Liviu Librescu

As Virginia Tech remmebers that shattering day just one year ago, lets remember one special person. A man who rushed to the danger to save his students.

Tangible also was the tinge of irony; here was a 76-year-old man who overcame incredulous odds-surviving the Holocaust, fleeing a Communist regime intent on keeping its brightest minds, teaching in the land of the free, killed in a bitter incident while protecting others. There is a sense of futility when people who escape some of history’s worst maladies die in car accidents.
But I didn’t get a sense of futility in Ra’anana that day. Headlines quoting Librescu’s son, Joe, ran across the Internet the next day that I think sum up what everyone felt. “My dad died a hero.”

We Are Hokies!!

April 20, 2007 has been designated as a day to honor the heroes and victims of Cho's evil attack. Lets all take at least a moment today.

Dee at LittleMissChatterbox is also blogging about this.

Last Respects

In Israel today at Ra'anana, Professor Liviu Librescu was laid to rest. The place of his birth, Romania, presented his widow Marlena with the Order of the Star of Romania for his bravery on that fateful day in Blacksburg, VA.

"He was a very human person," his wife said. "He wanted to help everybody."

Indeed he did help everyone, to save his students and for the rest of us an example to live up to.

Revulsion

To show Cho's self indulgent manifesto of evil, I have to say NBC has sunk to a level even lower than that belonging to used car salesmen, the National Enquirer, and politicians. It would be akin to giving airtime to the Unabomber or Timothy McVeigh or Jeffrey Dahmer.

We already have idiots who try to replicate the stupidity shown in the Jackass movies. Children cartoons are regulated to such an extent that the consequences of Wile Coyote's hare-brained schemes are censored for fear of luring a child to try and replicate the scene. But NBC can air this?

NBC will try to dress this up by saying they are trying to present the full story. But what it will prove is a rating bonanza which means NBC in turn can charge more money for every second of commercial time. Unless a painful message, called boycott, is delivered to advertisers and NBC shareholders that NBC crossed a line by showing this sick and evil film, people at NBC will pat themselves on the back.

Horatio At The Bridge

Amidst all the speculation and second guessing Fox News is broadcasting, they ran something from Virginia Tech that I hope turns out true.

In Norris Hall a professor held the classroom door closed while students escaped out windows. On the other side of the door was the killer. The professor was killed but the students did get out. The story says the professor was a Holocaust survivor and yesterday in Israel was Holocaust Memorial Day.

I wish I could have known this professor who willingly ran towards danger to save other lives. I am reminded of a Jewish proverb, "He who saves a life, saves a world." This professor saved many worlds yesterday. I hope this story turns out to be true.

Update - via Michelle Malkin: The professor in question was Liviu Librescu. He was 75 years old and came from Romania via Israel. He bodily blocked the gunman while his students escaped and paid for that bravery with his life.

We Are All VT Alumni

Cartoon by Gary Varvel. - added 10:58pm.

I am shocked and very saddened by the tragic events in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Thirty two people with so much of their lives to live have had those lives tragically cut short. The depraved person whom authorities think is the sole perpetrator of these evil acts has committed suicide and is facing higher justice.

This is not the time to second guess and finger point. To run wildly at the mouth speculating with nothing to support it. I could be a complete prat and spout off things but I shall not, not on this day.

There are many families who are still wondering if their children or brothers or sisters or cousins or even parents are among the fallen. Then there are the friends who are wondering who among them are dead.

Lets keep all of them in our prayers and let them know they are not alone.