violence in Virginia and South Africa

I heard about the Virginia Tech University violence this morning at Adam’s blog. This is world news at the moment. CNN is publishing about it the whole time, you’ll find blogs writing about it. Basically what it comes down to is that someone killed 32 students at Virginia Tech University yesterday morning, and then killed himself. You can read some more at the following blogs and websites :

Through the eyes of an Eer

Virginia Tech News

New York Times

Information Week

This really got me. This just builds upon something I’ve been struggling with the past few days. Senseless violence. When talking about senseless violence we have to be carefull. Tiaan got a stab in the back a few days ago because someone wanted to steal his phone. We might call it senseless, why do you hurt someone for a phone, but others might understand why you would do anything to steal something. But I heard about one of my old friends a while ago: He has a older brother which is mentally retarded. A couple of months, maybe more than a year, I’m not sure, ago he went out to buy himself a cooldrink, and was mugged. But after his wallet and phone was taken, the guys started hitting him, stabbed him with a knife, kicked him, and finally broke both his shinbones by putting it over the side of the road and jumping on his shins.

Gruesome picture. Yes I know. Racial hatred. Nationalism. Some form of psychosis? What causes this? A view that a life is worth nothing? More important, how do we help people through something like this? What do I say to friends touched by violence, and in South Africa, every one of us know someone personally that has been touched by violence. Is it worse when it becomes totally brutal, mutilating people for no reason. Killing kids.

Let our thoughts be with those touched by violence. Virginia, as well as our friends and fellow South Africans.