Virginia Tech Shooting - Prayers

[Mr. SmartyPants]

(This was also posted on my LJ)

It was pretty amazing to see a lot of the Caucasian kids in school (and the media) say how he "made no sense" and wasn't "coherent", thus being signs of Paranoia Schizophrenia.

I see no signs of Schizophrenia (Paranoia, that's another story). It's hard to live a life where your parents are immigrants in the U.S.A. It's hard to be forced to study all the time while your parents work over 12 hours a day working at some dry cleaner, or a beauty store, or a liquor store downtown, seeing them break their backs for their children so their children could be "Rich Doctors" and succeed in life. Me working at a Liquor store for a year at the age of 16 every Saturday for 13 hours in the poorest part of Baltimore City was bad enough. My dad had to do it 6-7 times a week. By the same token you see a lot of rich people and rich kids driving their cars that their mothers bought them and you ask "Why do they get all these nice presents from their parents, and I get nothing?"

"You had everything you wanted. Your Mercedes wasn’t enough, you brats. Your golden necklaces weren’t enough, you snobs. Your trust fund wasn’t enough. Your vodka and Cognac weren’t enough. All your debaucheries weren’t enough. Those weren’t enough to fulfill your hedonistic needs. You had everything."

He shares my thoughts; he shares my feelings, 100% dead on. I go to a private catholic school full of rich kids. Why did my mom put me in here? She thought I could get an excellent education, if I went to public school instead, we might not have to face the possibility of bankruptcy, and my mom's breaking her back trying to make income. I hate seeing kids here living their hedonistic ways, doing whatever crap they so desire, playing their guitars, drinking their beers, driving their fancy cars, all that stuff. I hate being in the same environment as them.

It's hard to go to school every day having to face "Asian" remarks. Despite what you may experience, I get them every single day. Many times a day in fact. In school, work, whatever.

Our man, Seung-Hui Cho, was said to have been picked on a LOT as a child. I recall one of his classmates saying how in Gradeschool, his teacher threatened to fail him if he didn't read something. All the kids laughed, and told him to go back to China and whatever.

Saying "Go back to your country" is one of the most offensive things; ever. I hate it whenever somebody says that. That and pretending to make nonsensical "Asian Gibberish". Besides, the only ones who are "allowed" to say that are the Native Americans.

Lets face it, White people don't understand the crap I have to deal with every single day. And they probably never will understand to the extent which I do. Joking or not, I hate it; we all hate it. It can get to the point were we even hate talking about our own nationality, in fear of ignorant remarks by other people.

Basically, what I'm saying is that the reason why what he says makes 100% perfect sense to me and not to some other people (not saying all of those of the majority don't understand. I'm sure many do) is simply because I'm an Asian-American like him. I'm a minority like him.

[Miss WWE 2007]

I indeed send prayers out to all who lost family and friends in the VT shootings...

I am sad to read Mr. SmartyPants that you have recieved such remarks because of your race. You werent responsible for anything...I think that it is unfair that others have to be blamed for the mistakes of others...

[Fish and Chips]

Smarty, reading this, I think I know exactly what you mean.

[Roy Mustang]

Lets face it, White people don't understand the crap I have to deal with every single day.

I just say this, that hurts me a bit. I could say the same thing to everyone else here about they don't understand alot of the stuff that I had to deal with every single day.

Since this is pray thread, I will not go deeper on this part of the topic.

All I can say is, I'm praying for the friends and families of the victims, Seung-Hui Cho's family and pray that people will not turn to hate.


Col. Roy Mustang

[Cognitive Gear]

I just say this, that hurts me a bit. I could say the same thing to everyone else here about they don't understand alot of the stuff that I had with with every single day.

Since this is pray thread, I will not go deeper on this part of the topic.

All I can say is, I'm praying for the friends and families of the victims, Seung-Hui Cho's family and pray that people will not turn to hate.


Col. Roy Mustang

This man speaks truth. Events like these should bring us together as a people, not tear us apart. Let us pray that this act of hate doesn't continue to breed hate.

[K. Ayato]

That's what I'm praying for as well.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

I just say this, that hurts me a bit. I could say the same thing to everyone else here about they don't understand alot of the stuff that I had with with every single day.

Well you gotta realize I'm making a generalization (One I think is rather accurate, nonetheless, still a generalization), it's dangerous to speak of absolutes regarding these kinds of things.

What I'm saying is that I'm sure some or many white people understand in the same manner, but not at the same angle as an Asian or minority would. (Depending on the situation, it might be more extreme or less extreme)

As I told Ikimasu, It's like getting made in fun of for different things, but for the same reason.

As for others not understanding of what you have to go through, I agree. I don't doubt that you are in the middle of living a difficult life, and not many people can fully understand what you are going through each day. We may be openly aware of your situation, but many cannot understand to the point which you or someone like you can.

[RedMage]

In a way it's healthy for all of us to identify with something in people like Cho who commit heinous crimes. Each of us has to be reminded that, quite literally, "There but for the grace of God go I." No good comes from thinking, "I could never do something so horrible," or "I could never believe something so obviously irrational and sinful."

I've been reading about the civil rights movement and racial prejudice in the South in my US History course. I confess I have a very difficult time wrapping my head around the bigoted assumptions and practices that were taken for granted by many in that place and time. But I can't fall into the error of think I'm better than those sinful, prejudiced people.

[Mave]

I hope this raises some awareness on how some immigrants/internationals are treated by fellow Americans. I admit to relating to Cho a little myself.

This doesn't just happen in the U.S. For the longest time, I've felt that I was not welcomed anywhere. In the country I was born in, I'm second-rate citizen, with lower priviledges (not Singapore ) . China, despite my ancestry, would not accept me. When I was in the U.S., I was even more lonely, stressed out and felt wronged at occasional times. No matter how hard I worked, no matter how much I sacrificed, my background would always hinder me from my dreams and I truly hated that fact of life and the system. Most of the difficulties came after 9-11.

But despite harboring some bitterness, I think we have to be careful not to continuously focus on the negatives. I've also had my fair share of wonderful, kind-hearted and generous Americans. In my university, internationals were treated with respect and greatly loved by the community. It was a beautiful campus where everyone felt safe to be who they are. I loved my American friends, colleagues and professors. My experience in that U.S. university was AWESOME.

Therefore, despite the horrible things that some Americans may do, we should remember the good kind-hearted Americans we've met. I sincerely hope and pray that you all have met such individuals. More importantly, we remember Lord Jesus Christ who never failed to love and treat everyone with respect, even when everyone was hitting, mocking and hating him. When I think of Jesus's suffering, my pain doesn't seem that bad.

I pray that Good will come about from this tragedy; may it be the Spirit of unity, understanding and peace, which will go across cultural barriers.

[Mithrandir]

When I was in the U.S., I was even more lonely, stressed out and felt wronged at occasional times. No matter how hard I worked, no matter how much I sacrificed, my background would always hinder me from my dreams and I truly hated that fact of life and the system.

You might be surprised to learn that this is not abnormal. Post 911, people looked at *me* funny, and I'm very much a "stereotypical white male." I *do* have a long goatee, though, and that means there might be something going on in my head that people don't like, I guess.

I grew up in a very rural town, and all the city people around me daily tend to refer to me as "redneck." There are some times when it doesn't pay to let people know about you. I'm guessing it's more blatent when it's obvious, though.

[[GMOD]Vedicardi]

Great. Another day in the nation of fear.

I hope a personal moment of silence will do.

[ChristianKitsune]

*has just read alll the posts from monday until now*
Wow, I can't help but feel that whatever Cho wanted to accomplish...he got it accomplished. Yet at the same time, he lost.

here is what I mean...it is my understanding, that when people like cho do this, (murders not asians) they want attention, fear, and death. I think Cho go all of this...I mean look at the media, and look at what others are doing to our fellow americans. Yes, the Asian community. What Mave and Mr. SmartyPants are reporting really gets to me...it sickens me to think that we would treat people like this, simply because of their racial appearance and heritage.

I never saw anyone shunning white americans after Columbine, or Timothy Mcvae...at least not to the extent that Asians and Middle Eastern people have had to go through...

this entire week has been a bit of a horror story... An insane killer takes the lives of 32 people, and then we have several copy cats...

I think that I, like many others, have sort of become numb to this entire situation...it's a rather pathetic feeling. I mean, I have seen it all before...I have seen The Oklahoma City Bombing, (it's 12th anniversary was on Thursday) I have seen Columbine, (it's 8th anniversarry was yesterday) I have seen 9/11, and lets not forget those poor Amish girls earlier this year...

All of you have...wheather you were old enough to remember or not...unfortunately this sort of thing isn't new...and that is so terrible in and of itself.. this HAS happened before...at places no one thought they would.

It's discusting that this happens...that life is wasted so quickly and without much thought besides selfishness...

the Thing that really got to me the other night is the family members and friends of the victims As well as the remarkable waste of human life...

I mean think about it...these parents, raised their kids to the best of their abilility. They watched them through their awkward moments, their challenges and even their acheivments! They taught them how to ride their bike, how to use their manners properaly at a table. How to play football, how to put on makeup... They laughed, they cried...

but that laughter, was replaced by tears...by wounds that will never heal properly...

These parents, these friends, are real victims too. America is a victim... because we lost some great people, some students who had the potential to make a difference in this world. And I feel that because of their death, they already have...

Who ever said that this whole thing should bring us together is exactly right...it shouldn't be "ASIANS ARE the ENEMY" Because really, they are victims too, just like the family members, just like all the college students across our country...

I am scared now...I hope and pray that God doesn't allow this to happen anymore...yet, I know that as long as people are jilted...as long as we have instability this can certainly happen again...It happened yesterday at NASA.

[K. Ayato]

Hooah! Thanks for sharing that, Kit. You're right. This is nothing new under the sun, that it has happened before in the past.