In the face of war and terror, we often forget the possibility of terror at home until it shoots us right in the face. Less than a week ago, 31 innocent students, teachers and faculty were killed at Virginia Tech University. The question we all want an answer to is why. What makes someone so angry that they can slimy kill innocent people. It is essential that when trying to understand the present we look to the past for greater understanding. The media is overwhelmed with stories of the Virginia Tech murders and even a couple of illusions of past tragedies like the UT sniper shooting. For Austin residents and University of Texas alumni, it's a similar scene of terror, shock and the question of why. With the UT sniper shooting 40 years behind us, it is easier to look back and review the events of that day and what could have led a former defender of our country to take the lives of 16 innocent young men in such a viscous manner. Many will return to the stories of Charles (or Charlie) Whitman's upbringing to provide motivation for his horrific crime. Charlie was the son of a prominent plumber, who had taken virtually nothing and settled into a wealthy lifestyle. Financial security became a source of great pride for Charlie's father, along with his marriage to his mother. Charlie was the eldest of three brothers and was apparently being punished for it. His father was a strict man who believed in and used corporal punishment. The relationship between his parents was equally turbulent. Despite the harsh treatment they received from the family, many describe the Whitman children as "spoiled." Whitman's father was generous with material goods for his children; perhaps due to the lack of material possessions he possessed as a child. People who know… halfway through the paper… and in the next few hours plan what he would do next. He prepared supplies to hold off an army. The Austin Police Department listed a number of supplies that included the following: Channel Master 14 Transistor AM-FM Radio (Portable) with Brown Case Works Cited A Sniper in the Tower: The Charles Whitman Murders Book by Gary M. Lavergne; University of North Texas Press, 1997.Mass Murder: America's Growing ThreatBook by James Alan Fox, Jack Levin; Plenum Press, 1985. Violence and Aggression: A Physiological Perspective Book by K. E. Moyer; Paragon Press, 1987The "New Syndrome Excuse Syndrome" Journal article by Stephen J. Morse; Criminal Justice Ethics, Vol. 14, 1995 Bloody Murderers Journal article by Eugene H. Methvin; National Review, Vol. 48, June 3, 1996. http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/mass/whitman/index_1.html http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/police/