RE:Reema Samaha
by Deepak on Apr 19, 2007 02:25 PM Permalink
In India, only Indians get condolences. Check the above message from some Tise Matthew, shame on her.
On monday Virginia Tech, my alma mater, had to witness a horrific shooting that killed 32 people and injured scores others. My thoughts and prayers are with the students, faculties and families of the victims.
I arrived at Virginia Tech in 1980 on a cold September night following my first ever trip abroad. Earlier that night I had arrived at Roanoke airport on a flight from New York around 9pm with no friends and acquaintances at the University and worried about what was in store for me. The limousine drive from Roanoke to Blacksburg with a female driver on her walkie-talkie seems hazy now after almost 27 years but was instrumental in forming friendships with an Indian professor and a returning graduate chinese student from Hong Kong, Bosco.
Bosco was returning from his home in Hong Kong that night after the summer holidays. He had been a graduate student of computer science at VPI and SU (as Virginia Techwas known in those days) for about 3 years and he took one look at my "totally lost" look and wanted to help. He offered to have me stay that night in his apartment which I gladly accepted. All I remember that night is how I went and crashed on the floor of his living room with my 2 suit cases around me after a trip that took me around half the globe.
The next morning Bosco took me to the Burruss Hall where the foreign student offices were located. Norris Hall where more than 30 people died yesterday was next door. I was floored by the beautiful sight of this campus from Burruss Hall with the green oval drill field and all the gothic grey structures around this oval. The criss-crossing of students on the drill field was a great sight of an University in full flow even though classes had not started yet. You could see students carrying all kinds of things - TV, cupboards, books, boxes, etc - and trying to settle down in the dorms. During the summer months, you could hundred of students play frisbee. Yesterday, I was pained to see the drill field empty and the swat teams moving through it with their guns drawn taking cover behind trees and swat cars.
The foreign student advisor appreciated Bosco for his help to me and requested him to help me find an apartment that morning. We loaded all my belongings into his big american car and went around the town of Blacksburg. It didn't take long for one to go across the town (there is only main road in the town). The town is nestled in the Blue Ridge mountains on the border with West Virginia at an altitude of around 2000 ft. The town is in the midst of beautiful green rolling hills all around with duck ponds and lakes strewn all across the town.
It didn't take too long to find an apartment and a roommate. Thanks to Bosco and I had a pleasant experience being a FOB ("Fresh of the Boat") that day in 1980. Being in an alien country with very little money and no friends, the help from the Boscos of Virginia Tech have enabled people like me make the transition to live in this country in those initial days.
May Mr.Loganthan's soul rest in peace. May God help their relatives to cope up with this. At this moment, I would like to have the opinion of you guys about TN Govt spending lakhs of Rs on the travel and other formalities for Loganathan's family. Being in US for 15 years, the family will be able to afford the money for travel. Though we need to support them morally, I personally feel that there are more ppl who need Govt aid rather than families like Loganthan's. Appreciate your comments on this.
RE:TN Govt Spends Lakhs of Rs for Loganathan's Family
by Shantanu Bapat on Apr 19, 2007 04:59 AM Permalink
The kiiling of prof Loganathan was tragic act of a maniac. Something like this should never happen to anyone. I can't imagine if something like that happening to someone close to me. With that said, "WHY SHOULD TAX PAYERS BEAR THE EXPENSES?" (1) Professor Loganathan was not working for Indian or Tamilnadu Govt. He was there for his own career and personal interests, just like me and all of us. (2) He was not killed in action working for India. (3) He was not killed by a Tamilnadu tax payer or Indian Tax payer. (4) Incident happened in USA and not in India. So leaving emotions aside how can govt dole out hard earned tax payer money like this? Someone should file a petition against this kind of doling out of tax payer money.
I did live in the US for more than 5 years and traveled to several cities in the US.
Do you agree that the Gun Crime is a very big problem in the US????
What stops the US government to show any interest to crub the increase of gun Crime?
What steps have been taken to nudge the rising gun crime all over the US?????
Nothing...the US government is busy elsewhere than focusing the social problems of the US...I would say this has been the case foe the past 20 years!!!
When anyone can buy a semi-automatic, loaded with bullets for $40, what would you expect to happen?
Just because, 32 people had been shot dead, this whole shooting incident had become well-known. Otherwise, I am sure it would have made news even in the local newspapers. Single shootings are taking place every 6 minutes in the US. Do you know that?????
So, common man can only bash the US government to take responsible for its open failure and not interested to crub the rising gun crime...
Many of those who critisise US don't mean to be Anti-Americans...be very clear about it....I do bash very badly about Indian government. But, at the same time I love India and very proud to be Indian....period...
Your American society is being misled by the successive ruling US governments.....Instead of preaching against WAR and teaching the value of peace and life, your government is forcing the Americans to accept the WAR.....and buy loads of lies for free!!!
So, this creates pressure and affects the society as whole......You may have to sit and read socio-political relations to understand it better....
The US mainline media is very cleverly and systematically misinforms the American public on all key political and social issues. The American public believes it as real!!! The corrupt media regime has well established links with all political 'big heads' of US politics. It is actually helping to stage a planned 'propaganda' directly focussed to 'brainwash' the American public with series of myths and illusion of lies as great as any ruthless 'dictatorship' could possibly do. The US mainline media never criticises the government or it's policies or president's actions and accountability. By taking democracy and peace for granted, president Bush had thoroughly done a great deal of damage to the United States than all the other previous US presidents put together. Job well done!!!
So, when something like this shooting happens, or Hurricane Katrina, people would naturally bash the US government..
I do and many do know that there are many peace loving gentle souls are there in the US like any where else...
Yes....it is about humanity as you said...But, does the US government know the value of it?
RE:US MUST ACT THAN TALK...
by rayker rayker on Apr 18, 2007 08:20 PM Permalink
NRA behind gun culture. remove guns, yu remove probability of mass killing. what will they do without guns ? stab 32 people ? its stupid to protect gun culture. aussie govt got rid of it. its time USA did it.
RE:US MUST ACT THAN TALK...
by Vinay Sriram on Apr 18, 2007 08:02 PM Permalink
First of all US is a democracy so the US government does what the people want.
The problem is gun control. Criminals love gun control because it means they can prey on unarmed vulnerable people.
Why does the US see these massacres in malls and schools? Not in other public places? Because malls and schools tend to be "gun-free" zones. So no one can defend themselves from lunatics such as this.
Virginia Tech specifically chose to prevent students from carrying guns on campus. The result is they could not defend themselves.
Panchkula April 18th Wednesday, 4.50P.M.,2007. The death of an outstanding teacher Dr GV Loganathan in Virginia-Tech ,US, the otherday leaves a trail of sorrow not only to his grieving Parents , spouse Ushaji, and orphaned daughters but to scores of enlightened men of good-will through out India ,we feel that GOI should sponsor education and training for the Young Daughters at the highest levels of excellence to lessen the cruel bolt of the unknown that took away their dedicated Father. The fate of the widow and aging Tamil Parents needs to be considered for public support both from US Federal Funds and GOI, at Lutyens.Mere emotional gestures as by Mr& Mrs Bush or Indian Officials trip to Virginia makes hardly much sense in the tragic episode. We must strengthen our Indian Nationhood by concrete steps..D. Goel
Shame on the Indian Govt!!! If they are bending backwards to accomodate the victims' families!! What about the lakhs of indians dying like rats??? What about the thousands of farmers who have committed suicides???? Unke families ko to koi aath aane bhi nahin de raha!!!..... I doubt if the PM or even the CMs of the particular states are even slightly moved when they hear about the farmer suicides!!!....or what the farmers must do is take additional loans....go to the US on a tourist visa...AND THEN commit suicide there....THAT will draw more attention!!!
RE:Shame...!
by Samia Baig on Apr 18, 2007 08:08 PM Permalink
India may have lost in the World Cup, but the entire nation's grief at the sporting failure is nothing when compared to Logu / Minal's family. Hats off to the Indian Govt for their gesture towards the victims. D.Goel must go to the village and till the lands of the hapless farmers instead of beshaming the govt
RE:Shame...!
by BlurBlur on Apr 18, 2007 05:44 PM Permalink
Vishal, Have a heart! How is the plight of farmers in any way related to this specific tragedy? Also the this specific case will be handled by the ministry of external affairs while farmer's case will be handled by Home Ministry, so how can you compare?
All that the government is doing is arranging for tickets to send the prof. parents to pay their last respects, which is a good deed and does not call for criticism.
Will it satisfy you, if the parents never got a chance to see their son for one last time? How heartless could you be?
