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|Virginia Tech Memorial Service
12 p.m., Friday, April 20, 2007
We're here today in solidarity with our brothers and sisters at Virginia Tech. Though the murderous gunshots in Blacksburg, Virginia, claimed 33 lives, they were felt at every university in the country. We heard them, too, at UT Arlington.
We gather today to pay tribute, to mourn, and to express our heartfelt support. Today, we are all Hokies.
But in our sorrow, we dare not fail to embrace what gives a university its distinctive spirit. Universities are sanctuaries of enlightenment.
Even in our darkest hours, universities empower through learning and the creation of knowledge. Lives are changed. That is the essence of the university experience. We gain strength from one another.
We cannot ignore the tragedy of this past week. It will always be a part of our collective memory. But we need to remember that our universities are unique living/learning communities that must be preserved.
And so the choice is ours. We can give in to anger, fear, and despair. Or we can choose to move forward with courage and renewed determination to make our world and our university a better, safer place.
It has been said that it's better to light candles than curse the darkness. On this somber day, let each of us light a candle in memory of those tragically taken from us at Virginia Tech. And may the light of those candles be a beacon of hope for all to see.
