I can’t help thinking to myself, why did the Virginia Tech shooter have to be Asian? As if the country, and the world was not prejudiced enough. When these kinds of tragedies occur, it is most often thought that a white male is at the end of the trigger. However, this incident produces a whole new stereotype and fear.

As a country, we are already wary of black men. They are the robbers, the rapists and the gangsters. Since September 11, we are wary of men from the Middle East – Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and any other person that looks to be questionable. These are the terrorists, the haters of America. We fear Hispanic and Latino men for being drug dealers. And up until now, we even feared white men. Those were the ones that went “postal” and on random shooting sprees, turned into serial killers and conspired to bomb buildings. These were the groups that we were comfortable pointing fingers at, and that we knew were an “at risk” group.

But now, there is an Asian male thrown in the mix. I’ve already seen some CL Rants & Raves about “crazy Asians” and guns. I’m sure there are blogs about it. I’ve heard multiple media sources speculate that he was from Shanghai, then Korea. He was here on a student visa perhaps. People have even gone so far as to question if he was from North Korea – as if being from a communist country (with a crazy leader) means you are more prone to violence.

In the end, what does it all mean?

It’s a terrible loss that occurred, and it’s horrifying to think that this young man killed 32 innocent people on a rampage. What’s even worse is the fact that since he took his own life, we may never receive a true insight into his reasoning. Reports may speculate on a motive, but there may never be a clear answer.

I can only hope that people will be smart enough not to look at Asians as just another group to fear. That any minute a young Asian male, under enough pressure, may pop. The sad reality is that it can happen to anyone. And, this could have happened anywhere. The human mind is a funny thing, and everyone has a breaking point.

For now, I think it’s important to remember that we are all human. There were sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, neighbors, cousins, boyfriends, girlfriends, friends, colleagues and classmates lost yesterday. It’s going to take a long time for the Blacksburg community to heal. But I know that the town and its people will pull together and get through this. Southwest VA is a tight area, and not equipped or prepared for something of this magnitude. Not that anyone should be.

Update: I think that this is a very powerful article. 

I know, it’s been awhile…

Things have been good, what can I say? I’ve been busy working and living life, as have we all. I just haven’t had the motivation to blog lately, obviously. But, my new job is great…I’m working for some big clients and enjoying it. It’s not perfect, but what job is? It’s definitely a good place for me to be in the path of my career - whatever that may be.

I’ve been super busy the past couple months otherwise, and actually don’t have a free weekend until the middle of June.

A few highlights of what I’ve been doing:

• I took a Saturday about a month ago to work with a friend to produce a commercial for a local clothing store, Liberte. The shoot went well and I’m looking forward to seeing the final product.
• Going out: I had a great time at a “tini and toy” party with some fun girls a couple weeks ago. We started with a toy party (think tupperware but sex toys) then ended the evening with a table at Rain. I also recently celebrated my good friend’s birthday at Blue Gin. I’ve been to a couple happy hours at Buffalo Billards, and a few in Arlington. Stayed out way too late on a worknight, had a great dinner at Felix and enjoyed pitchers of margaritas at Lauriol Plaza on one of those warm nights we had a couple weeks ago (where are they now?!?).
• Have a bachelorette party coming up this weekend…bridal shower Mother’s Day weekend…and wedding the beginning of June. I’m super excited, it’s my first time being a bridesmaid, and I think it will be a lot of fun.
• Speaking of weddings, my college roommate/best friend got engaged on April 1. And, we all know about a certain DC Blogger doing the same recently. It must be in the air!
• I celebrated the anniversary of my adoption on April 2. Always a nice thing to remember. Especially when it is commemorated by a poem from a good friend a la Talladega Nights:

Dear sweet sweet 6lb 7oz baby Jesus laying in your manger, not knowing how to talk yet so omnipotent, thank you for making little baby AM all extra cute and shit, so cute the sweet dear white couple had to stop in their tracks and pick to adopt little AM and deliver from a life of rice and orphanage to a life of Lacoste and Ralph Lauren. Thank you baby Jesus.

• Speaking of family, my parents just informed me that they are moving to New Mexico at the end of June. They have a condo out there, so I guess it’ll be Christmas in Taos for me!
• Easter Sunday I attended the first competition for DC101 Last Band Standing. A band I know from college was competing, and although they didn’t advance to the next round, they performed well and all of the groups were great. I’ve really started to get into the local music scene, and finding all sorts of connections of people I know with it, so that’s kind of cool.
• Signed up for the 5K Race for the Cure Run/Walk with a group of fun ladies. I’m looking forward to a good time for a good cause, and I’ve already raised $250!

**********************************************************************************************************

And, I must of course note that today marks the terrible “massacre” (I hate that word, but…) at Virginia Tech. The tragedy hit pretty close to home for me, since I went to school a mere 15 minutes away. The community is very small, and all very connected. My heart goes out to everyone down there, and I can’t imagine how those students feel, and I know it will take a long time to heal and recover from such a senseless act. For today, we are all Hokies.

One of my friends wrote this and I was touched by it, I hope you will be too.

I grew up not an hour from Blacksburg, where 30+ people today lost their lives at the whim of a senseless man. I spent four years in Radford, a 15-minute car ride from Virginia Tech.

Southwest Virginia has always been largely forgotten by the mainstream media, and even many Virginians from the more privileged northern and far eastern parts of the state. The CNNBCSPAN Blob only shows up when there’s bad news. We’ve kind of become our own state. I live in Northern Virginia now, not exactly by choice, but because it’s one of the few places in the country you’re nearly guaranteed to find a job.

Southwest Virginians don’t know what it’s like not to care about someone. We don’t care if you drive a rusty Merkur XR4Ti or a Maybach 57. Most of us have never met strangers. And we have a hard time adapting to places where murders barely make the B-block of a newscast. But we adapt all the same.

No doubt… this will be hard. Hard in a way no English word should have to describe.

Being the site of the worst shooting rampage in American history is a badge I do not want my home to bear. But it will bear it, and it will survive it.

We will heal from this horror, much as we have others: the torrential flood of 1985; Hurricane Hugo; the widespread unemployment stretching from Henry County to the coalmining country of Lee and Tazewell counties; the horrible corruption by public officials in Henry County; the shootings at the Appalachian School of Law; the murders committed by Earl Bramblett; and hopefully we’ll soon start to heal from the murder of the Short family in Oak Level. These events have all had different effects on different people, but we did not lie down and let the punches come.

Make no mistake, what happened today at Virginia Tech is by far the worst event in recent memory, but we will make it.

I write this from my house in Gainesville, roughly 30 miles outside of Washington, D.C., but my home is Southwest Virginia, the first place ever referred to by our founding fathers as “God’s Country.” As Pat Conroy wrote 20 years ago, your home is permanent press: it does not wash out. It is with this pride in the hard-working, God-loving people of my home that I assure everyone who reads this that my home will prevail, and we will inspire the rest of the state, the entire country, and the world to grieve, embrace, and remember.

Indeed, God bless us all: the people of all small towns, of all nations.

I know, it’s been awhile…

Things have been good, what can I say? I’ve been busy working and living life, as have we all. I just haven’t had the motivation to blog lately, obviously. But, my new job is great…I’m working for some big clients and enjoying it. It’s not perfect, but what job is? It’s definitely a good place for me to be in the path of my career - whatever that may be.

I’ve been super busy the past couple months otherwise, and actually don’t have a free weekend until the middle of June.

A few highlights of what I’ve been doing:

• I took a Saturday about a month ago to work with a friend to produce a commercial for a local clothing store, Liberte. The shoot went well and I’m looking forward to seeing the final product.
• Going out: I had a great time at a “tini and toy” party with some fun girls a couple weeks ago. We started with a toy party (think tupperware but sex toys) then ended the evening with a table at Rain. I also recently celebrated my good friend’s birthday at Blue Gin. I’ve been to a couple happy hours at Buffalo Billards, and a few in Arlington. Stayed out way too late on a worknight, had a great dinner at Felix and enjoyed pitchers of margaritas at Lauriol Plaza on one of those warm nights we had a couple weeks ago (where are they now?!?).
• Have a bachelorette party coming up this weekend…bridal shower Mother’s Day weekend…and wedding the beginning of June. I’m super excited, it’s my first time being a bridesmaid, and I think it will be a lot of fun.
• Speaking of weddings, my college roommate/best friend got engaged on April 1. And, we all know about a certain DC Blogger doing the same recently. It must be in the air!
• I celebrated the anniversary of my adoption on April 2. Always a nice thing to remember. Especially when it is commemorated by a poem from a good friend a la Talladega Nights:

Dear sweet sweet 6lb 7oz baby Jesus laying in your manger, not knowing how to talk yet so omnipotent, thank you for making little baby AM all extra cute and shit, so cute the sweet dear white couple had to stop in their tracks and pick to adopt little AM and deliver from a life of rice and orphanage to a life of Lacoste and Ralph Lauren. Thank you baby Jesus.

• Speaking of family, my parents just informed me that they are moving to New Mexico at the end of June. They have a condo out there, so I guess it’ll be Christmas in Taos for me!
• Easter Sunday I attended the first competition for DC101 Last Band Standing. A band I know from college was competing, and although they didn’t advance to the next round, they performed well and all of the groups were great. I’ve really started to get into the local music scene, and finding all sorts of connections of people I know with it, so that’s kind of cool.
• Signed up for the 5K Race for the Cure Run/Walk with a group of fun ladies. I’m looking forward to a good time for a good cause, and I’ve already raised $250!

**********************************************************************************************************

And, I must of course note that today marks the terrible “massacre” (I hate that word, but…) at Virginia Tech. The tragedy hit pretty close to home for me, since I went to school a mere 15 minutes away. The community is very small, and all very connected. My heart goes out to everyone down there, and I can’t imagine how those students feel, and I know it will take a long time to heal and recover from such a senseless act. For today, we are all Hokies.

One of my friends wrote this and I was touched by it, I hope you will be too.

I grew up not an hour from Blacksburg, where 30+ people today lost their lives at the whim of a senseless man. I spent four years in Radford, a 15-minute car ride from Virginia Tech.

Southwest Virginia has always been largely forgotten by the mainstream media, and even many Virginians from the more privileged northern and far eastern parts of the state. The CNNBCSPAN Blob only shows up when there’s bad news. We’ve kind of become our own state. I live in Northern Virginia now, not exactly by choice, but because it’s one of the few places in the country you’re nearly guaranteed to find a job.

Southwest Virginians don’t know what it’s like not to care about someone. We don’t care if you drive a rusty Merkur XR4Ti or a Maybach 57. Most of us have never met strangers. And we have a hard time adapting to places where murders barely make the B-block of a newscast. But we adapt all the same.

No doubt… this will be hard. Hard in a way no English word should have to describe.

Being the site of the worst shooting rampage in American history is a badge I do not want my home to bear. But it will bear it, and it will survive it.

We will heal from this horror, much as we have others: the torrential flood of 1985; Hurricane Hugo; the widespread unemployment stretching from Henry County to the coalmining country of Lee and Tazewell counties; the horrible corruption by public officials in Henry County; the shootings at the Appalachian School of Law; the murders committed by Earl Bramblett; and hopefully we’ll soon start to heal from the murder of the Short family in Oak Level. These events have all had different effects on different people, but we did not lie down and let the punches come.

Make no mistake, what happened today at Virginia Tech is by far the worst event in recent memory, but we will make it.

I write this from my house in Gainesville, roughly 30 miles outside of Washington, D.C., but my home is Southwest Virginia, the first place ever referred to by our founding fathers as “God’s Country.” As Pat Conroy wrote 20 years ago, your home is permanent press: it does not wash out. It is with this pride in the hard-working, God-loving people of my home that I assure everyone who reads this that my home will prevail, and we will inspire the rest of the state, the entire country, and the world to grieve, embrace, and remember.

Indeed, God bless us all: the people of all small towns, of all nations.

I know, it’s been awhile…

Things have been good, what can I say? I’ve been busy working and living life, as have we all. I just haven’t had the motivation to blog lately, obviously. But, my new job is great…I’m working for some big clients and enjoying it. It’s not perfect, but what job is? It’s definitely a good place for me to be in the path of my career - whatever that may be.

I’ve been super busy the past couple months otherwise, and actually don’t have a free weekend until the middle of June.

A few highlights of what I’ve been doing:

• I took a Saturday about a month ago to work with a friend to produce a commercial for a local clothing store, Liberte. The shoot went well and I’m looking forward to seeing the final product.
• Going out: I had a great time at a “tini and toy” party with some fun girls a couple weeks ago. We started with a toy party (think tupperware but sex toys) then ended the evening with a table at Rain. I also recently celebrated my good friend’s birthday at Blue Gin. I’ve been to a couple happy hours at Buffalo Billards, and a few in Arlington. Stayed out way too late on a worknight, had a great dinner at Felix and enjoyed pitchers of margaritas at Lauriol Plaza on one of those warm nights we had a couple weeks ago (where are they now?!?).
• Have a bachelorette party coming up this weekend…bridal shower Mother’s Day weekend…and wedding the beginning of June. I’m super excited, it’s my first time being a bridesmaid, and I think it will be a lot of fun.
• Speaking of weddings, my college roommate/best friend got engaged on April 1. And, we all know about a certain DC Blogger doing the same recently. It must be in the air!
• I celebrated the anniversary of my adoption on April 2. Always a nice thing to remember. Especially when it is commemorated by a poem from a good friend a la Talladega Nights:

Dear sweet sweet 6lb 7oz baby Jesus laying in your manger, not knowing how to talk yet so omnipotent, thank you for making little baby AM all extra cute and shit, so cute the sweet dear white couple had to stop in their tracks and pick to adopt little AM and deliver from a life of rice and orphanage to a life of Lacoste and Ralph Lauren. Thank you baby Jesus.

• Speaking of family, my parents just informed me that they are moving to New Mexico at the end of June. They have a condo out there, so I guess it’ll be Christmas in Taos for me!
• Easter Sunday I attended the first competition for DC101 Last Band Standing. A band I know from college was competing, and although they didn’t advance to the next round, they performed well and all of the groups were great. I’ve really started to get into the local music scene, and finding all sorts of connections of people I know with it, so that’s kind of cool.
• Signed up for the 5K Race for the Cure Run/Walk with a group of fun ladies. I’m looking forward to a good time for a good cause, and I’ve already raised $250!

**********************************************************************************************************

And, I must of course note that today marks the terrible “massacre” (I hate that word, but…) at Virginia Tech. The tragedy hit pretty close to home for me, since I went to school a mere 15 minutes away. The community is very small, and all very connected. My heart goes out to everyone down there, and I can’t imagine how those students feel, and I know it will take a long time to heal and recover from such a senseless act. For today, we are all Hokies.

One of my friends wrote this and I was touched by it, I hope you will be too.

I grew up not an hour from Blacksburg, where 30+ people today lost their lives at the whim of a senseless man. I spent four years in Radford, a 15-minute car ride from Virginia Tech.

Southwest Virginia has always been largely forgotten by the mainstream media, and even many Virginians from the more privileged northern and far eastern parts of the state. The CNNBCSPAN Blob only shows up when there’s bad news. We’ve kind of become our own state. I live in Northern Virginia now, not exactly by choice, but because it’s one of the few places in the country you’re nearly guaranteed to find a job.

Southwest Virginians don’t know what it’s like not to care about someone. We don’t care if you drive a rusty Merkur XR4Ti or a Maybach 57. Most of us have never met strangers. And we have a hard time adapting to places where murders barely make the B-block of a newscast. But we adapt all the same.

No doubt… this will be hard. Hard in a way no English word should have to describe.

Being the site of the worst shooting rampage in American history is a badge I do not want my home to bear. But it will bear it, and it will survive it.

We will heal from this horror, much as we have others: the torrential flood of 1985; Hurricane Hugo; the widespread unemployment stretching from Henry County to the coalmining country of Lee and Tazewell counties; the horrible corruption by public officials in Henry County; the shootings at the Appalachian School of Law; the murders committed by Earl Bramblett; and hopefully we’ll soon start to heal from the murder of the Short family in Oak Level. These events have all had different effects on different people, but we did not lie down and let the punches come.

Make no mistake, what happened today at Virginia Tech is by far the worst event in recent memory, but we will make it.

I write this from my house in Gainesville, roughly 30 miles outside of Washington, D.C., but my home is Southwest Virginia, the first place ever referred to by our founding fathers as “God’s Country.” As Pat Conroy wrote 20 years ago, your home is permanent press: it does not wash out. It is with this pride in the hard-working, God-loving people of my home that I assure everyone who reads this that my home will prevail, and we will inspire the rest of the state, the entire country, and the world to grieve, embrace, and remember.

Indeed, God bless us all: the people of all small towns, of all nations.