European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 19, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 18 stars and stripes thursday april 19 2007 Thomas e Kelsch publisher Richard Braun Genera manager Europe it col Stephen Oconnor commander news and editorial Robb Grid staff Doug c1awsoh executive editor managing editor Europe Sam Amrhein Europe Bureau chief Joseph Giordono Mideast Bureau chief Mami Mcentee assistant Bureau chief Washington do assistant managing editors Mary Bender news Sean Moores sports Brian Bowers features Christopher six Patrick Dickson news editor Joe Gromelski web editor addresses us mail unit 29480 Apo at 09211 International mail Postrach 1330 64345 Griesheim Germany fax Dan 3498416 Civ 0 email news letters Central office 529 14th Street new suite 350 Washington do 200451301 phone on 3127630900 or Civ 202 7610900 fax f 1 202 7610890 editorial director 529 14th slow suite 350 Washington do 200451301 phone Dan 3127630945 or Civ 202 7610945 How to Cali us 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horror of it and Iraq this morning i Learned that at least 32 Bright Young americans were killed in what is supposed to be a place of safety study and coming of age shocked and horrified at attack article april i believe i join nearly All americans in feeling shocked and troubled that such a thing could happen at one of our universities unlike most americans though i heard about this tragedy from a television in a dining facility in Baghdad where i am stationed As an army doctor for a unit from fort drum by my heart goes out to the families and friends of those who were killed monday in Virginia i join other americans in being greatly affected by the loss of so Many Young people for no reason at All and i applaud for once the expansive news coverage of this tragedy i ask americans though to remember the horror they feel today at this event be cause it is what they should feel every time they hear or read about yet another group of Young soldiers killed in Iraq Al though wartime death does not have the same Shock value we Are told to expect some losses it in no Way changes the value of a life the Bright Young men and women serving their country overseas should have their lives valued no less than those who stay at Home to study remember this and ask political Lead ers to remember it hold them account Able for War if As a nation we truly re called the value of a life then we would be Tell us what you think stars and stripes welcomes your comments on editorials and columns that Are published in the newspaper and values letters on topics of importance in the lives of our readers All letters must designed and must include the writers address or base and Telephone number please limit All letters to 300 words we Reserve the right to edit letters for length taste and clarity Send your letters to stars and stripes unit 29480 Apo a 09211 International mail stars and stripes Fost Fach 1330 64345 Griesheim via code 0 Dan 3498395 More discriminating when it comes to choosing where to Start a fight the loss of Young american h ves at Virginia tech has occurred one Hundredfold to Young Volun Teer american military in Iraq when will this country and its leaders learn that War must always be a very last resort or maj Dimitri Cassimatis Baghdad International Airport gun control int the answer it seems every time a tragedy such As the one monday at Virginia tech occurs there is no shortage of people crawling out of the Woodwork to preach about gun control or to make a political statement of some kind i was not surprised at All by amid world sympathy us gun Laws de cried article april it seems like so Many would prefer to blame horrific events such As what happened at Virginia tech or the Columbine High school incident in 1999 on the nation Al Rifle association or  gun control Laws but the fact is the tragedy at Virginia tech was the result of a Rabid psychopath who snapped and went on a rampage not the guns that he was using in no Psychia Trist but everything that has been put out about the shooter in this incident was that he was a completely deranged disturbed individual there is no doubt that had he not had a gun or guns available to carry out Bis rampage he would have used an other weapon such As a knife a bomb or god knows what else so should we Start encouraging knife control bomb control i dont think so maybe if there were stronger Security measures at these campuses and schools that might help or if someone would see and do something about the warning signs of individuals like the shooter at Virginia tech before they snap and go off or Possi Bly if it didst take hours after the first two people were found dead at Virginia tech before the rest of the students and faculty were made aware of the situation it could be a whole number of things but gun control is not first and Foremost in my mind and pm sure i am not alone in that opinion pc Matthew b Cravens Hanau Germany these students deserve extra credit by b Jay Cooper Washington Lef s face it baby Boomers often express anxiety about the younger generation we did a lot of crazy things in our Day but we also marched against the War in Vietnam we stood up for civil rights and women rights we demanded change we tried to make a difference youve heard our complaints these kids Lack our social conscience they Are so coddled so indulged so spoiled they have no idea How Lucky they Are they just seem so darn Young but in recent weeks College students from Rutgers Duke and now Virginia tech displayed a level of common sense and dig nity that not Only reassured but also exposed the shallow shortcomings of our mass communication culture the difference Between my own College years and now is instant communication the internet instant messaging cell phones and nonstop Cable news coverage Are the new Norm the final denouement of the Duke la Crosse scandal the relentless coverage of Don Imus and his Nasty Wisecrack and then the horror and tragedy of mass death at Vir Ginia tech put Cable news on the spot sadly Cable did not Rise to its Promise these so called professional journalists panicked driven by the need to Hook the audience and the fierce Competition Cable anchors hyped every fragment of every de Tail jumped to premature conclusions and pressed for More without digesting what happened they exhibited All the instant gratification allegations we make about the next generation at the moment parents were being in formed by officials that their children had died inns Paula Zahn pressed a Young survivor to Tell her who he blamed for the tragedy in the midst of this breathless and mind less Rush to judgment the Virginia tech Stu dents stood out As the dispassionate measured thoughtful and accurate reporters of fact these kids refused to Rise to the bait being dangled by anchors insistently asking Arent you angry and instead defended the decisions made by their University administrators offered context and perspective on the nature of me on their Campus and kept their remarks focused on what truly mattered the sudden and tragic loss of their colleagues professors and friends just a week before Cable news and others jumped All Over a deserving Imus while the Rutgers women basketball team showed doonesbury Calm thoughtfulness intelligence and waited until they met with him before passing final judgment by the time the victims were Given that Chance to say what they thought the Media and those who use the Media had already claimed their victim the three Young Duke Lacrosse players also showed maturity after a year of being falsely accused tried and convicted in the Media and by a rogue prosecutor of a crime not Only did they not commit but a crime that didst happen they did not lash out at the woman who falsely accused them or the prosecutor whose ambition tattered their reputations would that the provocative Cable news interviewers had shown a Frac Tion of their Calm balance no explanation exists for what happened at Virginia tech although past is pro Logue we know the Cable stars will not take a moment to digest endure absorb and accept what aspired before casting aspersions and delivering final edicts cant we have a moment to actually feel our feelings before some blow dried Cable reporter or Anchor explains them to us or maybe we should just look to the Young peo ple they Tell us what s really happening maybe the future does look Good b Jay Cooper is Deputy managing director of Apo worldwide a communications and Public affairs firm in Washington by Garry Trudeau dear cartoon people i Zealy like your Harp hitting 55r1e5 on Mitt you get 5435000 Mark what happens when your a search on flip Flop youkippin6