VA - Virginia Tech Shooting, 32 murdered, 23 injured, 16 April 2007

[IrishMist]

If that's true, it sounds like mental instability runs in the family.

Wouldn't that put just about anyone in the hospital for shock and stress?? I don't see that as a mental instability at all! I can't even imagine trying to cope with an issue of this magnitude, knowing your son caused it, and losing your son on top of it all! Seems that would shake anyone to their very core.

 

[cheko1]

Have we evolved into a society of apathetic,
non-responsive, non-responsible humans, going back and forth to work everyday, just to try to make enough money to pay the bills with a portion of our society totally giving up and not working at all, allowing the government to pay their up keep???

What are we doing to our children?

Do parents no longer take the time to involve themselves in the lives of their own children? Has socially interacting on a regular basis between Extended Family members, and close (neighborhood friends), become virtually a thing of the past? Does The Norman Rockwell Painting of the American Family, (actually of our World), no longer exist?

Have we, as a society, successfully destroyed it and in its place have we created.......self-serving, dysfunctional children who grow up to punish society for 'its failings' with the carnage we witnessed this week?

Do we daily suck up to our own 'addictions' (TV, Internet, Drugs, Alcohol, Prescription Meds, Sex, Shopping, Gambling, Food, Sports, etc) as if we are holding on to our own 'old worn and tattered security blanket from childhood' in the hopes that it will make everything all better, at least, until morning...when we once again have to awaken to do the same thing over again.........

If we repeat this scenerio through enough generations, leaving the children to comfort and nurture themselves, to develop their own moral code and ethics and to discipline themselves,.....what will be the result?

Will it be... 32 X's 32 X's 32 DEAD on the campus of another yet 'Virginia Tech'...

Has our society has become far too 'silently complacent' and far too 'politically correct'?

In my opinion:

'Complacent Silence' = Ignoring Reality


'Politically Correctness' = 'Semantically Lying'

Maybe it was genetics plus enviornment which created 'Cho'.

We may never know, but when are we as a society going to WAKE UP and ACT to help the 'Cho's of this World' get the help that they desperately need?

When are we going to ACT to help KEEP other humans SAFE from these INSANE outward acts of rage upon society???

I sure wish we had the answers Angelwings! This is just beyond pathetic. Now with all the copycats its very scarey for our kids.

I don't buy the fact he was picked on at school. Or the fact he couldn't read well. Where in the name of God was the authoritive figures running the schools he attended?

 

[Marthatex]

Great article. It's clear the writing faculty was trying to deal with Cho. In fact, he got a lot more personal attention (private tutoring from the Department Head) than the vast majority of students at a large university.

Yes, this Dr. Roy is a heroine as far as I'm concerned; not many teachers would be willing to spend the extra time, trying to work with him and begging him to go ahead with counseling.

But by college it was evidently too late. It would be interesting to see if he was referred for therapy in elementary or high school. (speech or otherwise).

I think the Asian culture does tend to be proud, hard-working, they might expect the child to excel without "extra help". They also tend to stick together, be quiet, live in communities together, just as many other ethnic groups.

Perhaps they did not want him singled Out? I can easily see this occurring in the school - a "delicate" situation, so they just pass him on. Once I had a black Kindergarten student in Houston who really needed to repeat Kindergarten in order to gain the skills he needed. The father was "upset" by this, not seeing how much smaller and immature his child was (think along the lines of a 3-year-old in language and motor skills); and so he went on to the future "frustration" and pain I'm sure he was going to feel not being able to do what the other children could do.

I think in our culture intelligent parents are more aware of when their children are having problems and willing to try to deal with it.

Another question: How did this kid get into college???????? Usually you have to have the skills to write papers and give presentations to get into college. And why did he choose English? (if he didn't like to speak)

 

[Ntegrity]

Wouldn't that put just about anyone in the hospital for shock and stress?? I don't see that as a mental instability at all! I can't even imagine trying to cope with an issue of this magnitude, knowing your son caused it, and losing your son on top of it all! Seems that would shake anyone to their very core.

I don't necessarily agree with you. I personally know a woman who lost her entire family (son, DIL, and their 5 children) in an earthquake a few years ago and she wasn't hospitalized. I simply noted that inability to deal with emotional issues may run in their family. Their son certainly chose a bizarre way to "cope" with his pain.

 

[cheko1]

Yes, this Dr. Roy is a heroine as far as I'm concerned; not many teachers would be willing to spend the extra time, trying to work with him and begging him to go ahead with counseling.

But by college it was evidently too late. It would be interesting to see if he was referred for therapy in elementary or high school. (speech or otherwise).

I think the Asian culture does tend to be proud, hard-working, they might expect the child to excel without "extra help". They also tend to stick together, be quiet, live in communities together, just as many other ethnic groups.

Perhaps they did not want him singled Out? I can easily see this occurring in the school - a "delicate" situation, so they just pass him on. Once I had a black Kindergarten student in Houston who really needed to repeat Kindergarten in order to gain the skills he needed. The father was "upset" by this, not seeing how much smaller and immature his child was (think along the lines of a 3-year-old in language and motor skills); and so he went on to the future "frustration" and pain I'm sure he was going to feel not being able to do what the other children could do.

I think in our culture intelligent parents are more aware of when their children are having problems and willing to try to deal with it.

Another question: How did this kid get into college???????? Usually you have to have the skills to write papers and give presentations to get into college. And why did he choose English? (if he didn't like to speak)

Martha I wonder how he passed his SAT tests to get into college?
My next thoughts were he must of been planning on a teaching career? Is this what you think? Why else would he of chosen English? Gosh if he didn't like to speak what other career would he of went into?

 

[Marthatex]

My neice is a teacher of young children and tried to "identify" issues to parents of certain children she taught. In most cases, if not all, the parents rejected the thought that their child might need something extra. The children went flailing on to the next grade, not doing the best they could because their parents heard "special ed" and freaked out.

I highly doubt you failed any students, angelwngs. :blowkiss: It sounds like you cared very much for them. At some point, all you can do is pray for them and hope they eventually get the help they need. I sure can understand your frustrations though.

I experienced this quite often as well in my 5 years of public elementary school teaching.

 

[Buzz Mills]

Perhaps, had a few key people known that Seung-Hui had purchased guns, an alarm would have gone out.

It makes us all wonder where changes might be effected, to help prevent situations like this, from happening again.

This will raise the level of diligence, but that alone, isn't going to do any good, if there aren't effective steps in place to put a stop in the chain of events leading up to a massacre of this type. This progression happened over a very long period of time.

 

[Marthatex]

Martha I wonder how he passed his SAT tests to get into college?
My next thoughts were he must of been planning on a teaching career? Is this what you think? Why else would he of chosen English? Gosh if he didn't like to speak what other career would he of went into?[/QUOT

He probably would have been an Education Major to plan a teaching career. I don't think an introvert sociopath like that would have an "altruistic" bent.

Since he was a year older, he may have changed majors - (maybe started out in engineering or math, didn't "cut it', then changed?) Or could have failed some classes and taken longer.

Some colleges accept fairly low SAT level (900-1000); maybe they weighed grades more. It's hard for me to believe that he even had good grades in high school - it could be if he was "special ed" for awhile, they gave him some special consideration toward getting into college.

This whole thing keeps nauseating me; it seems we're just too "lax" for our good in so many ways, whether it be to be "politically correct", or "give everyone an education"; not "make waves", in protecting our OWN POPULATION, when you're worried about something or pleasing parents, etc etc.

We're so strict about getting on an airline now it's unbelievable - but at malls, or college campuses not much has been done to "tighten up", even though we know some type of terrorism can strike anytime; either domestic or foreign in origin.

 

[Ntegrity]

I don't understand how Cho (ugh, I hate to type his sorry name) got so far in college without ever speaking publicly. Don't English majors have to give book reports, etc., to pass their classes? What about speech class? Could he put that off to his last semester? Color me confused.

 

[scandi]

I don't understand how Cho (ugh, I hate to type his sorry name) got so far in college without ever speaking publicly. Don't English majors have to give book reports, etc., to pass their classes? What about speech class? Could he put that off to his last semester? Color me confused.

Hi Ntegrity ;} Nice to see you.

HYe probably didn't speak much as his voice is quite hard to listen to as I heard it on TV, so might have started using texting or email instead. Pretty bizarre.


I had an idea though about him. There are 2 kids in his family that I have heard. His sister is exceptionally brilliant. She was accepted at Harvard as a 1st choice but the family couldn't afford the tuition. So she went to Princeton where she graduated, and now works on the team dealing with the rebuilding of Iraq for our government.

It could be she outshown him in every way and got the majority of the attention in the home. Now I think this guy is also very smart to have gone through 3 years of college. I don't know how hard it is to get into that school. The engineering school at VT is a hard one - par excellent I have heard. Language, I am not sure. I think he turned inward because he was always misunderstood as he had a hard time getting across to people. And if he got little attention at home he might have lacked self confidence, and one shortcoming led to another until he was bitter.

 

[csds703]

Wouldn't that put just about anyone in the hospital for shock and stress?? I don't see that as a mental instability at all! I can't even imagine trying to cope with an issue of this magnitude, knowing your son caused it, and losing your son on top of it all! Seems that would shake anyone to their very core.

I would be in a padded room in a straight jacket.

 

[Floh]

I would believe his older sister excelled in everything and this may have contributed to his feeling of no self-worth. that's tough and it should have been accepted by him he wasn't as talented as his sister.

it wasn't her fault she was the bright one.

 

[Buzz Mills]

Wouldn't that put just about anyone in the hospital for shock and stress?? I don't see that as a mental instability at all! I can't even imagine trying to cope with an issue of this magnitude, knowing your son caused it, and losing your son on top of it all! Seems that would shake anyone to their very core.

No doubt at all. If there's someone who wouldn't be shaken to their very core, I wouldn't care to know them.

 

[IrishMist]

I would be in a padded room in a straight jacket.

I swear, I don't even want to think about it. To know that my child killed 32 people, injured I don't know how many more- that my child perpetrated the largest mass shooting in US history... on top of dealing with his death... I just might be in that padded room.

I may be going by a stereotype here, and please forgive me if I am, but I think the Korean culture takes the child's behavior upon themselves. We do, here, too, but only to a certain extent. To me, that would just magnify their difficulty in coping with this horror.

I have only had a little taste of anything that even comes close to relating- a friend of mine killed himself and a 16 year old local boy by drunk driving. My friend's Mom was hurting so bad! She was grieving the loss of her son... but felt so horrible for the family of the young man. We, as friends felt that way, too, but on a smaller scale, of course.

 

[IrishMist]

No doubt at all. If there's someone who wouldn't be shaken to their very core, I wouldn't care to know them.

That's true, Buzz. Good point.

 

[Love_Mama]

I truly understand this post. I taught HS for 40 yrs; I am now at a unversity. Unfortunately, this is how the system works - up and down the grade spectrum. This teacher was lucky that the Asst. Prin was not assigned to do her evaluation. She would be locked in a union battle to keep her job. Vindictiveness happens all the time. In many schools, especially with the pressure of NCLB, adminstrators are only worried about THEIR jobs. You are a gutsy teacher; God bless you for what you did for that little boy.

AMEN hallowedbe, my daughter's a long time teacher! I know exactly what you're talking about.

xxxxxxxxoooooooooo
mama
xxxxxxxxxooooo:blowkiss: :blowkiss:

 

[panthera]

Several videos here:

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=49750&cl=2432995&ch=68276&src=news

There is one article (will try to find it) where the family members in Korea are very upset that he could do this and very remorseful. Services are being held there for the victims.

I saw CNN cover a little bit of this earlier today and thought it was a good gesture. As for Cho's parents the latest I heard is that they're in seclusion right now ~ perhaps afraid of someone coming after them?

 

[panthera]

I would believe his older sister excelled in everything and this may have contributed to his feeling of no self-worth. that's tough and it should have been accepted by him he wasn't as talented as his sister.

it wasn't her fault she was the bright one.

I've known some families where the girl was the "first born" and got all the father's attention ~ and the boy had to prove his worth. I don't know how it would be in Cho's culture or family. It's really too bad that he didn't get any mental health treatment so at least we'd have some idea what made him do this horrible crime.

 

[s_finch]

Martha I wonder how he passed his SAT tests to get into college?
My next thoughts were he must of been planning on a teaching career? Is this what you think? Why else would he of chosen English? Gosh if he didn't like to speak what other career would he of went into?

I hate to publicly speak and when I speak in general conversation often have to search for words and I have a BA in English. Perhaps like myself, Cho loved books and literature, maybe they were his solace, his refuge. I find it interesting that he didn't head over to a humanities building to inflict his carnage but chose a science building. How many classes would an English major ever have had in Science Building? Not very many.

As for the fact his parents haven't issued a statement, I don't fault them. They must be in horrible shock and pain and perhaps even though they've lived here for 15 years still aren't used to the American way of immediately lawyering up in order to spin doctor everything. And yes, it does appear that Cho and his parents didn't have a very close relationship and maybe they found him difficult and found it easier for him to be away at school, but I too have a child in college who is difficult and it's made our home life much more relaxed for her to be away. That doesn't mean I don't love her dearly and she knows she can always come home anytime. AND just for the record, we've paid for her to get counseling (after begging her to go for quite a while, she finally agreed) and are seeing progress in her ability to cope with life's frustrations.

Whatever happened in his formative years aside, Cho was an adult. There isn't much parents can legally do with an adult other than to cut them off financially. You can't make them get help, you can make them be happy, you can't make them be emotionally whole, you can only love them, pray for them, and be there for them.

 

[Buzz Mills]

We need to hear a lot more about the bullying that Seung-Hui Cho went through. He came to this country in 1992, when he was eight. I don't know what he was like in Korea, but those early years in the U.S., had to be very traumatic, for him to end up in this way. We have a lot to learn about his life so we can possibly learn something from this horrible episode.

If any of what is being said is true, about him being bullied, how would anyone like to be known as the bully, that indirectly helped cause the deaths of thirty-two people.