Stumble It!___Update___
According to the comment below, the students involved in causing this fire are NOT from Westmont College. I am very glad to hear this.
At the same time, my sentiments below are still the same. I plea with the Westmont/Montecito/Santa Barbara community not to take their wrath out on these students.
It will bring everyone nothing but grief. Let us embrace the error of the neighbor who sins against us as a chance to grow in wisdom, compassion, love and a deep sense of gratitude for the enemy-love shown to us by God. Let us take all necessary and helpful steps to make sure such tragedies do not happen again, to be sure. But, let’s not make them retributive steps. An eye for an eye truly does make the whole world blind.
___Update___
I just read on the Independent’s website that there is a very strong possibility that ten students from Westmont College (I am an alum) are responsible for causing the start of the “Tea Fire.” (we now know that this is not the case) In a story written by Ray Ford (the same reporter to take photos of the fire on Westmont’s campus), he describes a press conference regarding the cause of the fire:
“Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown announced that as a result of an anonymous tip, investigators were able to identify ten young adults as those responsible for the cause of the Tea Fire. Brown described them as between the ages of 18 and 22, area residents, and a mixture of males and females. Brown also described them as all coming from one school and being cooperative with investigators.”
Ford goes on to say, “The cause of the fire appears to be the result of carelessness rather than criminal intent.” I am heartened to hear that, but not by much.
In other words, these are students and most likely they come from Westmont College (we now know that this is not the case), since it is the closest (within walking distance, I think) school with students of that age. At any rate, the names of these adults (who happen to be students) will be made public before too long and the question of what school they attended will be erased.
—Update—
Westmont College reacts to the question here at this site.
—Update—
Of course, we will let the process be completed about discovering who is really to blame. However, assuming it is Westmont from which these students came, (which, again, we now know that this is not the case) this will go down as one of the saddest, most tragic, horrifying, and stupid events ever experienced by Westmont students, staff, faculty, its community, its alumni, and those who care for the school–but mostly the larger community. I am sad and angry about it at the same time. Very sad. Very angry.
In all likelihood, the adults responsible for the fire will be sued and/or prosecuted for various crimes. The school will be sued. The families of the students may also be sued. Westmont’s reputation will likely also be deeply scarred.
All of this will be added onto the horrifying facts that hundreds of families will still have lost their homes. A man may have been killed by the fire (and will still be dead regardless of remedies sought). Thousands of acres of extraordinary beauty will still be devastated. The sense of security and home for thousands will still be gone. The trauma of many more thousands will still have to be dealt with.
Add on top of that the additional trauma, resentment, anger and the resulting actions and consequences caused by a surrounding community that may rightfully want an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. (If you don’t think those feelings are there, read the comments attached to the above independent article. Those responsible for the fire are (most very likely) RESPONSIBLE for all of its consequences. It truly is their fault. It seems that they should pay for the consequences of their actions in some appropriate manner. The question is what would be appropriate. I don’t have a good answer to that right now.
I only hope that those who caused the fire are deeply remorseful for their actions (How could they fail to be?). Just as importantly, I hope there is a spirit of forgiveness that may be found by those who have suffered, are suffering, and will continue to suffer because of those actions. Those sufferings are likely incalculable. Reversing them, or making their consequences disappear is impossible. I can not ask such a generous spirit of forgiveness of those suffering, but I do hope such forgiveness comes to pass. The vicious cycle of retribution is a terrible thing and never seems to create any good out of itself. It could destroy the community. My prayer is that it would be avoided…
————
You know as I reread my note above, I am dissatisfied. It is hard for me to even try to take the whole situation in and make any sense of it. The tragedy is already so aweful–I just want healing, learning, forgiveness, love of neighbor (and self discipline), generosity, charity, and the growth of wisdom on all sides to prevail in the community, but I don’t seem to be able to say it any better than that…
————
As I think about this some more, it does not matter where these people attend(ed) school–not in the least, even if I am glad to hear they are not from Westmont.
Tags: Goleta, Montecito, Montecito fire, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Fire, tea fire, Westmont College, Westmont College Fire, Westmont Fire
Wednesday, November 19, 2008 at +00:0020082430UTC19: pm30
It was not Westmont students.
This information from the Westmont College website at http://www.westmont.edu
“On Wednesday afternoon at approximately 2:45 p.m., Drew Sugars, the public information officer for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, officially informed the college that no current Westmont students were present nor in anyway involved with this tragic incident.”
Friday, November 21, 2008 at +00:0020082130UTC21: am30
I think we are all very thankful and glad to have received that news.
You are welcome.
I would just comment that from my point of view your blog leaked a kind of presumption that might have bordered on inflammatory. I know we were all upset, but your little rant about
“However, assuming it is Westmont from which these students came,this will go down as one of the saddest, most tragic, horrifying, and stupid events ever experienced by Westmont students, staff, faculty, its community, its alumni, and those who care for the school–but mostly the larger community. I am sad and angry about it at the same time. Very sad. Very angry. … The school will be sued. … The families of the students may also be sued. Westmont’s reputation will likely also be deeply scarred.”
and your recitation of
“In other words, these are students and most likely they come from Westmont College, since it is the closest (within walking distance, I think) school with students of that age. ”
seem to me to be editorial and judgmental beyond what the facts deserved. It sounded like you had assumed that Westmont students were guilty simply by the geographical accident of their proximity. This kind of ad hominem often leads to worse confusion, even when the reporter is trying to illuminate the situation, even with good intentions.
I hope you’ll think about your style when you are blogging things that may falsely suggest that someone might be guilty simply because of appearance, innuendo, or suspicion fueled by pain and anger.
If you’re going to broadcast information, I think that carries with it a responsibility not to mislead people, even if unintentionally.
I’m sure you did not mean to be inflammatory. We all were and still are upset.
The college has plenty to do without having to respond to false accusations.
Unfortunately, now some of their precious time and resources have to go to debunking the false accusations.
I’m afraid that a blog like yours hasn’t helped the situation.
Thanks for inserting your corrections in your blog.
Have a good day.