QUOTE=Larry Borgia]
I don’t remember rap being blamed for Columbine. It was Marilyn Manson and Doom that got the blame, IIRC.
[/QUOTE]
Oh wait, I think you may be right. I retract my previous statement.
- Honesty
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### Author:  [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2007, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massacre-at-virginia-tech-in-light-of-iraq-deaths-ed-title/400402/16 "2007-04-17T10:22:20Z")
I was honestly expecting them to blame first person shooters, or GTA3. Or first person shooters like GTA3. (Yes. I know it’s not one.)
I was rather surprised to hear NBC blaming extended magazines and the lifting of the assault weapons ban.
Everyone’s got a damn agenda.
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### Author:  [@El\_Zagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Zagna)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2007, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massacre-at-virginia-tech-in-light-of-iraq-deaths-ed-title/400402/17 "2007-04-17T12:33:18Z")
Right now they’re blaming the police and the school administration for not shutting down the entire campus after the first shooting.
The important thing, of course, is that someone \*must \*be blamed.
And how long do you think it will be before someone comes up with a conspiracy theory? Perhaps one involving Hillary Clinton.
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### Author:  [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2007, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massacre-at-virginia-tech-in-light-of-iraq-deaths-ed-title/400402/18 "2007-04-17T13:10:52Z")
[QUOTE=El Zagna]
And how long do you think it will be before someone comes up with a conspiracy theory? Perhaps one involving Hillary Clinton.
[/QUOTE]
8:33 a.m., Tuesday, April 17, 2007, apparently.
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### Author:  [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2007, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massacre-at-virginia-tech-in-light-of-iraq-deaths-ed-title/400402/19 "2007-04-17T13:24:18Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF]
8:33 a.m., Tuesday, April 17, 2007, apparently.
[/QUOTE]
Please tell me that’s a joke, **Airman Doors**.
Even if you have to lie. (Though a link to the conspiracy theory for the morbid wouldn’t be out of line.)
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### Author:  [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2007, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massacre-at-virginia-tech-in-light-of-iraq-deaths-ed-title/400402/20 "2007-04-17T13:38:40Z")
[QUOTE=OtakuLoki]
Please tell me that’s a joke, **Airman Doors**.
Even if you have to lie. (Though a link to the conspiracy theory for the morbid wouldn’t be out of line.)
[/QUOTE]
Yes, it’s a joke.Look at the timestamp of **El Zagna** ’s post.
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