Our hearts and minds can't help but go out to the victims and the survivors of this tragedy.
David Brooks has a thought provoking piece in today's Times about the role biology is playing in the press in being used to expalin the killers
behavior. See view link

The Times has been reporting on the role of biology in life for some time now, including last weeks delightful pieces on human sexuality, and Maureen
Dowd's explanations of men behaving badly.

In his usual, thoughtful self, David Brooks ponders the presses conversation, which I think has been shaped by the excellent biology reporting at the Times:

"The press this week has been filled with articles like “What Made Him Do It” (Newsweek) or “Why They Kill” (The L.A. Times), which run down the
background factors that lead people to become mass murderers."

He goes on to challenge this reporting, and perhaps the "left" with the statement:

"The killings happen at a moment when the people who explain behavior by talking about biology, chemistry and social science are assertive and on
the march, while the people who explain behavior by talking about individual character are confused and losing ground."

Like the other articles Mr. Brooks cites, he too is concerned about understanding the killer. On a personal level, I can't help but think about the people who acted with great bravery and concern during this period: Prof. Liviu Librescu, a senior
researcher and lecturer at Virginia Tech, was among the 32 people killed. One of Librescu's students, Alec Calhoun, said he and classmates heard gunshots from the classroom next door, and saw Librescu trying to block the door to his room as students climbed out the windows. Prof. Librescu and his wife are both Holocaust survivors who immigrated to Israel from Romania in 1978.

On yesterday's Today Show Matt Lauer view link interviewed Virginia Tech student Zach Petkawicz, a brave student who barricaded the room next door. Matt Lauer asked this very shaken, modest, student hero -- I'm paraphrasing here: " What made you do it? Was it the adrenaline?". I've got to believe this selfless act of heroism and ethical behavior doesn't simply adrenaline. It's a modest story I'd like to hear more about.