 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: sherman
Date: 2007-04-17 15:56
There are many many posts on this website having to do with attendance at smaller colleges and universities in more rural atmospheres than in large cites.
Very frequently these usually smaller schools are located in areas beautiful for foliage and a rather bucolic sense of repose regardless of the academic pressure that may accompany the calm and peace.
Mom and Dad are just a phone call away and there are frequent concerts to attend, both large and smaller ensembles.
Yet, from time to time terrible tragedies befall these halls of learning: Columbine, Virginia Tech and Dawson College and the Ecole Polytechnik in Montreal, as well as others, causing great concern for every musician who may teach or student or parents or siblings of students.
There is a pattern that is emerging, enough of one to give danger a consideration when considering attendance at smaller colleges,many of them with respectable music departments.
"The mass shooting at Virginia Tech is another horrifying reminder that some of the gravest dangers Americans face come from killers at home armed with guns that are frighteningly easy to obtain."
The above is quoted from todays Times, and I would like to start a discussion of the impact: musical, social, academic of these kinds of horrors and how we may deal with the problems as a nation.
As an academic and administrator prior to retiring I faced emergencies like the sudden killing of four professors at Concordia University in Montreal on August 14, 1992.
And violence against the appearance of certain speakers on campus.
I feel that this country, actually continent needs help to achieve help in these areas..
We frequently trip over our own peaceful traditions.
What are the thoughts concerning safe attendance at large or small universities and the allowance of speakers of controversial subjects to appear. Or academicians espousing unusual or controversial subjet matter to teach?
Sherman Friedland
Post Edited (2007-04-17 20:34)
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2007-04-17 18:16
I do not want this BBoard to become a sounding board for whether or not more gun control is right for this continent or nation. There are plenty of political activist boards that cater to the left, middle, and right of this issue, along with many newpaper sites with open forums on this issue.
If we can keep this discussion on the pros and cons of urban vs. rural campuses and the "openness" of universities to speakers or other than conformist ideas then discussion is fine here.
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Author: clarinetwife
Date: 2007-04-17 22:38
Thanks for the reminder, Mark, and I truly believe that the method of violence is not relevant, since the darkness and violence that engulf some of our young people will find some method of outlet regardless, on big campus or in small towns. To me what is more important is that the darkness and emptiness are there.
What is the antidote? The love of family and friends and the pursuit of beauty, MUSIC, art, truth (even though our world tends to deny it exists), anything that can engage the mind and the heart and reinforce the dignity of the person and the value of life.
May they all rest in peace
Barb
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Author: DougR
Date: 2007-04-18 23:16
It's a horribly complex problem; I remember watching the McNeil-Lehrer News Hour the day after the massacre, where they interviewed two campus security administrators and a college president; immediately following was an interview segment with two threat-assessment professionals. The difference between the two segments was really startling: the college administrators were united (as I remember) in believing that this guy was an outlier, and that defending against him would be pretty near impossible, and that providing normal security was difficult enough; though two of the three seemed open to augmenting their existing security setups as circumstances in the larger society change.
The threat-assessment professionals, however, were as clear as a bell as they laid out criteria for identifying this type of shooter: a list of concrete, readily observable distinguishing behaviors and attitudes that taken together should have set off major alarm bells in the case of this shooter.
Of course, these behaviors, thus far at least, are only seen that clearly after the event's happened. And I have a feeling that in the immediate future, campus security professionals are going to be strategizing ways to take this kind of behavior more seriously, and take more definitive steps toward intervention.
It's heartbreaking to lose such beautiful human beings.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2007-04-19 00:59
As more and more information is discovered about the gunman there are many negative things I could add.
Instead I would like to say as someone who lived in East and West Ambler Johnston, and spent a lot of time on the fourth floor where the initial shootings occured:
I would like to commend the Highty-Tighties, VaTech's military band on their performance during the convocation yesterday. Cassel Coliseum's acoustics are not wonderful, and the production was not mice'd to their advantage. The HT's gave an excellent moving performance that could not have been easy for any of its members.
My two cents. (that I'll share)
James
Gnothi Seauton
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