Our hearts are heavy from the recent shootings at Northern Illinois University. My beautiful daughter, Heidi is 'safe' but her heart is broken. She is a member of Delta Zeta Sorority and knows everyone on Greek Row. Two girls from Signa Kap were shot - one is still in serious conditon. Dan from Pi Kappa Alpha was killed. He had coached Heidi's Tugs (tug-of-war) team to first place in the fall so she knew him well. In all, 22 students were shot and 5 were killed in this senseless rampage. NIU is in DeKalb - 35 miles from here. But it doesn't matter where it happens. These are our kids and they deserve a safe education. It has touched our community hard because so many of our children in the western suburbs of Chicago attend NIU and at least half of the teachers in my school district are grads and all of our student teachers are students there.

Heidi is home with the people she loves. She is a Sr. and says her college career will forever be marred by this tradegy. I am lost for words. A day that started out with so much love and valentines ended with such awful heartache. On Friday, we teachers wore Huskie Red and gathered together for hugs and support. More senseless deaths and kids forever affected by tragedy.

"Pluck this moment like a precious flower..." Tell your friends and family how much you love them while you still can. Please keep these kids and their families in the NIU community in your thoughts.

Blundervibes to you and yours and everybody involved.

These school shootings have become a "trend" and the shooter always kills himself. Why shoot others? I can't believe it happened again, and now so close to "home." I feel so bad for you and your daughter and everyone else out there. I have 2 kids in college, 1 in middle school and I work in a middle school. I can't believe what has happened to our society. My condolences and best wishes to everyone.

Those kids are getting Blundervibes, for sure. I'm sorry their entry to adulthood has been so marred; it's already hard enough. And more Blundervibes going to the parents and families. No one should have to go through that.

Vibes & prayers going out. So glad your daughter is safe. This is so sad...

So sorry to hear about this; my daughter attended VA Tech, and while she had graduated already before the probelms there, she still had friends on campus and was affected by the happenings there. It's tragic, no matter how you look at it.

Fearless, nothing I can say can come close to what is needed here. Naturally, I send my condolences to your daughter, family and of course those of all the kids that were involved.

Please, please, please stay close and keep a close watch on your daughter. If you think there is anything different in her behavior, act on it. It has been my experience that a young person experiencing a sudden death (even the strongest of people) can manifest itself as depression with unexplained fears and insecurity - far down the road. I guess she needs to know that this is an somewhat isolated (maybe unusual) incident and it doesnt mean that she will ever be alone. I would hate her to have to go through more than she already has had to endure.

My heart is breaking for her and you.

REG

This is awful. I'm so sorry for all the people who have to go through this one way or the other. Peace and Love.

You guys are so great! We went to a UU Church service yesterday and it was 'perfect'. Really helped with the healing. Best thing we can do is to go on in life and honor the people injured one way or another by this. Heidi will be attending Dan's funeral tomorrow with her friends and they will get through this together. I have a son at U of Ill. where the killer was enrolled as a grad student. Why he came back to NIU is anybodies guess. VaTech and other schools around the nation have been wonderful with their support and that has meant a lot to these kids. Reminds me of a quote of Arlo's..."Sorry, the world is nuts. It can't be helped. - ADG" I'd like to think that it can be helped. Just sometimes it can't, I guess.

Thanks to all for the Blundervibes. My guess is that they are feeling them

I don't understand what's happening in the world and our country. I live very near Jonesboro Ar. where one of the first school shootings was. The shooters were children, one was only 12 years old. They had to be released when they turned 18, although that law has been changed now.
During the morning of the 9/11 attack I was at work and watching the news when we got word of a bomb threat at our high school, where my daughter was. Naturally, they evacuated the building, sending the kids outside. My daughter told me later that she was so scared to go out because the Westside shooters lured the kids outside into range by setting off a fire alarm.
The children of the world have become so damaged, so angry and frightened by life they can't seem to cope. What can we do?

How does a 12 year old get hands on a weapon? Change the law and the chance to get a pump gun etc. gets much lower.

More vibes and prayers sent their way...

In this case, the boys took the guns from the home of one of their grandparents. We have a law that makes gun owners responsible for an accidental shooting, and I assume murders, involving a minor and guns. I imagine that the law is small comfort for the loved ones of people who have been murdered by shooters.
Does anyone have ideas why young people are so messed up that they are becoming mass murderers?

1. Too few father's in the homes?
2. Too much violence in movies, music and video games?
3. Kids who have been neglected, abused or bullied?

Maybe the reasons aren't important, but the question that keeps running through my mind is WHY?