Newman said stuff like that is just bound to happen in a country that has guns and warfare. 

Here is an excerpt from his weekly chat about current events, which was just emailed: 

"If we’re going to have guns, if we’re going to have warfare, if we’re going to have all these different things that are central parts of our culture, then why wouldn’t it simply be assumed that we will have killings of several dozen people in some places and, at this moment, it’s called Blacksburg, Virginia? Why are we so incredulous about that? Why is the culture, at least as reflected on the television shows, so incredulous? Why wouldn’t we simply accept it in the same way that we accept severe thunderstorms? Yes, I think it’s tragic that all these young people were killed. But is it surprising? I’m not sure it’s surprising. What’s surprising about it? That doesn’t mean it’s right. No, it’s wrong. But surprising? No."