Sunday, April 22, 2007
Good article
Rich Lowry's article, Madness at Virginia Tech, is the most succinct and accurate reflection on Cho that I've read. Part of what struck me is his point that because the system neglected to follow through on Cho's court-ordered treatment, it failed those who were killed (obviously) but also the isolated, lonely, angry man himself. Hard though it is to think empathetically about him, it is worth noting that the laxness and/or unwillingness of the professionals and administrators to do anything about what they knew and saw meant that Cho was deprived of a chance to become well (not to mention, of course, that ignoring his festering madness basically allowed it to grow to the flashpoint). Unfortunately, it is also true that if he had written racial slurs instead of violent imagery, he would have been hauled right out of there. What a strange moment in time this is. Anyway, read Lowry's piece.
Labels: headlines, reflections
Permalink | 
| posted by jau at 9:25 AM
jau — at 2:27 PM, April 22, 2007:
Suzan Abrams, email: suzanabrams@live.co.uk — at 11:15 PM, April 23, 2007:
DADvocate — at 10:41 AM, April 24, 2007:
jau — at 4:58 PM, April 24, 2007:
— at 8:39 PM, April 28, 2007:
— at 8:49 PM, April 28, 2007:
| posted by jau at 9:25 AM
7 more:
jau — at 2:27 PM, April 22, 2007:
I guess I was feeling a sense that someone who's mentally ill can *seem* to be making choices but not really be able to make decisions. Maybe like someone with a broken leg actually cannot run, maybe he literally couldn't make choices. Maybe that's the line separating mentally healthy from mentally ill? I'm curious - do you think there is no such a thing? That may be true, but I'm curious what you think.
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Suzan Abrams, email: suzanabrams@live.co.uk — at 11:15 PM, April 23, 2007:
I had read this, Anne.
He sounded such a troubled child. What sadness in his mind...all these conflicting emotions dominating one over the other & which finally compelled him to do this. What made him think there were no options? He must have felt hated. I wished he had been helped.
He sounded such a troubled child. What sadness in his mind...all these conflicting emotions dominating one over the other & which finally compelled him to do this. What made him think there were no options? He must have felt hated. I wished he had been helped.
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DADvocate — at 10:41 AM, April 24, 2007:
it to grow to the flashpoint). Unfortunately, it is also true that if he had written racial slurs instead of violent imagery, he would have been hauled right out of there.
How true. Look what happens to a 14 year old for putting a paper bag on a table where Muslims are eating lunch. Accused of a hate crime, suspended from school, etc. Yes, it was offensive and deserved disciplinary action but not so severely. But, when compared to the "toleration" of Cho's violent ideology, it shows the absurdity of our politically correct values.
How true. Look what happens to a 14 year old for putting a paper bag on a table where Muslims are eating lunch. Accused of a hate crime, suspended from school, etc. Yes, it was offensive and deserved disciplinary action but not so severely. But, when compared to the "toleration" of Cho's violent ideology, it shows the absurdity of our politically correct values.
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jau — at 4:58 PM, April 24, 2007:
That's SO true, Dad! Isn't that sandwich thing ridiculous? Rude and thoughtless - but not even remotely worth the punishments. We've gone mad, I tell you, mad!!!
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— at 8:39 PM, April 28, 2007:
I had some comments figured out in my head in reply to the other comments here but I've let it slide and have lost the thread of it. I'm almost afraid to anyway, the sympathy expressed here for the arsehole, there are thirty two fine people dead because of this self centered and self pitying excuse for a human being and offering this kind of sympathy just feeds the self justification of the next one. Condemn him unconditionally and bury him with a stake through his heart to send a msg to others of his kind. Yeah I know it wouldn't make much difference, better to turn him into a nonentity, the biggest punishment for him and his like is just that.
By the way, I didn't hear much sympathy for the Duke lacrosse players, as in, 'well they're young men, what do you expect when a woman undresses in front of them, they couldn't help it'. Compare the condemnation that was heaped on them just on one person's allegation with all the 'understanding' of the arsehole, doesn't make sense to me.
OK, end of rant and apologies for being so forthright on your blog instead of posting it on mine.
One other thought, it seems to me to have the same mindset as those who talk about 'those poor Palestinians' after one of their number blows up a pizza parlor along with its teenage patrons.
There is no excuse or justification for wanton and indiscriminate murder. Not calling it the way it is just brings on more of the same.
By the way, I didn't hear much sympathy for the Duke lacrosse players, as in, 'well they're young men, what do you expect when a woman undresses in front of them, they couldn't help it'. Compare the condemnation that was heaped on them just on one person's allegation with all the 'understanding' of the arsehole, doesn't make sense to me.
OK, end of rant and apologies for being so forthright on your blog instead of posting it on mine.
One other thought, it seems to me to have the same mindset as those who talk about 'those poor Palestinians' after one of their number blows up a pizza parlor along with its teenage patrons.
There is no excuse or justification for wanton and indiscriminate murder. Not calling it the way it is just brings on more of the same.
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— at 8:49 PM, April 28, 2007:
PS. Oh yes, I had a couple of links to add and forgot, the first one is what happens when a killer meets some armed resistanc and the second is a post on Schmaltz und Grieben which says much the same as me.
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At the same time something else has to change, or a few things really, starting with the so-called 'professionals' who should have seen what was plainly in front of them but are so wrapped up in their own 'expertise' that they've lost the ability to think independently.
It's a good point you make about if he'd been making racist comments, he'd have been off that campus so fast his feet wouldn't have touched the ground.
Another thing I'd do is bring back the cadet training to universities and I'd be inclined to make it a condition of attending, that all students take it for at least one year. It might give the students some confidence and know how to do something instead of sitting frozen waiting to be shot.
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