April 17, 2007

Tragedy And Heroism

The shootings at Virginia Tech that killed 33 people, including the gunman, will generate many stories of horror over the next few days and weeks. Already we have heard about the cold and mechanical manner in which the perpetrator selected and shot his many victims. However, the terrible day also will produce stories of courage and heroism, and the first has been that of Professor Liviu Librescu. The Romanian-Israeli engineering professor and Holocaust survivor gave his life to save his students:

As Jews worldwide honored on Monday the memory of those who were murdered in the Holocaust, a 75-year-old survivor sacrificed his life to save his students in Monday's shooting at Virginia Tech College that left 32 dead and over two dozen wounded.

Professor Liviu Librescu, 76, threw himself in front of the shooter, who had attempted to enter his classroom. The Israeli mechanics and engineering lecturer was shot to death, "but all the students lived - because of him," Virginia Tech student Asael Arad - also an Israeli - told Army Radio.

Several of Librescu's other students sent e-mails to his wife, Marlena, telling of how he blocked the gunman's way and saved their lives, said the son, Joe.

"My father blocked the doorway with his body and asked the students to flee," Joe Librescu said in a telephone interview from his home outside of Tel Aviv. "Students started opening windows and jumping out."

The same article also talks about the heroism of Derek O'Dell, who also blocked a doorway and dodged a hail of bullets to protect his fellow students. Other students joined him, and they successfully kept the gunman from entering the classroom. O'Dell survived with a bullet wound to the arm.

Unfortunately, Librescu was not as fortunate. After all he suffered in his life, the impulse to sacrifice himself to save others is doubly amazing, and exponentially inspiring. Godspeed, Professor Librescu; it's hard to believe that this world deserved you. (via Power Line)

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» Escaping the Ovens from what if?
Yet dying decades later attempting to save lives from another sort of madman. Professor Librescu embodies the true meaning of a hero. And my thanks to The Captain for this amazing story of bravery in the face of sudden horror. [Read More]

» The Danger And Tragedy Of Gun Control: The Virginia Tech Shootings. from Stuck On Stupid
The Virginia Tech shooting could have been minimized or prevented had the Virginia Tech hierarchy allowed conceal carry on it's campus. A similar incident happened in January 2002 without the consequences of Virginia Tech's Tragedy. This was at the App... [Read More]

» Virginia Tech massacre: Yesterday’s heros from Sister Toldjah
In the midst of the tragedy yesterday emerged a few heros. Captain Ed blogs about a couple of them, including Professor Liviu Librescu, a Holocaust survivor, who gave his life yesterday so his students would be safe. VTech is holding a press conferenc... [Read More]

» VA Tech - The Aftermath from Macsmind - Conservative Commentary and Common Sense
Rounding up the threads of the morning. Capt Ed notes the heroism of Professor Liviu Librescu, a 76 year-old Holocaust survivor who sacrificed himself for his students. Meanwhile the identity of the shooter is known, a 23 year student from South Kor... [Read More]

» First Cup 04.17.07 from bRight & Early
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» Virginia Tech: The Day After from Bill's Bites
See previous: At least 32 dead in Virginia Tech rampage; Anti-gunners seize the moment before bodies cold. Below the fold: Police Preliminarily Identify Virginia Tech Gunman, Won't Release Name as Campus Reels From Tragedy Gunman Kills 32 at Virginia Tech [Read More]

» Hero: Israeli professor sacrificed self for students from Infidels Are Cool
This story has to be told… via TimesOnline Professor Librescu: “a wonderful man, a survivor, and a hero” one student wrote… A 76-year-old Jewish-Romanian lecturer was hailed a hero after blocking his classroom door long enough... [Read More]

» Victims and heroes of Virginia Tech from Gun Control Now
The Romanian-Israeli engineering professor and Holocaust survivor Professor Liviu Librescu gave his life to save his students, writes the Jerusalem Post. More here and here. Captains Quarters documents more heroism. RiehlWorld has more details on the... [Read More]

» Tragedy And Heroism from NoisyRoom.net
Courtesy of Captain’s Quarters: The shootings at Virginia Tech that killed 33 people, including the gunman, will generate many stories of horror over the next few days and weeks. Already we have heard about the cold and mechanical manner in whi... [Read More]

» Evil Has a Name: Cho Seung-Hui from The Oxford Medievalist
I said yesterday this was going to get a lot more disturbing as the details come out. Turns out, "disturbing" is an understatement: [Read More]

Comments (14)

Posted by Ripper [TypeKey Profile Page] | April 17, 2007 7:58 AM

There is a saying in the Talmud (I am paraphrasing) "He who saves a single life, it is as if he saved the entire world."

Posted by tommy1nut [TypeKey Profile Page] | April 17, 2007 8:18 AM

This kind of shit has gotta to stop. My condolences go out to all the victims and their families. This is also not the time to start arguing about gun control or law enfornment or any of that BS. This was a fucking tradegy and I'd send cash to help pay for the funeral expenses. That's what we should all do.

Posted by RBMN [TypeKey Profile Page] | April 17, 2007 8:31 AM

From today's news conference: The shooter, Seung Hui Cho, was a Korean-national english major at Virginia Tech.

Posted by Tom Shipley [TypeKey Profile Page] | April 17, 2007 8:35 AM

Maximilian Kolbe's spirit was alive yesterday in that classroom.

Posted by RBMN [TypeKey Profile Page] | April 17, 2007 8:45 AM

From:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cho_(Korean_name)

Cho or Jo is a common Korean family name. As of 2000, there were 1,347,730 people by this surname in South Korea, more than 2% of the total population.

Posted by oldcrow [TypeKey Profile Page] | April 17, 2007 8:54 AM

My condolences go out to the victims and their families.

It’s a sad commentary on our culture, when it seems like the only person with the guts to do anything was a 75 year old Holocaust survivor. He’s a true hero.

Posted by docjim505 [TypeKey Profile Page] | April 17, 2007 9:45 AM

God bless Dr. Librescu.

Posted by NahnCee [TypeKey Profile Page] | April 17, 2007 9:58 AM

I wonder how many stories of heroism by students named Mohammad we'll hear in the coming days.

Posted by Tom Shipley [TypeKey Profile Page] | April 17, 2007 10:19 AM

"I wonder how many stories of heroism by students named Mohammad we'll hear in the coming days."

Or women or blacks.

Posted by Mark [TypeKey Profile Page] | April 17, 2007 12:30 PM

That explains it. He was an English major.

Posted by docjim505 [TypeKey Profile Page] | April 17, 2007 12:44 PM

NahnCee wrote (April 17, 2007 09:58 AM):

I wonder how many stories of heroism by students named Mohammad we'll hear in the coming days.

I'm sorry, but I really don't see your point. If there was a person named Muhammed who performed an act of bravery, then I would hope we'd hear about it to provide some tiny ray of hope and decency in the wake of this horror. Ditto a person named Joe, Jane, Jose, Katerina, Ivan, Nguyen, Takeo, or Mogden.

Or, in this case, Liviu.

Posted by Lew [TypeKey Profile Page] | April 17, 2007 8:40 PM

Once in a great while, someone like Dr. Liviu Librescu comes along and does something so unspeakably courageous and purely noble, that the whole tawdry and cynical world seems somehow new again. As if the sun had suddenly broken through a cold leaden gray overcast and suddenly warmed us all, one more time.

Ripper's Talmudic paraphrase above is worth more than just a little passing glance, because in reality the Professor not only saved his students with his sacrifice, but in a real sense he saved a little piece of all of us, as well. Saved us from our cynical lack of faith in our neighbors and friends, and in the end - from our lack of faith in ourselves and our possibilities.

There are still heroes, and because of what that old man did, we became more than we were. Remember his name and pray for his soul, for he made us and all of our possibilities, greater than we ever knew.

Posted by nolakola [TypeKey Profile Page] | April 18, 2007 12:51 AM

I wonder if anyone wants to take back some of the things they wrote here yesterday about academics? probably not.

Posted by flicka47 [TypeKey Profile Page] | April 18, 2007 1:25 PM

While it may be a little too soon to think about,have any of our congresscritters (or anyone else for that matter) mentioned giving this heroic man a Congresssional Medal of Honor?