What Can I Possibly Say About Last Monday Night?
I wasn't sure how I was going to write this article. And I guess I'm still not sure. But I felt the need to write something.
The Mid-Michigan area and the Spartan Nation are still numb with shock after the events of Monday night over on the campus of Michigan State University.
The question I ask is a longer version of the title above: What Can I Possibly Say About Monday Night To Make You Feel Better?
The short answer: I can't. Saying "I'm sorry, I feel so bad for you" isn't sufficient, and is almost disrespectful.
My sister, Jennifer, is a Michigan State grad. Many people I went to school with, and have known since childhood, are MSU grads. And two of them have daughters who are current students at State (They are both safe and fine, thank goodness). I think of them and wonder what all of them are feeling inside about this.
Another overriding thought for me was:
As bad as it was, it could've been a helluva lot worse. If not for the incredible, unbelievable, cooperation of all the authorities that were on scene. From the feds right on down to the local authorities, and that includes the dispatchers directing the verbal traffic on the police scanners Monday night into early Tuesday morning.
We have seen some really bad crimes committed over the years here at MSU and the Lansing-area (Larry Nassar anyone?). But this one has to be the worst of them all, IMO.
Students and faculties are supposed to feel safe when they are in a building of higher learning. And now that feeling is gone...maybe forever.
I hope that when classes resume on Tuesday over on campus, things will slowly return to normal. It's gonna take awhile, but that process needs to begin, IMO.
I'm glad that MSU will play their athletic events this weekend. Starting with Friday night's hockey game at Wisconsin and finishing up with MSU's men's basketball game at Michigan. I think that will speed up the process a bit.
BTW, that should be some kind of scene at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor Saturday night.
Anyway, I didn't know what to write or how to write it. But I felt an obligation to write something about this. I don't know how much good it will do, but just know that I am thinking of all of you and commiserating with you.