Hot Air » Blog Archive » New VTech thread: Victim’s roommate debunks the jilted lover theory; Update: Roommates say he stalked classmates, had imaginary girlfriend; Update: “Ismail Ak”? “Ismale Ax”?
So far, I’ve remained silent on this, choosing instead to watch. For the most part, when one sits back and watches horrors happen, they become desensitized to the evil around them.
Several important aspects of the murders at Virginia Tech come to mind.
The first is that the young man that did this was either deranged completely, or he did this out of some sick sense of terrorism. I choose to believe the latter. No matter what anyone tells me from here on out, any human being that walks into a place with guns a’blazin’ is a damned terrorist. Period. People need to stop associating the word “terrorism” ONLY with Islam.
The second thing coming to mind is that this guy WAS a believer in Islam… making it real, hard core terrorism. His “alias” or whatever you want to call it, tattooed on his arm was “Ismale Ax” (not, as some previously reported, “Ismail Ax”. In examining this, I believe it is his “Islamic Name” which he chose sometime earlier.
The next thing that comes to mind is that over the course of a couple of weeks there were signs of something about to happen and few people did anything at all. Bomb threats I believe were a test of the security on the campus. If *I* were going to do something like this, I would rigorously test security. Terrorists do these things. Folks, we need to start thinking like terrorists to understand them.
Another thing that bugs me, is aside from the one man, a professor who survived the German Holocaust, no one else really seems to have done much to defend themselves.
I’m not trying to second guess what people did in that situation, but certainly everyone when confronted with their mortality choses to do SOMETHING to either A) Meet their maker, B) Fights for life, C) Runs. I understand that some people fled. But only one man, a 70-something year old, threw himself in front of the murderer yelling for people to flee. He’s a hero in my book, and someone that campus should be proud of.
Ladies and gentlemen, 32 people died on that campus, because 1) Guns are banned from the campus — and thus only the criminal had guns. 2) No one chose to fight. Not one person picked up a desk or chair and threw it at the murderer, at least this has not been reported.
Have we gotten so….timid as Americans? Have we all found that the best way to go is to stand there, or sit there and just DIE?
What is it we’re teaching our children? I KNOW what they tried to teach MINE in public schools. Fighting is wrong. Even if someone else hits you, you don’t hit back. That’s not what I say.
I say, if someone throws the first punch, you take them OUT. If someone walks into your school shooting, someone on that campus BETTER be armed. And no, I don’t mean the COPS. I mean teachers, I mean students.
Sure, there are those you can’t arm, because they won’t. But there are probably one or two in each classroom that would. I think professors and students alike ought to be carrying concealed weapons.
This whole thing would have been prevented.
Don’t give me this nonsense that “more guns causes more problems”. This clown got his guns legally, and even if he hadn’t and wanted to continue this, he’d have gotten them ILLEGALLY.
The fact is, that VA lawmakers let a bill to allow students to carry die on the floor.
There’s your second group of criminals. Lawmakers who ban guns without understanding that guns can protect as well has harm and those who need protecting are disallowed BY LAW to carry guns, whereas criminals are going to do it with, or without laws.
The V-Tech murders was Terrorism, plain and simple.
Prayers for the families of the victims.
Update: Why would someone take the time to file numbers off of weapons, and still keep the receipt around?
Why is there talk of a second person? What if there were a second person? (What if this guy was set up? Tell me, has ANYONE come forward and actually identified this guy as the shooter YET? I’ve heard that they were looking for a white male, with greasy hair, pickup truck that had farm plates…..)
Questions. Questions.
Update: 16:48 MDT: Fox News on Brit Hume is ALSO making references to “Islam” in association with the name. So, I’m still waiting on one of my readers to give me some proof that this name is connected to a “video game” (Please see the comments below).
I’m also waiting on one of the readers to apologize to me for his remarks. 
I don’t see that happening, but it’s nice to hope that Leftists will somehow see the error of their ways and admit to them. But, hell even Bill Clinton is trying to get back in the White House.
Update: NBC received a multimedia package of video and other such materials from the murderer. Looks like I was wrong on one thing at least, it appears that he acted alone for sure. However, he did plan this for several days like I thought. It appears that at the very least seven or eight days of preparation went into the video material. He rails against Christianity… over and over, and he mailed the package in between the first two killings and his later rampage.
This “manifesto” indicates just how delusional he was.
He placed 23 video clips into his package. Included appeared to be several he made in between killing the first two people, then went back to his computer and recorded some more video. He apparently changed, and added a vest with ammo (people were calling it a bulletproof vest, but it appears to be nothing more than a cloth ammo belt).
For the most part, South Koreans who come to America are either Christians, or they convert to Christianity. This young man rails against Christianity. Wonder what religion he is now? I really do? I wonder if we will ever find out?
You know, we have had a dozen or more incidents in this country since 9-11 occurred. In many of these incidents the perps were muslims, and yet, authorities in the incidents claim “no connection to terrorism”. In my initial post, I stated that we need to get away from “connecting” Islam and Terrorism. A poster her basically attacked me thinking I was connecting the two (I wasn’t then). But, now, I am afraid that he has put his “manifesto” out, and he has made comments against Christianity. He has used the name “Ismail” or “Ismale” Ax. What do those names mean? We might never know, because authorities in this country REFUSE to connect terrorist acts, like the one that occurred in Seattle at the Jewish Center (for example) with Islam… Even THOUGH that particular perp was indeed a Muslim.
Another such incident was the man who ran over several people in an SUV over the course of a couple of hours, killing one or two of them. His name? This dirtbag’s name is Omeed Aziz Popal. At first the media and authorities tried to hide his name. Then it was brought out. First and last name at first, then a blogger got his middle and broke it. The media had no choice. Guess what else? He was from Afghanistan. Guess what else? He was a MUSLIM. Oh, GUESS what else? He said the following:
“Everyone needs to be killed,'’ Omeed Aziz Popal calmly told officers as he sat in the back of a police car after a hit-and-run rampage that left one person dead in Fremont and 19 injured in San Francisco.
“I planned to kill those people I ran over last night — they needed to be killed,'’ Popal said at one point.
No, NO, no Terrorism THERE huh? Was there a connection between Islam and Terrorism THERE? You betcha there was.
In the case of the shooter at Va-Tech, there’s little information to indicate he was associated in any way with Islam. On the other hand, there is plenty of reason to speculate at this point, and at this point, I plan on speculating all I want — contrary to what some posters have already told me privately, and publicly. I make no apologies for it either.
UPDATE: ONE MORE. Little Green Footballs is CONFIRMING my SUSPICIONS, as is FOX News on Hannity and Colms.
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=25171&only&rsssmall
Update: 19 April 2007, Well, well, well… let me see here, right from MSNBC…. READ THIS:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18187368/
Their titles are varied and hard to match with their content: “all of You”, “am al qaeda”, “anti terror”, “as time appr”, “blood of inno”, “congrad”, “could b victim.” The rambling comments are those of an angry young man who felt persecuted, who felt that the world is against him, who felt he was a victim of personal terrorism.
But five of them are called, “end”, “end 1”, “end 2”, “end car”, and “end some life.” And each of those appears to be among the last recorded, perhaps between the shootings.
Also, here’s another piece of evidence…. You all wanted to know why I thought his name might be connect somehow with Islam. Well, it was a gut-feeling, and I’ve learned to go with my gut on these things. Oh, and for the guy who said “the experts” — well, dude, you’re wrong. I work with those folks. Here’s another piece from the news:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20070419/tts-uk-crime-usa-shooting-korea-ca02f96_1.html
“They bought the tiny shop with the money my son-in-law made in Saudi Arabia before he got married,” Kim said.
Thus you have some real, hard evidence now for connections with Islam.
UPDATE: http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/index.php?menuID=1&subID=1330
Well, this comes direct from England… LOL. So, I’m not so “sick” as some of you think.
Your answer to violence of this kind is arm more people with guns, and retaliation??? wow…
Comment by joe — Wed, 18 April 2007 / 0809 @ Wed, 18 Apr 2007 08:09:35 +0100
Why would someone take the time to file numbers off of weapons, and still keep the receipt around?
I think he planned on putting the guns on the streets, then maybe later disposing the receipts properly. Committing suicide wasn’t part of his plan
Comment by Thatsjustweird — Wed, 18 April 2007 / 0923 @ Wed, 18 Apr 2007 09:23:57 +0100
“Ismale Ax” is from video gaming. It’s a play on the words “the pen is mightier than the sword” except here it translates as “the axe is mightier than the pen”.
Comment by teebubba — Wed, 18 April 2007 / 0938 @ Wed, 18 Apr 2007 09:38:09 +0100
This post is fairly ignorant. You appear to be one of those Americans who see Islamist terrorists in every reported crime, and wish only for the opportunity to fire your concealed weapon at one of them.
First of all - terrorism. Have you ever thought about what it actually is? It is a political tactic, which involves small scale violent acts, intended to instill terror into the masses. It works thanks to sensationalism. It takes an attack with relatively few casualties, and makes the population live in fear of an imagined widespread threat. It seems like it worked pretty effectively on you.
Second, Islam. It’s pretty presumptuous to assume that Ismale Ax is some sort of “Islamic name”. How did you come to this conclusion? The experts have not been able to conclusively agree on the meaning of this tattoo, and yet you hold the answer? And in fact, the answer that fits your worldview so perfectly!
Armed students and teachers. Has it occured to you that not every American is like you, eager to fire into would-be aggressors? Even if guns were allowed on campus, it is likely that the classroom that was attacked would not have had any armed students or professors. They were there to learn and to teach, not to exercise deadly force. Would you force teachers to carry guns? Yes, please submit your proposed curriculum for review, professor, and here is the standard issue sidearm - you might have to kill a man. That is just ridiculous.
Really, your position of presumption can be seen from one single sentence of your post: “This whole thing would have been prevented.”
It’s really tempting, after a tragedy, to reflect on it and try to find someone to blame, someone other than just the killer. It was the lawmakers, it was the violent videogames, it was the teachers who didn’t refer him to counseling, etc. This can make a person feel like they have a grip on such a chaotic, uncontrollable occurence. It makes them feel better. I’m glad you feel better, even if it is due to releasing the hot air.
Comment by Viktor — Wed, 18 April 2007 / 1227 @ Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:27:34 +0100
I’m with you on a lot of what you said. I’m especially with you on the fight back or at least run thing. I’m Canadian, so I don’t know if it’s different here or not. Fighting is considered wrong, but if someone punches you in the face you knock them the F out, no questions asked. If someone shoots at you and your friends I can’t see why the hell you would just lie there. Even if you don’t care about yourself, what about those around you?
Where I’m not with you is on the carrying guns point. The shootings happened *because* guns were so very easy to obtain. Don’t get me wrong, I can get a gun here in Canada but it’s a lot more difficult and you never know who’s watching.
Anyway good article/post.
Comment by Nakor — Wed, 18 April 2007 / 1248 @ Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:48:49 +0100
Yes, Joe. My answer is to ARM people. I am armed most of the time. Let’s say you were a gang member who liked robbing people. If you had a 50-50 chance of walking up to some innocent guy or girl walkin’ down the street, who might or might not be armed themselves, aren’t you going to take pause in robbing them? They MIGHT shoot back. They might not. You might get money off some person, or you might get lead. IF you had that chance, and you used to get your money from robbery, would you still consider it?
Thatsjustweird, I thought of that too. I have thought of a lot of reasons, but I sincerely appreciate hearing the thoughts of others here.
Teebubba — Which video game would that be? I’m fairly familiar with many games, as I’ve been a “computer gamer” since before there was an internet, or, for that matter personal computers you could buy (I built my first one). So, I’m NOT familiar with the term and literally millions of people are currently trying to figure out what “Ismail Ax”, “Ismale Ax” and “Ismale Ak” means. So far, I’ve seen some fairly convincing theories, but none of them have anything to do with video games.
Viktor, no, I don’t see “Islamist terrorists” in ever crime. I DO however think that when there are connections those connections need to be either verified or proved incorrect. I simply asked a question or two. My thoughts are that when anyone goes on a rampage, it is terrorism, plain and simple. I didn’t say “islamic” terrorism.
The murders of 32 people by a cold, calculating killer is terrorism and I’m sorry you can’t see that, but it is. As a matter of fact, when the local authorities state “No connection to terrorism” they do a disservice to the public. You tell ME that if you were walking through a mall and someone opened fire with a weapon deliberately killing people, as occurred recently up in Salt Lake City, that YOU wouldn’t be terrified? Come on.
Yes, I have indeed “thought” about what terrorism is. Your definition however is a bit outdated. It USED to be “small scale”. In case you’ve forgotten, the attacks on September 11th were LARGE scale, they were NOT political and I can tell you from first hand experience that terrorism on ANY scale is not something that any of us should “sneeze” at.
As a matter of fact, I’m neither ignorant nor is my post. Sir, I will tell you that yes, I have never ONCE in my life had to pull out a concealed weapon and fire it, nor for that matter would I do so except under extreme circumstances. Virginia Tech is one such event where I would have, indeed pulled out my weapon and I’d have terminated the incident on the spot, if the opportunity presented itself.
Let me see, what else? Oh, presumptuous of me? Sure. I have had quite a bit of contact with the religion over the years. I’m originally from Detroit. I worked in a prison for a time, and it seemed that 80% of the black males in the prisons “found religion”, and the majority of them “found Islam” — and guess what? They preached hate, hate hate. ALL of them took on “Muslim names”. So, hell yes I presume it. It’s a logical conclusion these days. Is it WRONG for me to “presume”? Nope. It’s wrong of you to whine about it though.
No, I never said I hold the answer. I said “I believe” it is likely related. Why? Let me think now, where is he from? Asia? Well, some of the countries in Asia are Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Saudia Arabia, Pakistan, India, Phillipines…. shall I continue or can you not SEE for yourself? Or, instead are you one of the “Islamic apologists”???
Yes, “Viktor” (nice Russian sounding name, by the way) I HAVE considered that not all Americans would be willing, and golly I’m not advocating such things. Re-read what I wrote so I don’t have to call you on not paying attention to the teacher today. (You weren’t, I’ll give you once chance to get your facts straight before I straighten you out though).
Viktor, this entire thing would have stopped, if no one knew which teachers or students carried weapons. Period. Plain and simple. It is a FACT that every state that has enacted laws to allow concealed carry crime rates have DROPPED drastically. It is a FACT that in MY STATE alone, not ONE concealed carry permit has been abused in all the years that we have had it. Yes, a few have been revoked, for not following the rules (you’re not allowed to carry a weapon when you’ve consumed alcohol for instance, and I know of one incident where the individual lost his license to carry due to breaking that rule).
I know of literally thouands of incidents where crimes have been prevented simply because a would-be victim was armed and the bad guy found out the hard way — and didn’t wind up shot. I know of hundreds of incidents (they are posted every day in the news) where home owners and CCW holders have stopped crimes in the midst of their commission.
Yes, Viktor, there is simply NO question that those students in that college (and other colleges in Virginia) are unarmed and can be taken advantage of by criminals, and yes, even murderers like this Cho person. IF one student in the room where he started had been armed the news would have been significally different, and there wouldn’t have been a whole lot of press about the subject. Why? Because folks like you don’t want to HEAR that some good hearted soul carried a weapon and used it to STOP A CRIME. The news would not have made a deal about it, but they sure can make a deal about 30 murders, and leftists and anti-gun groups will use this like they did in Australia and Port Aurthur, and in Scotland to legislate the banning of weapons.
Sorry Viktor. NOT on MY watch.
Lastly, Viktor, I will agree with you on your last paragraph. Placing the blame, the game, has already started in ernest. Today, Louisanna placed a bill on the floor of the state legislature to blame this tradegy upon — guns. They want to BAN all guns on campus and in dorm rooms. Yes, that will stop people like Cho from getting guns, coming to campus and killing people won’t it? Sure it will. That’s a lie, keep telling it Viktor, keep telling it until someday YOU are the one in the postition of being in the sights of a criminal gunning for you — and because YOU are a law-abiding citizen — YOU have no recourse but to stand and die for YOUR beliefs.
Comment by RickD — Wed, 18 April 2007 / 1359 @ Wed, 18 Apr 2007 13:59:16 +0100
How do you know that this person would have attempted obtained the guns illegally?
Do you have any specific evidence to back this claim up or are you just pulling it out of your ass?
Also, for arguments sake let’s assume he WOULD have tried to obtain them illegally. Then there would have been a chance of him getting caught in the process.
Comment by Pars — Wed, 18 April 2007 / 1418 @ Wed, 18 Apr 2007 14:18:01 +0100
Nakor, I am answering you in a separate message than the one above. I wanted to give you a chance to understand something. It was something you said.
Your exact words were, “Where I’m not with you is on the carrying guns point. The shootings happened *because* guns were so very easy to obtain. Don’t get me wrong, I can get a gun here in Canada but it’s a lot more difficult and you never know who’s watching.”
I wouldn’t really expect you to understand right away for several reasons. First, you’re Canadian. The Canadian government banned guns many years ago, making it illegal for the most part for you to obtain them. I don’t know all the laws there, but I know you can own hunting rifles, but I believe you have to first get a permit for them. I don’t really know enough about Canadian laws to know your Constitution. But, I know this.
In 2006, there were quite a few murders, done with guns. None of the victims were armed, but the murderers were.
So, read your own message. You claim that the shootings happened BECAUSE guns were easy to obtain. To some degree that is correct. Cho had a legal right according to the laws of the state in which he lived and the US Constitution, as well as Federal laws to obtain weapons, however, it wasn’t as “easy” as you make it out to be for him. He was a “resident alien”, which meant he had to jump through a few hoops.
Now, you as a Canadian citizen, CAN get guns, right? Let’s assume you wanted to get one to commit a crime. You’d have to get it illegally most likely, because getting it legally and later getting away with the crime would be nearly impossible. Thus, you must get it illegally, under the table.
Guess what? You can do that here too. Cho choose not to do that. He obtained his legally.
You could do it too, then use your illegally obtained weapon to commit a crime. What about your victim? Can THEY get a gun? No. Who is most at risk NOW? You, the victim, or some innocent person whose not involved?
The Victim. He can’t defend himself because HE has no access to guns AT ALL (remember he is a law abiding citizen). YOU have a gun. He doesn’t. You have “power now” don’t you?
Some random, innocent person coming by is going to do exactly what to help the other guy? Nothing. He hasn’t a gun either.
Essentially, Canada, South Africa, Australia, England and generally the UK, all have banned guns.
It does NOT take a genius to figure out that all the good guys have lost their gun rights, and now all the bad guys who CAN (as you correctly pointed out) STILL get guns. There is an old saying here in the US.
“When all the guns are banned, only the criminals will have guns” — and it is as true today as it was then the phrase was coined. In Washington, DC while I lived there for eight years, the criminals ran RAMPANT through the streets with machine guns mowing down victims in drug wars, killing innocent people who just happened to use a pay phone that the “Drug dealer” believed to be “HIS” to use for his “Business”. It happened several times. NOT ONE of the victims had weapons because of gun laws. They died. Criminals fled and got away.
A few weeks ago, it was UPHELD that DC gun ban laws were UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
Our Constitution states CLEARLY…. “… the RIGHT of the PEOPLE shall not be infringed”.
Yes, it speaks about militias being well regulated. Yes, we need a military force, and yet, the ‘people’ are NOT the military. And it states CLEARLY that the RIGHT of the people , meaning me and others, shall not be infringed. Any other “interpertation” of the second amendment is UTTERLY WRONG.
My personal right of self defense should not be interfered with by anyone, anywhere. Not Canadians, the United Nations or a US Congress who has their head up their collective asses, and certainly not any other people of this country who want to see guns “banned”. If I am attacked, I have a right to defend myself any way I can to save my life, and I have the right to — RIGHT to protect other people who are in harms way.
Now, one last thing, for those of you who question the whole “America being armed” thing. Let me state that I have been shooting guns, many different types since I was a child. I spent 26 years in the military and I quite fully understand my own Constitution and American History. I KNOW the reasons that we have guns. I understand those reasons.
ALL of our countries at one time or another “had guns” and used them for good, as well as evil.
But it comes down to one thing. Banning guns will never stop criminals. Never. All banning does is disarms the victims, JUST LIKE what happened at Virginia Tech.
Comment by RickD — Wed, 18 April 2007 / 1432 @ Wed, 18 Apr 2007 14:32:23 +0100
Viktor — I’m going to have to teach you to read an article I guess.
I said, “Period. People need to stop associating the word “terrorism” ONLY with Islam.”
So, now, I pointed out your mistake in your earlier accusation.
Comment by RickD — Wed, 18 April 2007 / 1436 @ Wed, 18 Apr 2007 14:36:21 +0100
Pars, I don’t KNOW for a fact he would have tried to get something illegally. The fact remains he didn’t have to, and was still a lunatic, or a terrorist. He DID get weapons, and his classmates, whom he killed didn’t have guns BECAUSE they were forbidden to be carried in class.
Gosh…. so, lemme see here. The GOOD guys were deprived of defending themselves because some idiot in the legislature decided it “was for the good”.
Blame? Blame for this falls squarely on the head of the murderer. Secondary “blame” is on the Virginia legislature for disallowing people to defend themselves.
Comment by RickD — Wed, 18 April 2007 / 1442 @ Wed, 18 Apr 2007 14:42:21 +0100
Well… no, Joe, I’m actually not “sick”. What is sick is that you have been brainwashed to believe that guns are evil.
Guns aren’t evil. They can be used for good, for evil, for getting food, for defending oneself or they can be not used at all. The saying “Guns don’t kill people, People kill people” is very correct. Being the owner of several weapons, I can tell you for a fact that not one of my weapons has killed anyone. I’ve been a gun owner since I was 7 years old. I’m nearly 50. So, you know, Ted Kennedy’s car has killed more people than all of my guns put together.
No, Joe, what is sick is that you have a misunderstanding of the US Constitution. Joe, what is sick is that you and some other who’ve posted here want to use the incident at Va-Tech to perhaps ban guns.
But, you know Joe, that isn’t going to happen. Do you know why? Because there are 300 million people in this country. A large majority of them own weapons. They aren’t going to let you, and people like you force gun bans on the rest of us.
People who want to take our guns want to control us, I’m not going to stand here and let it happen.
No, Joe, I’m not sick. I’m right.
I’d urge you to read the following link:
http://www.gunowners.org/fs9901.htm
Guns are not the problem. On the contrary, lax criminal penalties and laws that disarm the law-abiding are responsible for giving criminals a safer working environment.
Comment by RickD — Thu, 19 April 2007 / 0740 @ Thu, 19 Apr 2007 07:40:05 +0100