That's Wassup - Living For 32
Living For 32
Documentary Highlights Virginia Tech Survivor's Mission for New Gun Enforcement Laws
Documentary Highlights Virginia Tech Survivor's Mission for New Gun Enforcement Laws
By: Jeffrey Valfer
TeenNewsNet Editor
Colin Goddard will never forget what he refers to as “the longest ten minutes of his life.” During that time he was shot four times and was one of seven out of seventeen people in his class that survived one of America’s worst massacres.
It was a brisk morning on April 16th, 2007, with light snowflakes falling on the campus; a day that would change Goddard’s life and perhaps its purpose forever. He woke up that morning to go to his 9AM French Class taking place at Virginia Tech’s Norris Hall. A fourth year student majoring in International Studies, he even thought about skipping class to get breakfast with a fellow classmate. Less than an hour later what otherwise would have been another peaceful day in this small college town began an event that took the lives of 32 people.
Goddard knows he could have been 33. However, as he relives that day there is little anger in his voice. He speaks with conviction and asks questions; questions in which he is now turning his life’s focus into getting the answers to. “Half way through the class we heard banging noises coming from outside,” reflects Goddard. “We all stopped and looked at each other, but we weren’t too alarmed as we had heard construction being done on the building next door for months. We thought it was just a hammer or nail gun. Two seconds later the banging got much closer and you could tell it was something in our building. This wasn’t a hammer…We couldn’t believe it was someone shooting a gun…This is a college…This is a nice little town…Who would be doing something like that”?
Unfortunately, we would find out later that the shooter, Seung-Hui Cho, had a history of mental illness and ordered his weapons, a 9MM and 2MM handgun online. Besides taking the lives of others, Cho took his own life in front of Goddard’s class room. He had planned the attacks for months leaving behind videos highlighting how years of being bullied had caused him to think irrationally. Although Goddard can now rationalize the why, he is fighting to change the how. How did someone with a history of mental issues get access to guns so easily? Can almost anyone get a gun, and if so are we safe anywhere in this country?
After recovering from his injuries Goddard finished college at Virginia Tech and set out to get answers as an advocate to change gun laws in the United States. He is Director of Outreach at Washington D.C. based The Brady Campaign. The Campaign is lobbying congress with legislation to put into law that all sellers at gun shows adhere to the same standards.
Besides taking this battle to Congress, Goddard has teamed up with Director Kevin Breslin to uncover these issues to the public. In their documentary “Living For 32” we are shown firsthand how anyone can walk into a gun show and get a weapon. “You can walk in with a wad of cash and walk out with an AK47 and no one asks any questions,” says a perturbed Goddard. “Until we do background checks on everybody there is no place in this country where you’ll be safe,” he adds.
Instead of telling his story over and over Goddard feels he can reach more people in a more powerful way through the documentary. In forty minutes Breslin has masterfully put together a film that not only highlights the tragedy, but what needs to be changed so we avoid future occurrences. “There are more people that died from gun violence than any of our wars in the last forty years.” Breslin informs me.
For additional information on the documentary and where it can be seen please go to www.livingfor32.com
TeenNewsNet Editor
Colin Goddard will never forget what he refers to as “the longest ten minutes of his life.” During that time he was shot four times and was one of seven out of seventeen people in his class that survived one of America’s worst massacres.
It was a brisk morning on April 16th, 2007, with light snowflakes falling on the campus; a day that would change Goddard’s life and perhaps its purpose forever. He woke up that morning to go to his 9AM French Class taking place at Virginia Tech’s Norris Hall. A fourth year student majoring in International Studies, he even thought about skipping class to get breakfast with a fellow classmate. Less than an hour later what otherwise would have been another peaceful day in this small college town began an event that took the lives of 32 people.
Goddard knows he could have been 33. However, as he relives that day there is little anger in his voice. He speaks with conviction and asks questions; questions in which he is now turning his life’s focus into getting the answers to. “Half way through the class we heard banging noises coming from outside,” reflects Goddard. “We all stopped and looked at each other, but we weren’t too alarmed as we had heard construction being done on the building next door for months. We thought it was just a hammer or nail gun. Two seconds later the banging got much closer and you could tell it was something in our building. This wasn’t a hammer…We couldn’t believe it was someone shooting a gun…This is a college…This is a nice little town…Who would be doing something like that”?
Unfortunately, we would find out later that the shooter, Seung-Hui Cho, had a history of mental illness and ordered his weapons, a 9MM and 2MM handgun online. Besides taking the lives of others, Cho took his own life in front of Goddard’s class room. He had planned the attacks for months leaving behind videos highlighting how years of being bullied had caused him to think irrationally. Although Goddard can now rationalize the why, he is fighting to change the how. How did someone with a history of mental issues get access to guns so easily? Can almost anyone get a gun, and if so are we safe anywhere in this country?
After recovering from his injuries Goddard finished college at Virginia Tech and set out to get answers as an advocate to change gun laws in the United States. He is Director of Outreach at Washington D.C. based The Brady Campaign. The Campaign is lobbying congress with legislation to put into law that all sellers at gun shows adhere to the same standards. Besides taking this battle to Congress, Goddard has teamed up with Director Kevin Breslin to uncover these issues to the public. In their documentary “Living For 32” we are shown firsthand how anyone can walk into a gun show and get a weapon. “You can walk in with a wad of cash and walk out with an AK47 and no one asks any questions,” says a perturbed Goddard. “Until we do background checks on everybody there is no place in this country where you’ll be safe,” he adds.
Instead of telling his story over and over Goddard feels he can reach more people in a more powerful way through the documentary. In forty minutes Breslin has masterfully put together a film that not only highlights the tragedy, but what needs to be changed so we avoid future occurrences. “There are more people that died from gun violence than any of our wars in the last forty years.” Breslin informs me.
For additional information on the documentary and where it can be seen please go to www.livingfor32.com
Press play below to view Living For 32 trailer
