Support Virginia Tech Petition

Posted: April 20, 2007

To sign this petition electronically, please visit WeSupportVT.com.

A petition for all to show their support for Virginia Tech President Charles Steger and Police Chief Wendell Flinchum:

This petition has been posted in response to the harsh criticism President Steger and Chief Flinchum have received from members of the media following the tragedy at Virginia Tech on April 16. We believe that criticism was inappropiate and unjustified. We ask every Hokie who agrees with us to sign this petition. In the coming weeks, we will submit the petition and signatures to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors and to Governor Kaine.

"To Governor Timothy M. Kaine and members of the Board of Visitors of Virginia Tech:

"We, the undersigned students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of Virginia Tech, fully support the decisions made and the actions taken by President Charles W. Steger, Virginia Tech Police Chief Wendell Flinchum, the Virginia Tech administration, and members of law enforcement in response to the shootings at West Ambler-Johnston and Norris Halls on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University on Monday, April 16, 2007.

"We feel that the these individuals and groups, especially Dr. Steger and Chief Flinchum, have borne the brunt of unwarranted criticism by members of the media.

"We understand that they did their best to make life and death decisions with limited information, and that they acted in the best interests of the students, faculty, and staff of Virginia Tech.

"We support Dr. Charles Steger and Wendell Flinchum, and we want them to continue to serve Virginia Tech."

Again, to sign this petition electronically, please visit WeSupportVT.com.

NOTE: This post is made at the request of various Virginia Tech officials, coaches, athletes, students, alumni and supporters I've come to know in recent years. My condolences go out to all of those affected by this horrible tragedy, and my thoughts and prayers are with all of those in Hokie Nation. Sincerely, David Glenn.

11 Comments

WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.

This story is closed for comments. Comments on WRAL.com news stories are accepted and moderated between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

page 1 \| 2
<prev	next>

sort order: oldest first | newest first

I agree with you Dave Glenn....sign it or not, nothing to discuss

hefty-lefty
April 25, 2007 7:44 p.m.

Report abuse

The real problem is with the nut who sold this nut his gun.......

sapphire5660 -at- yahoo -dot- com April 23, 2007 3:12 p.m

Be real careful for what you wish when you refer to a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL)as a "nut" it may be granted.

FFL's are among the most scrutinized, audited and badgered shopkeepers in the nation. Bookkeeping errors that would be laughed off by the IRS or any accountant become career threatening incidents for FFL's.

In the last decade courtesy of BJ Clinton's and Janet Reno's Justice Department well over 100,000 FFL's surrendered their license rather than suffer any further bureaucratic abuse.

Eventually they will be replaced by a black market that will make the illegal drug market look like child's play.

When that happens you REALLY will have nuts selling other nuts weaponry on a scale unimaginable today. It is already underway in England and Australia without any of the benefits of the open boarders with which this country

JohnJacobH
April 24, 2007 10:53 p.m.

Report abuse

I support this petition. People think they know what they'd do in situations like this - obviously the only thing that could have been reasonably done was to lock down the school immediately and that wasn't done unfortunately. People don't always react the way you think they should and in this instance, it probably did cause collateral damage. That too, is unfortunate. I don't think these men and police would have wanted things to end up this way in any event, and I am sure they did everything they could. The real problem is with the nut who sold this nut his gun.......

sapphire5660
April 23, 2007 3:12 p.m.

Report abuse

Ordinary people cannot continue to support bureaucrats who willfully make bad decisions that cost lives. Variations of this story have been repeated so many times since our Government went clinically insane it is hardly possible to catalog them anymore.

A truly heartwrenching example from yesteryear. Almost prophetic.

Mary Carpenter's Letter to the NC General Assembly:

May you stand before God and man as my two precious grandchildren's killer if you pass any more gun legislation that will make me a felon should I own a handgun or any other gun for that matter. Sincerely,

Mary Carpenter

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=7CCB40F421ED4819

http://www.tysknews.com/Depts/2nd_Amend/deaths_in_merced.htm

http://www.grnc.org/mary_carpenter_letter.htm

JohnJacobH
April 22, 2007 6:28 p.m.

Report abuse

I think some of you are missing the point, going off on tangents, and being a little bit overdramatic here yourself.

If you want to join the many Virginia Tech folks who are voicing their support of the university president and the police chief during this terrible time, you now know where to sign the petition. If you don't want to do so, for whatever reason, then don't. It's pretty simple.

Neither WRAL or I is telling you to do anything. I am alerting you to the presence of a petition, at the request of some VT folks I know. That's all.

daveglenn2
April 22, 2007 4:18 p.m.

Report abuse

Don't sign it unless you do something that ACTUALLY supports the people involved in this event. Saying you support them, yet doing nothing, is not supporting them, its just you making yourself feel warm and fuzzy inside. Supporting them is actually speaking with them when they need an ear, sending them money, or sending them food. This petition is utterly pointless and another symptom of a country obsessed with being dramatic and making great statements that have no real value.

usnn
April 22, 2007 9:21 a.m.

Report abuse

I cannot support this petition. The fact the WRAL is asking its viewers to sign something that WRAL posted and broadcasted in the first place just makes me wonder if in fact the media (including WRAL and its afflilates) is trying to play the double coin.

I feel very sad for what has happened at Virginia Tech. However the media is the prime source that threw images and photos on the news and web along with demanding questions about the responsiveness of the university. To add, the university did a substandard job when a staff member raised questions about the mental state of its own student.

A year ago an incident on the campus raised issues. Apparently the same campus had not had lessons learned.

dsdaughtry
April 21, 2007 7:19 p.m.

Report abuse

The media is always looking for a scapegoat, especially when the real culprit takes his own life after harming others. As well as the ACLU looking for a new cause to sue someone over. These men have served long and well and by removing them, it not only punishes them, it punishes the remaining student body.

littlegramma
April 21, 2007 12:33 p.m.

Report abuse

MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA SHOULD NOT JUDGE ANYONE IN TIMES LIKE THIS.THE MEDIA IS THE ONES THAT NEED TO BE CRITISIZED.A LOT OF PEOPLE DO THINGS JUST TO GET IN THE MEDIA SPOT LIGHT

gflowers
April 20, 2007 4:47 p.m.

Report abuse

I did as well. I think it's easy to be critical and say what you would have done in a time like this, but no one really knows what they would have done, they did the best they could.