The bells in Kirkland Hall will ring 32 times today at noon as a part of the campus-wide day of remembrance for the students and faculty killed last Monday at Virginia Tech.

The number of times the bell will be rung, however, has raised controversy among members of the Vanderbilt community who say the bells should chime an additional time in remembrance of the shooter, who committed suicide.

Vanderbilt Student Government President Cara Bilotta said the administration and VSG chose to ring the bells 32 times because Virginia Tech rang 32 bells at its remembrance service.

"We felt it was only right to follow their lead," Bilotta said. "We don't want to disrespect those who are suffering right now."

Bilotta said she has received about 50 e-mails from members of the community who are concerned about the number of times the bells will ring.

Mark Forrester, who is the United Methodist campus minister at Vanderbilt and is affiliated with the Office of Religious Life, is among those who believe the bells should be rung 33 times. He said he understands the administration's and VSG's rationale, but he does not agree with it.

"It is important for the university to hold a very high standard of inclusion and compassion and forgiveness for those who have caused us all to grieve," Forrester said. "They are in need of our help as well. If we can at least in some symbolic way lift that up."

Forrester said he plans to count the bells as they ring tomorrow on Alumni Lawn, and if they ring only 32 times, he said he will ring an additional bell in remembrance of the shooter.

"It's not a protest," Forrester said. "I am simply coming to add one more note to an already good idea."

As a part of the Day of Remembrance, students, faculty and staff are being encouraged to wear the Virginia Tech colors of maroon and orange, and ribbons will be distributed on the promenade level of the Sarratt Student Center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

VSG will also have a table in Sarratt Student Center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. where members of the Vanderbilt community can express their sympathy and support for Virginia Tech by signing a message book that will be sent to Virginia Tech's student government.

Submitted by lewisc on Mon, 04/23/2007 - 05:22.

Agreement

Honestly, I agree with Mr. Wilt.

I think the shooter will be remembered enough through his heinous actions, so an additional bell ring will be superfluous at best.

Submitted by David Fotouhi on Mon, 04/23/2007 - 01:28.

Remember the victims, not the victimizer

The idea that we should remember the life of the person who spurred the need for this vigil along side of those whose lives he ended, as if they were both on the same level of values, is insulting. We should respect the wishes of the institution and its members for which this ceremony honors. If 32 chimes are good enough for VT, then 32 should be used by us as well. Just as the names of the 19 hijackers are not read aloud at ceremonial remembrances of the September 11th terrorist attacks, tomorrow's events should focus only on the victims, not the victimizer. Anything to the contrary would inject a troubling dose of moral relativism into the somber reflection of these observances.

Submitted by Michael Wilt on Sun, 04/22/2007 - 22:57.

Compassion and forgiveness

Compassion and forgiveness is an individual process. It is entirely Christian to feel compassion and forgiveness for someone who did what the shooter at Virginia Tech did. But to make it out as if everyone should be forced to feel compassion and forgiveness and, hilariously, "inclusion," for the shooter by chiming the bells 33 times, is beyond irresponsibility. It is offensive to the families of those who lost their lives last Monday. As the administration and VSG rightly point out, Virginia Tech only chimed the bells 32 times, and we should follow their lead. I think they know the best way to honor the victims.

Personally, I'm tired of people forcing "kumbaya" on everyone else. Blurring the lines between guilty and innocent should not be something we undertake so casually simply for the sake of "inclusion." I do not wish to include murderers in my remembrance of the innocent who died in horrific tragedies caused by their hands.

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NEWS: Kirkland Hall bell to ring 32 times in remembrance of Virginia Tech

Agreement

Remember the victims, not the victimizer

Compassion and forgiveness

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