Now his identity is revealed - Cho Seung-Hui, a student of creativing writing who would appear long to have shown signs of psychotic behaviour. His imagination alone, one gathers from mentions of his "disturbed" creative writing. People described him as "a loner" - which, of course, means lonely, brooding, isolated, an outsider.
Amid the convulsions of shock and grief for those bright young lights snuffed out by his eruption of psychopathic violence, one must offer thoughts of compassion to his family - good, hard-working, hope-filled Korean dry-cleaners. And to his sister, another bright young light, a student at Princeton, whose future forever will be shadowed by the dark and awful shame of her brother's action.
Psychotics are hard to diagnose, hard to understand. People often just think they are moody and strange. They come in many degrees and usually are more harmful to themselves than to others. I am not sure that we ever will understand the mad voices which drove this young man to this deeply shameful act. But if we must apportion blame, let it not be to his family or to Koreans, but simply to guns, so easily purchased by all US citizens, including undiagnosed madmen bent on running amok.
6 comments:
I couldn't agree more with your thoughtful post. Please see mine with a similar, but related perspective. www.richardsim.com
one of the best things I have read over the past few days. very thoughtful.
So much said here which has not been said in mainstream media. The news has not failed to label him as a loner, nor has it failed to target him as an outsider or someone who was different to 'the rest of us'. Finally you have said it how it is Samela, he is a psychotic, and no doubt so created BY 'the rest of us'. Gun Control is not a difficul principal to grasp, and yet on the eve of this tragedy, and the loss of over 30 lives, BUSH will stand in support or an Americans right to own a firearm. I am writing this comment from sleepy old Adelaide, murder capital, but only based on population, as a ratio of murders per capita - this makes me laugh. See there are so many people in America, you would be lucky to fire a gun and miss....
Would seem like they're doing a pretty good job of catching up, maybe soon enough they will take our record away from us..
'murder capital' an achievement to be proud of?
Thank you for your comments. Nothing will ever justify the horrible events at VT. The prayers of many are with the families and friends of those lost so violently. But, as you have said, let us not forget that the family of Cho Seung-Hui has lost a son and a brother who was loved but, lost to mental illness. The family of man needs compasion if the world is to live in peace.
Thank you for your comments. Nothing will ever justify the horrible events at VT. The prayers of many are with the families and friends of those lost so violently. But, as you have said, let us not forget that the family of Cho Seung-Hui has lost a son and a brother who was loved but, lost to mental illness. The family of man needs compasion if the world is to live in peace.
I feel tremendous compassion and sorrow for all of the families, including for the family of the gunman.
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