THE H.C. REPORTS ON THE VIRGINIA TECH MASSACRE

Following is the way I wish every journalist would have reported on this tragic event

One week ago today the city of Blacksburg, Virginia was stunned by a mass shooting on the campus of Virginia Tech University. An unnamed student, armed with a Glock 9mm and a .22 Caliber handgun made his way through Ambler Johnson Hall and Norris Hall indiscriminately shooting his fellow students and Professors until 32 lay dead. The shooter then, thankfully, took his own life sparing all of us from having to listen to his mindless, pathetic rants while on trial.

The next day it was revealed that he had mailed a package containing a manifesto and video of his insane ramblings to NBC Studios where he compared himself to Jesus Christ who killed no one. This reporter watched the video and read the rants and I can assure you it contains nothing of any redeeming social value whatsoever. His claims of persecution were not unique and were symptomatic of what you would expect from someone with no concern for anyone or anything except his own exaggerated sense of self worth.

His family, immigrants from South Korea, immediately went into hiding with their shame and grief. A spokesman for them assured the American people they shared our grief and were not aware their son was capable of such a heinous crime. They extend their apologies and sympathies to the families of his victims. A review of the perpetrator's family shows them all to be decent, hardworking people who in no way deserved the embarrassment and shame heaped upon their good family name.

It is the position of this reporter that no part of the shooters actions or character were worth the fame that he sought, so therefore, I refuse to mention his name or repeat any of the material he wanted so desperately to be published. I appeal to all my fellow journalists to follow my lead and discourage, instead of encourage this kind of behavior. Instead, I'm printing the names of all the people's lives that he so senselessly took, who died honorably, and who deserve to be remembered. To the families of the victims, and even the family of the shooter who deserved none of this misery, I extend my sympathies. May God help you through these trying times. H.C.

Ross Abdallah Alameddine, 20, of Saugus, Mass., according to his mother, Lynnette Alameddine. Christopher James Bishop, 35, according to Darmstadt University of Technology in Germany, where he helped run an exchange program.
Brian Bluhm, 25, a civil engineering graduate student, according to friends.
Ryan Clark, 22, of Martinez, Ga., biology and English major, according to Columbia County Coroner Vernon Collins.
Austin Cloyd, an international studies major from Blacksburg, Va., according to Terry Harter, senior pastor at First United Methodist Church in Champaign, Ill.
Jocelyne Couture-Nowak, a French instructor, according to her husband, Jerzy Nowak.
Daniel Perez Cueva, 21, according to his mother, Betty Cueva.
Kevin Granata, age unknown, engineering science and mechanics professor, according to Ishwar Puri, head of the engineering science and mechanics department.
Matthew Gwaltney, 24, of Chester, Va., a graduate student in civil and environmental engineering, according to his father and stepmother, Greg and Linda Gwaltney.
Caitlin Hammaren, 19, of Westtown, N.Y., a sophomore majoring in international studies and French, according to Minisink Valley, N.Y., school officials who spoke with Hammaren's family.
Jeremy Herbstritt, 27, of Bellefonte, Pa., according to Penn State University, his alma mater and his father's employer.
Rachael Hill, 18, of Glen Allen, Va., according to her father, Guy Hill.
Emily Jane Hilscher, a 19-year-old freshman from Woodville, according to Rappahannock County Administrator John McCarthy, a family friend.
Jarrett Lane, 22, of Narrows, Va., according to Riffe's Funeral Service Inc. in Narrows, Va.
Matthew La Porte, 20, a sophomore from Dumont, N.J., according to Dumont Police Chief Brian Venezio.
Henry Lee, also known as Henh Ly, 20, a first-year student majoring in computer engineering from Roanoke, Va., according to Oakey's Funeral Service in Roanoke.
Liviu Librescu, 76, engineering science and mathematics lecturer, according to Puri.
G.V. Loganathan, 51, civil and environmental engineering professor, according to his brother G.V. Palanivel.
Partahi Lombantoruan, 34, of Indonesia, civil engineering doctoral student, according to Kristiarto Legowo, a spokesman for the foreign ministry.
Lauren McCain, 20, of Hampton, Va., international studies major, according to a statement from the family.
Daniel O'Neil, 22, of Rhode Island, according to friend Steve Craveiro and according to Eric Cardenas of Connecticut College, where O'Neil's father, Bill, is director of major gifts.
Juan Ramon Ortiz, a 26-year-old graduate student in engineering from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, according to his wife, Liselle Vega Cortes.
Minal Panchal, 26, a first-year building-science student from Mumbai, India, according to foreign ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna.
Erin Peterson, 18, of Chantilly, Va., an international studies major, according to her father, Grafton Peterson.
Michael Pohle, 23, of Flemington, N.J., according to officials at his high school, Hunterdon Central High.
Julia Pryde, age unknown, a graduate student from Middletown, N.J., according to Virginia Tech professor Saied Mostaghimi, chairman of the biological systems and engineering department.
Mary Karen Read, 19, of Annandale, Va. according to her aunt, Karen Kuppinger.
Reema Samaha, 18, a freshman from Centreville, Va., according to her family.
Waleed Mohammed Shaalan, of Zagazig, Egypt, a doctoral student in civil engineering, according to the university.
Leslie Sherman, a sophomore history and international studies student from Springfield, Va., according to her grandmother Gerry Adams.
Maxine Turner, 22, a senior majoring in chemical engineering from Vienna, Va., according to her father, Paul Turner.
Nicole White, 20, a junior majoring in international studies from Smithfield, Va., according to a family statement released by Suffolk, Va., police department.