MAMA'S UPDATE . . .**

The first phone call has come in; Omma left a message:

"Hi ... I'm calling about the Virginia Tech shooting. You heard, right? A Korean kid did it. A senior, from Korea. What do we do? It's just a terrible thing, that a Korean kid did it. Ggum-jjik-ha-ji? (This phrase is nearly impossible for me to translate accurately into English, but it's basic jist is a combination of: "Isn't it disgusting?" and "It leaves a sour taste in your mouth, doesn't it?" and "Isn't it just too much to stand/bear?" and "Isn't it hateful?")"

Yes, it's all those things.

**Hearing Omma's somber parental voice makes me feel more sadness. For the victims, their families, for the university community, sure. But also for the family of the shooter. What his parents must be going through right now ... apparently they immigrated from Korea in 1992. I'm going to assume they came here for the same reason other Koreans, other ANYONEs come here - to give their family, their children, opportunity and hope, education and prosperity. A good life. And now ... oh, it's just too sad any way you look at it.