Virginia Tech Massacre - Lesson One
It's difficult to imagine the personal reality of those who were there watching Cho walk around and kill their classmates. It's also difficult to imagine that worse horrors than this occur every single day outside of our relatively safe borders. If we are at all sympathetic to the victims (dead and living) of Virginia Tech, let’s also be mindful of those people who suffer this kind of tragedy every day.
Last year the first scientific analysis of the Iraqi death toll announced that as many as 655,000 people died as a result of the invasion, which is an average of an extra 2519 people per week attributed to our presence in
In the last two years, somewhere around 300,000 people have been killed or died specifically due to the violence in
So sure, Virginia Tech is a tragedy, no doubt about it . . . I want that kind of thing to stay as far away from me and my family as is possible. But our reaction to it, in the media in particular, demonstrates the inequity of our concerns for human life. Christianity is supposed to be a global concern for the entire human race. At one Christian university I know about, they’re having a prayer vigil for the people at Virginia Tech.
I only mention this because it seems to be a fairly standard response by churches and Christian organizations and it is indeed a good and proper response. But, I’m yet to see popular prayer vigils for the literally millions of people who have suffered because of our presence in Iraq, or for the two million displaced from Darfur, almost all of whom have lost loved ones due to the violence there. I’m yet to see popular prayer vigils for the millions of people world wide adversely affected by our economic and environmental practices.
What I walk away with here is that Virginia Tech and other tragedies like it evidence that popular Christianity here in the US has a deeply seated materialism (big surprise!): it’s only worth praying about if it could happen to us. If it’s happening elsewhere and there’s no danger of it hurting us, then we can comfortably ignore it. No prayer vigil necessary.
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Martin Niemoeller, a German priest during the time of the Holocaust, once said:
"First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the communists and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me—and by then there was no one left to speak out for me."
Though there is a definite distinction between the historical context and ultimate outcome with the Holocaust and the tragedies we experience in this country—such as Virginia Tech; I believe there is a conceptual link to be noticed within the implied logic of Niemoeller's statement.
As long as other people are affected, those unaffected see no real need to respond; but when the affects come to their very own door, they honestly believe that no one is there for them—or, worse: they believe they are suffering in a grander way and are in need of a grander response.
You are spot on with the issue of the need to be more proactive in our response to the struggles of the world—not just those struggles that affect our immediate context. As Christians, we do need to be more global in our concern; and, at the very least, we should pray all the more fervently because of the tragedies that affect the larger world on a daily basis.
I couldn't agree more with this post, Jamie. What is specifically saddening is how the Christian community immediately surrounding us has survived to various bursts of violence over the last year.
Last semester a horrible tragedy occured when two CCU students were subjected to the violence of a sociopathic criminal. Immediate measures were taken to ensure we responding correctly to this crisis. Prayer vigils were held and "motivational self-defence" classed scheduled.
Last week when the VTech shooting occured, we were immediately emailed and reassured that security and administration were meeting to revue CCU's safety policies and procedures. A prayer vigil is being held this very day.
And yet, like you mentioned, loss of life continues around the world and is not treated with the slightest concern or criticism.
How foolish must we appear? How cold and uncaring are we seen as by those we need most desparately to reach with compassion?
I think this phenomena testifies to the fact that people who mourn tragedy close to them aren't actually concerned for others, but only by the thought that something like this could happen to them. Otherwise, why would it matter how close or far the tragedy takes place?
A friend of mine told me to be sure to wear orange and maroon today because it was a national day of mourning for VT.
I asked him why we hadn't had days of mourning for the innocent people killed in Iraq.
Apparently the Iraqi lives (and all non-american lives as well) do not hold as much value as his life. If I may quote him, "come on, you know that's different. these people didn't do anything to deserve this."
As I am just catching up on whats been going on outside of my little part of the world, I'm realizing I've missed a lot these last few weeks. I agree with you Jamie that Americans are completely one minded and are shocked when they see something on their own grounds. But that is because America is protected, they don't see the bad things that go on in the rest of the world. I think back to your post a month ago or so about how the internet is desensatizing (sp) the west, and are we ready. Well one thing I think this shows is that people DO want to know what is going on, look how many people get hooked to their tv's during times of crisis.
I believe that you hit it on the head though when you said that if it does not directly us, than we aren't concerned.
I say this because most people here shrug it off, who cares if some psycho off'ed 30-some people. I just watch a friend get shot yesturday while trying to better the world, why should I care?
Thats not the correct attitude, but it is a common one, if it does not directly impact us we could care less.
I've thought about this double standard myself in the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings, and am still trying to work out how to deal with it. I don't want to seem callous at all - what happened in Virginia was terrible, and those affected certainly deserve our prayers. But the lack of concern for what is going on in places like Darfur and Iraq is, from a Christian standpoint, extremely troubling.
When I first watched the movie "Hotel Rwanda" several years ago, one scene was particularly haunting to me. After a reporter captures horrific images of the genocide taking place, he apologizes to Don Cheadle's character. He replies to the reporter that he is glad the images have been captured, however difficult they are for him to look at - because the world will find out what is happening and send help. The reporter sadly explains that people will watch the footage on the news, shake their heads and say how terrible it is, then go back to eating their dinner.
What a sad (but true) commentary on our response to similar crises outside our borders. I know I've done the same thing many times, but that was the beginning of a wake-up call for me. From a Christian perspective, my lack of compassion for the suffering of others (whether or not it affects me personally) is deeply problematic. And I shudder to think how often we would say something similar to anonymous' friend - "but these people" (those closest to ourselves) don't deserve it." As if anyone does. We need to be praying for such situations, and pressuring our politicians to take steps to alleviate their suffering.
I want to help other Christians see this as well - especially now that I'm working in a church. I'm still trying to work out how to do so.
Jamie:
i appreciated your thoughts on the event at Va Tech. we showed video clips from the news coverage and had a time of prayer for those close to the event with my church this weekend. we, however, saw it as an opportunity to talk about pain, suffering, violence and injustice on a global scale. we prayed for those hurt by inhumanity around the world along with those at Va Tech. our approach was to let the media attention on this shooting spark the minds and souls of our people. it is sad that people (especially Christians) are not globally aware/concerned and that there is an "inequity of our concerns for human life," even in the church. but it is my hope that tragedies like this one will highlight the value of all human life.
-richard
Where's your church, Richard?
Jake,
I've been thinking about the issue of trying to get your average Christian to think more broadly. Something I've gained from student surveys of my classes is that students don't know you're doing something unless you say you are. So if I label something, they make the connection.
So with reference to that, I was wondering if you could connect that to the issue of "reclaiming Christianity." That is, you could just start saying that you're "reclaiming Christianity" a goal to which people would automatically lend ethos, and then fill up that space with the renewed view of Christian responsibility and awareness.
Just a thought.
Just wanted to comment on CSS' reading of Niemoeller's statement. He is not implying that people simply believe that noone is there for them when something horrible happens because it is closer to home. His statement is one of the impact of non-action. If we allow others to suffer because it does not directly affect us, when it is our turn to suffer, there will be noone to stand up for us. It is not about perception, but about consequences of non-action.
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