VA Tech Shooter Named

It’s the worst gun massacre in American history, and we’re busy pulling out the clichés:

While he had a residence established in Centreville, Va., Mr. Cho was living on campus in Harper Residence Hall. He was described as a “loner” by the university’s associate vice president, Harry Hincker, on CNN. [My emphasis.]

Well, of course you’d say that. It’s what instinctively rolls off your tongue in a situation like this, and it means absolutely nothing – it’s not a reason, it’s not an insight, it’s not a consolation, and it’s certainly not an apology. Read Christopher Hitchens’ brief essay on post-tragedy buck-passing, dated back in January, to get a taste of what’s to come as the vigils and promises of solidarity die down and people start wondering how the hell nobody saw this coming.

Hopefully we have another day or so before the gun control battle flares up in earnest. Until then, Andrew Sullivan gives voice to my view on the gun rights folks’ fatuous rumination, “If only the kids had been carrying guns too…”:

Whatever the pros and cons of gun control in general, I find the idea of a place of learning being filled with students carrying concealed weapons to be a deeply disturbing idea. It is the antithesis of civilization.