Today, Evil has a face

32 people died yesterday, for no reason.  People die every day, but not like this.  Some die of old age, disease, or terrible accidents.  Others give their lives fighting for something, be it their country, their family, or the pursuit of justice.  Some lives are taken for evil purposes… jealousy, revenge, fear, hate. 

As I read the descriptions of the victims, somehow this feels worse.  A 20-year-old English major from a prep school like mine.  A 35-year-old German instructor.  A 22-year-old who worked at Camp Big Heart, directing a music and dance program for children and adults with special needs.  A 45-year-old science professor conducting biomechanics research related to cerebral palsy.  A 19-year-old animal lover who worked at a veterinarian’s office.  A freshman Air Force cadet with a promising future.  A 76-year-old researcher, born in Romania with a long list of achievements and worldly experience, who reportedly blocked the doorway so students could flee the attack through windows.  A 51-year-old Indian-born lecturer with two daughters who mentored 75 undergraduate students.  A 22-year-old graduate student who had been vice president of the Arts Society at Lafayette and had been on the cross-country and track teams, and in drama club in high school.  A 26-year-old teacher from Puerto Rico who love salsa dancing.  A 19-year-old air force brat who was just getting used to Virginia Tech’s large campus. 

I don’t understand how such a monstrous thing can happen.  Frankly, I don’t think I want to understand.  This kid killed himself after taking all those lives senselessly.  Why?  If he was just going to end up dead in the end, what purpose did it serve to rob all of us of those 32 innocent lives? 

What scares me, though, is that I have no idea how it could be fixed.  I’m not even sure it can be.  Did the parents have something to do with it?  Was he even conscious of what he was doing?  Was it planned?  Drug-induced?  Or are some people just “broken?”