Life is not a James Bond movie

"There are several questions about the Virginia Tech situation yesterday. One of them is the blame game. The other one is gun control. The other one is -- and this is one that I've been reading up on a little bit this morning and have gained some insight, and I'm hoping -- I would love to get some psychological or somebody in the business that can answer this question: How the hell do 25 students allow themselves to be lined up against the wall in a classroom and picked off one by one? How does that happen, when they could have rushed the gunman, the shooter, and most of them would have survived?" - Neal Boortz

"As NRO's designated chickenhawk, let me be the one to ask: Where was the spirit of self-defense here? Setting aside the ludicrous campus ban on licensed conceals, why didn't anyone rush the guy? It's not like this was Rambo, hosing the place down with automatic weapons. He had two handguns for goodness' sake—one of them reportedly a .22." - John Derbyshire

Some tragedies bring out the best in people. During the Virginia Tech nastiness, there was a professor who sacrificed himself so that his students could escape.

Then there are people like radio talk show host Neal Boortz and National Review writer John Derbyshire. They are a part of a number of folks who for some reason feel the need to criticize the victims of the tragedy.

I wish I could say that they are the only two, but there are others, including Michelle Malkin who seems to be striving to be Ann Coulter's Asian sister.

No doubt they wil catch flack and when they do, they are going to give a spiel about the First Amendment right to freedom of speech.

And they would have a point. But whatever happened to decorum and taste? Just because you have the right to say almost anything you want is no reason to shoot your mouth off at any occasion. There are times to talk and times to shut the hell up.

And this is one of those latter times.

Are these people even grounded in reality? Were they ever caught in a situation like what happened at Virginia Tech? Maybe they should be doing something other than writing columns and talking on the radio. Maybe there is an opening in the Navy Seals or the Marines?

Or better yet, why not be a secret service agent? It's so easy because I saw Pierce Brosnan do it on at least four occasions.

What happened at Virginia Tech was a tragedy rooted in real life. Batman didn't skillfully defuse the situation. Superman didnt swoop in with bullets bouncing off his chest.

The simple fact is that the people caught in the middle were victims and they couldn't do anything about it. No matter how much our chests swell or how much testosterone pumps in us, no one can rightfully say what he or she would do in a situation like that. Those students and teachers at Virginia Tech were the victims of a pathetic madman. So let's dispense with the psychobabble of not being victims and "taking control of the situation."

Some situations are beyond our control.

That's why prayer was invented.