On Virginia Tech.

I've spent the past couple of days watching the extensive coverage of the Virginia Tech Massacre. When it first happened, I don't think it really sunk in with me. The more I watch it, the more it hurts. Over 30 people are dead in a senseless act of violence.

I've thought a lot about what I should say right now. I've been gathering my thoughts I guess. I've not really accomplished it, but if I don't get it written now, I may never be able to do it.

I did not know any of the people killed. But several people I know were personally touched by this tragedy. These people weren't heroes in the classical sense; they didn't leap tall buildings, get girls off of train tracks, or even get kittens out of trees. They were everyday heroes. They had overcome adversity to make it to one of the preeminent colleges in America. One of them was a triple-major. One of them was a Holocaust surviver (although Professor Librescu was also a hero in the classical sense). All of the slain students were pursuing their hopes and dreams. It is likely that the slain professors had either attained or were in the process of attaining theirs.

I haven't had any sound sleep since the night before this tragedy. I probably won't get any sound sleep tonight either. This could have happened at any college in any town in America. This could have as easily been at my college. And those people could have been my professors and my friends, or even me. I have to hold back tears typing this, and I have a huge lump in my throat as we speak.

I believe this is something that will have long-lasting effects on not only me, but on every college student in America. Every single one. On Monday, a piece of the innocence and romace associated with college died along with those innocent lives. And, like those lives, it can't be replaced.

I'll close with the lyrics to an old hymn while I'll admit to not having heard. You may have seen this in the news release from John Edwards' campaign:

In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity;
In our doubt there is believing, in our life, eternity,
In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.