Let me start off by saying that this incident is unacceptable and the taking of human life is not a right of anyone. Whether they are the US government killing tens of thousands of civilians in IRAQ, Boarder PAtrol agents shooting illegal immigrants crossing the political border, a rober shooting a clerk or a troubled college student taking away the lives of bright young Americans Teachers and faculty.But instead of just dwelling on the lost and ONLY, ONLY looking at who did this act, we need to be asking ourselves how could this of happened. Why would someone feel they need to do this.
Is it Video Games? Some would like to say so. Others would disagree. I sit on the fence of this issue. Yes I believe they can put ideas in ones head, but I also believe it can be an outlet to get out anger.
One could say the violence on the NEWS is just as harmful. The difference there is that there is no outlet to allow yourself to interact and release your aggression. But a critic might state that this is why video games are worse, because you actually can act out the violence. I have killed about a million people including aliens, robots, and mutants. But I would never go on a murderous rampage in the real world. And why is that. Why am I able to release some stress and have a little fun taking over the world, some distant planet or just anothers base and not take those actions and produce them in real life situations.
Feelings I believe play the key role. How you are affected by your surroundings, and how you are treated and taken care of make or break you.
This Virginia Tech incident should be a reminder to everyone in this country that there are those who didn't do well on the spelling bee, can't play sports very well, can't sing, have not learned how to properly socially act with others, are not handsome, nor beautiful/pretty/cute; there are those that the norms of society and parts of society that we are addicted to, leave out and alienate.
A lot get through it. Wheather its good friends, a strong family network, or a great meantor or role model they get through it and eventually turn their life into something society deems is acceptable. (what they do behind closed doors society doesn't know about)
But then there are the ones who don't have the simple things that so many of us take for granted.
A person can be(positively)functioanl in society and be apart of society when they have at least one thing that links them to whats popular, acceptable and sometimes unacceptable like illegal drugs.
An ugly person will find they have a lot in common with other people that society says is ugly. A person with a lack of self esteem might find shelter with others like them. A clumsy non athletic individual could have a strong family unit and have a safe place to go to after they are made fun of. Even the smart kid who may be bombarded with riducule and teasing from his peers because its not cool to be smart could have some extra curricular activity that lets them blow off steam and reminds them that not everyone is horrible.
But what happens if you don't have a network to help you feel comfterble with the life that is put in front of you. What happens when your made fun of and no one is there to tell you otherwise. What happens when you can't throw a ball and no one is there to tell you its ok to be different. What happens when you notice all the car adds on tv, the beautiful watches, the flashy clothes on people walking by, and no one is there to teach you about luck, our differences, and how some people need to work harder than others and that our society needs to have people who are not equal, otherwise it would cease to function. In general, what if no one is there to tell them "life isn't fair." (These three words were stated by my past university president while we were lobbying on behalf of the studentsto stop the fee increases to the university.)
If a person doesn't have the means for an escape from the hell thats put in front of them, their anger only grows. Each year of anger creates a new branch of hatred and intolerance.
Many people are very angry, and many people never resort to the unacceptable violence that this kid decided to take. But they will usually have some form of network that will allow them to release their anger, or not direct it towards other humans (say yoga, martial arts, warm baths with melodic music, exercise, long walks on the beach, SEX and lots of it, good friends, good familiy, a mentor, gardening and yes even hunting) The force of fireing a gun is an incredible feeling. It can realease a enormous amount of stress. But thats firing a gun at a target paper, or say a beer bottle or maybe an animal (but I strongly strongly say that hunting should only be reserved for animals that have become over populized that they threaten other native species. (This actually could be thought of towards humans BUT,,,, because I am a product of the system and have my outlets, I would never think or do such a thing nor would most.)
Right now, and even after the colombine shooting, this is what the media should be talking about. This is what we all should be talking about. What is wrong with society that it has created a product such as this. We all are products of our environment. Genetics does play a role, but the jury is still out and will be out for decades as to which, genetics or socialization plays the bigger role in who we are. I know about different outlets of release because of who and what has been around me.
A young boy/girl doesn't just genetically think there is a santa clause. They learn it. We may genetically know that when you have 3 cans and take away 1 there are 2 left, but the numbers themselves are learned symbols.
Society has created this child, this young adult, this human being that we see blasted all over the media. He is not a freak of nature, he is a part of the equation. The second we start realizing this, is the second we will start to really improve our culture and the culture of this world.
So I say " this boy, no matter how unnacceptable his actions were, he deserves to be remebered." He is an example of what turning a blind eye can do. He is a product of our society. A product that seems to be becoming more common as our population grows, and the posability of prosperity grows less with competition.
I realize that it is a lot easier for me to look at this point of view than say the victims families, but what one needs to remeber is that people are blinded by their own emotions. We all are. Blinded by love, blinded by jelousy, blinded by hatred, blinded by fear, and also, blinded by emotional and physical pain
I do not wish to affend anyone, nor make a mockery of the feelings of the victims families. But the devils advocate usually does just that. My intetion is to try and bring another side to this matter. By castrating this boy, shamming him and pushing him out of the crowd, we are ony continuing the treatment in his death that led him to undertake this horrific act in the first place.
WELCOME EACH NEW DAY! Just When Your Children Are Fit To Live With, They Are Living With Someone Else! 
