I recall in vivid detail exactly where I was at and exactly what I was doing when I learned what had happened that fateful day. My supervisor and I happened to be sitting in the office trailer that the electrical company I worked for had stationed in the parking lot of the hospital in Radford.
“I wish we would’ve went to Virginia Tech again today and worked,” I told Wayne. “All this sitting around doing nothing really sucks man.”
“Yeah, I thought about it, but there’s no way we’re going back and working there if I cannot park my truck on the job site. Much more, drag my tools around like I did yesterday. Until the general contractor breaks ground on the new addition here, this is pretty much it. Look on the bright side, you’re getting paid for just sitting around,” he said.
That’s about the time my cellphone started getting bombarded with text messages that something terrible had happened at Virginia Tech. Ironically, the tragedies that occured in Norris Hall happened right across from the building I worked on the day before.

Although it happened nearly eleven years ago, I am still saddened by those events. Yes indeed, I took it personally, even though I knew none of the victims. I suppose part of it is having worked on the university and whatnot, I almost felt like I was part of that community and their loss is mine as well.
Since then there has been numerous other school shootings, each a painful reminder of not only the massacres at Virginia Tech but also Columbine as well – just to name a few.
As Sandy Hook taught us, a madman bent on destruction is indiscriminate when it comes to age. With all the school shootings that has taken place, let us stop and ponder this question – What safeguards do we really have in place to stop the next gunman from snuffing out our children’s lives?

Being a parent myself, it is only natural to worry about the safety of both my boys. However, as with many other parents, I shouldn’t have to worry or even feel helpless about Congress’ inaction over these school shootings. It is almost as if they are giving the 2nd Amendment the power to allow this trend to continue, or is it they are more afraid of the NRA?
With that in mind, I am not ashamed to admit that I was moved to the point that I was teary-eyed when I saw the national walkout by the students. Moreover, I support and commend the “March For Our Lives” movement. After all it shows that our children aren’t afraid to exercise their civil liberties, but more importantly, it shows that all those innocent victim’s lives have been by no means been forgotten.

Respectfully,

David Bomber #1130793
Nottoway Correctional Center
P.O. Box 488
Burkeville, Va. 23922

email me @ http://www.jpay.com by submitting my name or Virginia State ID number: 1130793.