August 31, 2007
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Inside Cho’s Mind
I would be remiss not to write about the news today about Virginia Tech.
After months of investigation into the shootings at Virginia Tech, Gov. Tom Kaine of Virginia released a much anticipated report this morning by a panel of experts he convened.
The bottom line: The killer, Seung Hui Cho, had been mentally ill since childhood. Over the years, his family and others had gotten him help — including counseling and medication. But when Cho arrived at Virginia Tech, the systems failed. Read more…
Bassam and I talked about this tonight. My take on it was basically, why did they have to commission a study and spend all that money just to conclude what everyone knew the day it happened? Of course the university should have responded sooner. Of course the “system” should have recognized the extent of Cho’s mental illness and gotten him the help he so desperately needed. And of course, he should not have been able to obtain a gun. I wish they would have spent the money figuring out a plan to send text messages instantly to every student and faculty member, warning them of any potential danger. That shouldn’t be too hard to figure out in the 21st Century!
Never Forget
Virginia Tech Days 1-3 Virginia Tech Days 4-7 Virginia Tech Week 2 One need only read my friend Sabine’s first hand accounts of that fateful morning, and look at the timestamps on the emails, to realize that the university was quite late in responding to the shootings. Had systemwide emails gone out, and if even 1 out of 20 students had received the emails telling them to stay inside where they were and lock the doors, word would have spread, and lives may have been saved.
Unfortunately, today’s news also brought out the right wing nutjobs who continue to insist that, had the other students been allowed to carry concealed weapons, that the death toll never would have been so high. This kind of moronic logic absolutely boggles my mind.
So again, we pay tribute to those who lost their lives, and those they left behind. Rest in Peace.
Comments (3)
Yeah, imagine that. Students actually able to defend themselves. That’s moronic. Cho would agree with you.
I will never understand how buying a gun in the US is as easy as buying a Popsicle. And then their solution to this tragedy is to give out more guns to everyone? Honestly….
@Laura - Welcome to America!