Full phone interview with Penn State student (Windows Media)
Nathan Jones
Jessica Maroclo
Nathan Jones (senior-biochemistry and molecular biology) said he and Jessica Maroclo (senior-psychology), who is listed as a Virginia resident in the Penn State student directory, went to a Halloween party this year under the impression that only a “small group” of friends would see their get-ups.
I know it does not represent a great majority of Penn State students, or of people in
general, but come on people. Starting with a picture on Facebook, this has now created a firestorm of outrage.
With kids these days, nothing shocks me anymore, except Americans apathy to it all:
Two Penn State students, dressed as Virginia Tech shooting victims, at a Halloween party have enraged people from the Virginia Tech community, as well as the entire country. It only took a couple of idiots from Penn State to detract from all the great things the student body did after the trajedy.
I’ve seen all of the controversial pictures. They are of two Penn State students and are extremely graphic. Both are wearing Virginia Tech t-shirts and elaborate make-up. Both have bullet holes in their bodies.
“It’s not that it was funny, it’s that we are notorious and infamous in the state college, so we have to do things that push the envelope just for shock value,” he said.
Penn State officials were quick to respond to the costumes,”We are appalled that these individuals would display this level of insensitivity, indifference, and lack of common decency and sense by dressing up in this manner,” the school said.
“The fact that one of these individuals is actually from Virginia, makes it even more difficult to understand. Just because something is within the bounds of the Constitution and free speech, does not mean it should be undertaken. We certainly condemn these ugly and senseless actions. Most Penn Staters are as offended by this as anyone from Virginia Tech would be– and rightfully so. These two people do not represent 90,000 Penn State students. They represent themselves.”
After seeing the pictures, a Virginia Tech student created a Facebook group called, “People Against This Costume.” Some of the upset members have left threatening messages to the Penn State students.
“This is a group of college students who now think it’s trendy to be upset about their friends being killed,” one of the two Penn State students who wore the costume said. “I don’t know what they teach people in Virginia Tech, but at Penn State we don’t learn to threaten people with murder to teach them that murdering is wrong.”
He goes on to defend the pictures.
“The thing is, everybody’s making a big stink about Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech was 32 deaths out of the 26 thousand that happen in America everyday,” he said. “That’s the problem with college students. They all live in an ivory tower of privilege. They don’t understand, when it all boils down to it, it’s someone wearing a costume.”
Reaction from Tech students and Blacksburg residents was disgust.
“That somebody would have the nerve to mock [the victims]. They were really good people,” said local business owner, Carol Gwin.
Gwin knew three of the victims in the shootings and considered them cherished friends.
Remember last year at the Blue and White game when we spelled out VT in honor of the shooting victims at Virginia Tech? Or all the Virginia Tech t-shirts everyone was wearing? Or the Penn State shirts in maroon and orange? Or the $110,000 Family Clothesline donated from the sale of those shirts? Well it all was just ruined, cause some people dressed like a “Virginia Tech Shooting Victims” on Halloween. People, if it’s on Facebook, someone will find it.
We first came across an article on WSLS’ website, the NBC station in Roanoke Virginia, which says that they found pictures of two Penn State students who dressed up like Virginia Tech shooting victims for Halloween and posted the pictures on Facebook. It’s surprising The Collegian staff missed this when they wrote the piece on the “gay KKK member,” “Aunt Jemima” and “pregnant black girls” that people dressed up like this Halloween (wtf is wrong with us here?)
Anyway, a “People against this costume” group was formed on Facebook (which is closing in on has over 4,000 members) in response to the costumes. The administrator of the group has blacked (browned?) out the face of the girl in the photo and removed any discussion of who she is. They even closed down the wall for a while because of some threatening messages that were posted, but it’s back up.
They wanted shock value? How about a taser?
Since the start of the Facebook group, the “victims” have started to receive some threatening messages, to which he says, “This is a group of college students who now think it’s trendy to be upset about their friends being killed,” one of the two Penn State students who wore the costume said. “I don’t know what they teach people in Virginia Tech, but at Penn State we don’t learn to threaten people with murder to teach them that murdering is wrong.”
Can we really give this a disdain for the entire university? If the tragedy taught us anything it taught us not to judge an entire community because of one sick individual. Penn State gave great support last spring.
“The thing is, everybody’s making a big stink about Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech was 32 deaths out of the 26 thousand that happen in America everyday,” he said. “That’s the problem with college students. They all live in an ivory tower of privilege. They don’t understand, when it all boils down to it, it’s someone wearing a costume.”
WOW! Just wow.
If you have any info on who these people are let us know.
[...] unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptOr all the Virginia Tech t-shirts everyone was wearing? Or the Penn State shirts in maroon and orange? Or the $110000 Family Clothesline donated from the sale of those shirts? Well it all was just ruined, cause some people dressed like … [...]
“The thing is, everybody’s making a big stink about Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech was 32 deaths out of the 26 thousand that happen in America everyday,†he said. “That’s the problem with college students. They all live in an ivory tower of privilege. They don’t understand, when it all boils down to it, it’s someone wearing a costume.â€
asshole if it was your college u would be hurt too!!!!!!!!!!!! u should burn in hell for this
its a costume at a halloween party..its not that big of a deal. and now its in the past so grow up, get over it, and move on to find the next thing you can cry over.
its a freakin costume, yes it was a tragidy, and yes its kinda in bad taste but in this day and age of uber political correctness i think that a little bit of flat out incorrectness is awsome.
What if I dressed up as a victim, but the victim was my brother or best friend, I wanted to honor his death. What if my brother or best friend died in the war with Iraq and I wanted to honor his death, by dressing up in military cloths, with bullet holes. Would you say the same types of things. In both cases they are victims. Would you be in discust if a “everday person” non related to VT or the war, dressed up in military cloths with wounds? Would you say the same types of things. Or is it just as insulting as a Virginia Tech student? Every year at Halloween I see people dress up in military cloths with bullet holes. If that person goes to a party with five mothers of sons that died in the, how would they feel. society doesn’t feel sorry for them. Maybe VT victims needed more time before people dressed up as the victims. maybe it makes you remember that “IT HAPPENED” and no matter how much you say, or try to forget it you cant CHANGE IT.
I do go to Penn State, and I am embarassed. I’ve been a hardcore Tech fan since I can even remember. To have people think this is okay in the place where I go to learn is digusting.
Them saying this:“I don’t know what they teach people in Virginia Tech, but at Penn State we don’t learn to threaten people with murder to teach them that murdering is wrong.â€
Well in a retort. I don’t know what they’ve been taught, but my common sense kicks in with…I never learned that mocking a terrible tragedy is alright. Dumb college kids.
To “Pennstatesucks”: Wow, you have some issues. To quote your post, “This behavior illustrates the ignorance of typical Penn State students. I hope they all rot in their backward relative-breeding world and hope that people very dear to them die in a most paiful of ways. You wanted attention like a retarted schoolboy and now you have it. Nathan Jones (nej105@psu.edu), please feel free to visit Virginia in your costume and you will be gladly returned to your college in the mountians so that your relatives can rape your rotting corpse.”
Are you saying that “people very dear to [us] die in a most painful of ways” because of the pictures or because you simply don’t like our university? Why would you ever wish such a thing, especially if you just don’t like the college? AND especially on this board, where we are outraged by the cruelty and insensitivity of the people in the pictures?
It was NOT penn state who did this; it was two people who happened to go there. Penn State is as much appalled as the rest of the country about these two individuals.
go fucking die.
this is disgusting. there is a special place down below for people who do this.
you should be ashamed of yourselves.
Why? I only want to know why would you mock someone whos life was stollen from them, not an accident or natural cause but was stollen.You people are no better than anyone to think you can do what you want and hurt moral people with empathy for the friends and familys of those victims for pure attention. I honestly believe that you students are unhappy ang depressed inside with personal things in your life so you decided to disrespect people to make yourselfs feel better. Some of you may even be on medication for sicknesses we dont know of cause mommy and daddy wasnt there to teach you how to be a good person and float your way through life. DID YOU PEOPLE HONESTLY FOR A SECOND FEEL IT WAS WRONG UUUGGGHH YES!!!!! AND YOU DID IT ANYWAY.
Argh. I’m not the type to suggest there should be a law, but somebody probably should have gotten their butt kicked for this. Where is the line ?
saving-moneys last blog post..electric money saving tip: upgrade your nightlights at [site]
Wearing the costume shows moral confusion, but people posting on here sound simply insane when they say a) “There should be a law/They need a good talking to” and b) “They’ll burn in hell for this.”
Taking away their power to express their thoughts is not going to do any good. Never say that free speech and action should be limited. And no, revenge is not going to affect these kids either, I’m sure they’re laughing at how worked up everyone is getting. And, to the religious fanatics, this is not Jonathan Edwards’ Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Saying “burn in hell” and “there’s a place down below for these people” is definitely really representative of someone who truly believes in God… ??? Not.
And by “trend” he’s talking about the people who join the facebook groups for people who have died when there’s no chance they think about those deaths daily, they’re too caught up in their own lives. They’re more concerned with looking concerned over the deaths than with the deaths themselves.
i hope u feel very ashamed of yourselves… i hope you die
I really can’t believe that these people did this. I am so disgusted by this display. It makes me want to cry thinking back on what happened that day. The 32 victims will always be remembered, but this is NO WAY to show respect towards them. The jerks that mocked the 32 victims will get what’s coming to them. I will always respect and remember the 32 that died on that tragic day. Even though its been over a year since 4.16, there are still painful memories and much heartache left. No one should let these a$$holes disrespect the VT community and families like that.
I AM PROUD TO BE A HOKIE.
Yes i agree these are a bunch of fat idiots
Evercleanses last blog post..Evercleanse Detox to lose the waste and slim the waiste at [site]
Ouch that is just wrong. People want attention obviously but there has to be some kind of limit to what you do.
// Neil Bergh
Neil Berghs last blog post..Bigchampagne and the music industry at [site]
Poor choice? Yes
Distasteful? Certainly
Something worth being outraged at? Not in the least.
I’m sorry, I would never wear a costume like this, but 32 people is nothing. How many people die of starvation every day because North Americans and Europeans are too damn lazy and greedy to actually share the wealth?
I think people get outraged at stuff like this because it means they’ll never have to get off their ass and actually do something.
Disgusting.
Unbelievable! I cannot put into words the anger this brings. Seeing these kids with apparently no compassion for the family, friends and victims of this tragic nightmare. Let us pray for those that have no compassion, sympathy or even the aptitude to know this is not how we honor and remember the victims.
This is an extremely sensitive topic and there should have been more caution put into things like this before they go out to a party. Everything you do nowadays is scrutinized whether or not you think it is controversial. I just this taught them a lesson that stuff like this is just wrong.
I am deeply upset about the comments made by that penn state student. I go to penn state and my brother was a senior at Virginia Tech when the shooting happened. I will never forget that day the rest of my life and even to this day I thank god that it was not him. I think that that person is filth and should have his ass kicked. It makes me sick to my stomach for someone to joke about people dying. I am ashamed and it makes me cry that one person can ruin all the kind efforts that penn state did in support of VT.
What these guys did is insulting to people who were truly affected by the shootings at VT, but one of them also made an excellent point about the trendiness of mourning when extraordinary events such as these happen.
I was living in Savannah, Georgia when the shootings occurred, and via facebook I saw hundreds of people who had no direct, second party, or even third party connection to the shootings engaging in a massive display of what was nothing less than borrowed sorrow. I don’t deny the shootings were a bad thing, but I was also disgusted by the overeager mob sentimentality that seemed to dominate the days following the shootings. I knew no one at Virginia Tech, whether victim or bystander, but I thought-and still think-it’s disgusting to jump on the bandwagon of mourning a tragedy that isn’t really your own. It cheapens it, frankly. Let the truly suffering work out their suffering and don’t dilute their misery with your unattached, wanton emoting.
Give blood and volunteer, and don’t do so only when something like VT happens. Don’t just buy a shirt or a magnetic sticker and cry at a football game and think you’ve contributed anything significant, because in that case you have only done the exact opposite; you are making a mockery of another person’s real tragedy. In a way, that kind of mockery is closer to the mockery audaciously put forth by the Penn State students in question. What they did is shameful, but what many idly, trendily sorrowful people did across the country is equally shameful.
In all honesty… yes. What they did was wrong. They shouldn’t have dressed up as they did, but in no way shape or form do I believe that threatening them, or sending hateful messages is in any way the answer. I’m sure the victims of the shooting wouldn’t want people to respond to a situation that can be solved easily, with violence… after all they were killed by such actions.
So here’s where I think it stands. Those who dressed up as the victims should have community service of sorts to help them realize the parameters of what is and isn’t acceptable… And that’s it. No hurtful cruel messages etc. That will only cause them to get their backs up in defense, and then no one learns. Make this a teachable moment for them, not a time to show that violence is the answer… because as those at VT would tell you… it isn’t.
its halloween, get over it. people die all the time and are remembered by it on halloween. how about all the people dressing up as all the dead celebrity’s famous or not so famous? same sh!t.
Its just a costume people! Its just as bad as dressing up as a dead soldier, and I was in Iraq, and I have friends that died. What about people that glorify serial killers, dressing up like them, is that not hurtful to the families of the victims? Open your eyes, its not a big deal. Halloween is Halloween, leave it be.
this is absolutely ridiculous! do you people have no shame? you are making fun of innocent college students that got killed while attending class. i hope you rot in hell.
This is awful. What happend there, wasn’t anyones fault. You have taken things too far.
oh please, its just a bit of fun, and actually a very cool idea (whish i had thought of it), the more serious question is why was the gun man able to get a gun? yet for some reason the constitution is sacred, if we made it much much harder to get guns this problem would be solved, the fact that guns are still available is the tragedy not some kinds having fun
The fact that the 2 people attended Penn State does not mean they represent Penn State – Penn State does not and cannot hold responsibility for individual student behavior.
These are truly examples of insensitive and distasteful use of freedom of expression. However, I am equally concerned about the suggestions of violent acts such as “beating” those who were involved. It is obvious the freedom which allowed such disgusting and insensitive expression is a double edge sword. Violence is not the answer.
-They have freedom of expression. They do not have to be sympathetic to the victims. They have the right to be clever at the expense of their good taste.
-The families of the victims would had never found out about it if it wasn’t on the news. Why are we giving this attention?
-Thousands of people are murdered every year. 32 at VT is horrible but the only reason people care(d) is because it was to dramatized.
-Im going as a Haitian with a cinder block in my head next Halloween. 200,000 dead compared to 32….I’ll be on every news channel.
wearing of this kind of “Costume” show desrespect and lack of concern for the tragedy that happend at Virginia Tech.. People do stupid things(like this costume) which show little or No respect or concern for the feelings or thoughts of those that were effected by the VT ordeal.. these students should be expelled from theyre university on ground of conduct and morality
Freedom of speech and expression are rights here in our country. However,with those rights come responsibility for your words and actions. These costumes were thoughtless, tasteless and just plain disgusting. What made it worse was the complete and utter lack of self awareness an empathy that this over educated idiot showed in EVERY interview. I truly hope that someday this boy grows up. I t appears that Nicole has grown as a person and truly regrets her bad choice. I hope that is true.
A college can give you a great academic education, but it is impossible to teach common sense and common decency.
I grew up in PA and am a HUGE Penn State fan. These fools will not change that.
I am also a PROUD VT Mom, my son is a student at Tech, and he was there at the time of the shooting. I couldn’t reach him for several hours during that time and will never forget how that felt. I can only imagine how horrified and hurt the parents of the victims felt if they saw those photos.
Yes, it was insensitive. Yes it was stupid. They acted without regard for the feeling of others. We live in a world of insensitive people who have little or no regard for the feelings of others who are far worse than this. Think back in your past and tell me you have NEVER done anything whether intentional or not, that hurt someone else and was a ‘bigger deal’ to others than you thought it should have been. Grow some skin, let it go, and move on.
P.S. To psu22 – I hope nobody else is thoughtless enough to post YOUR personal contact information on the web. You think these guys were bad? I’m not sure you didn’t just commit a crime.
This is an interesting picture cause the reader curious about it,good article. These are examples of actual use of insensitive and distasteful of free speech. its just a costume people! just as bad as dressing up as a soldier dead, What about people that honor the serial killer, dressed up like them, is not injury to the families of the victims? I think that people dressed up in Halloween as victims need community services of all kinds to help them identify the parameters of what is and is not acceptable … And that was it. Thanks for sharing this with our readers.
.-= Pauline´s last blog ..Nice apartment with vue on Eiffel Tower in Paris =-.