Tragedy at Virginia Tech

[Partial]

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0417071vtech1.html

[pacfan]

Kiwon, it looks like on right about some things.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/04/17/skorea.vtech.ap/index.html

I still think South Korea is a national identity, however.

[HarveyWallbangers]

This guy moved to the US when he was 8. I hardly think the fact he came from South Korea matters much when he's been in the country for so long and came over at such a young age. One deranged fuckwad though.

[Packers4Ever]

I think anything we can do to make the schools safer is well worth the money!!!

Nah, schools would rather spend the money on useful things like vending machines or athletic equipment.

Yes I know that is terrible that interscholastic and intramural sports exist in high school.

Blaming the schools is ignorant and will lead to a waste of tax dollars. Blame the mothers and fathers.

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Afraid I have to agree with you, Partial, a lot of parents these days have simply dropped the word "NO" from their vocabulary, too afraid of harming the child's psyche, hurting their feelings, not wanting to guide these children properly. Open your eyes, you'll see it in every store or public place, every day.

[Kiwon]

Kiwon, it looks like on right about some things.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/04/17/skorea.vtech.ap/index.html

I still think South Korea is a national identity, however.

From Seattle:

Local Korean community apologetic, and fearful
They have mixed feelings over shooting

By JOHN IWASAKI
P-I REPORTER

He was one of more than 1.2 million people of Korean descent in the United States, a disturbed gunman on the other side of the country.

But Cho Seung-Hui's role in the slaughter at Virginia Tech reverberated Tuesday in the local Korean American community, with some members taking the crime personally and others fearful of a backlash.

State Sen. Paull Shin, D-Edmonds, apologized to fellow lawmakers and legislative staff members, first at a private prayer meeting, then in Senate chambers.

"It hurts me deeply, knowing what happened to Korea and how much the U.S. helped," said Shin, an orphan who was adopted by an American soldier after the Korean War. "This is not the way to pay back the blessings we received."

Although legislators told him he had no need to apologize, Shin, fighting his emotions, said he felt compelled to do so because of his acceptance in America and his leadership position in the Korean American community.

At the University of Washington, student leader Jihye Kim also shouldered responsibility.

"Personally, after hearing about the criminal's racial background, I felt as if I am the one who caused the tragedy," said Kim, president of the Korean Student Union. "I couldn't make eye contact with others. I greatly apologize for those who are closely related to the victims."

(Edit - end)
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While some Koreans here and in the States will not have any emotional connection to this tragedy the majority of people share the feelings of this Korean-American lawmaker and this female Korean student. Neither was involved in any way but they feel compelled to apologize anyway because the gunman was an ethnic Korean.

I, myself, received a text message and a phone call from Korean friends today apologizing to me for what this guy did. They expressed genuine shock, sadness, and embarrassment.

This may seem strange to us but it reflects the group consciousness that Koreans share along with demonstrating the significance of ethnicity for Koreans in defining themselves and their culture.

[MJZiggy]

It actually kinda bugs me that people who have absolutely no connection to this thing and who would never in their lives even consider thinking about what this guy did are shouldering responsibility for it.

There's no reason for it. This was an isolated incident involving a very sick individual and no one should bear responsibility for it but him. (Makes me wanna go hug a Korean)

[swede]

I agree with you Zig.

The South Koreans have been good friends and allies. They bear no collective responsibility for this young man's disturbed actions.

There are mosques around the world that preach hatred and jihad against the United States. That particular subculture of the Muslim faith does bear collective responsibility for attacks against us made in the name of Muhammed.

There was no such dynamic at work here. In fact, the things I have been reading about the young man suggest that he had rather serious mental health issues and had no agenda other than an amorphous rage that grew until he had this horrific psychotic break.

The apologetic sentiments from South Koreans and people of South Korean ancestry seemed very genuine to me and reflect the goodness of those people.
But, as you say, Zig. This was certainly not something for which any South Korean bears any responsibility.

[Joemailman]

The issue of gun control as it relates to this incident is likely to shift to the question of why the shooter was able to legally purchase guns even though he had been declared mentally ill in 2005. The way in which this country deals deals with mentally ill people is also likely to become an issue.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/18/vtech.shooting/index.html

[BallHawk]

This is gonna have an affect on the election.

[Kiwon]

It's becoming clear that Cho, Sueng-Hui was severely mentally ill and that he would have had trouble either in the U.S. or in Korea.

The truth is that he would have received more acceptance and had access to a stronger and better developed mental health system in the U.S. than he would have in Korea and theoretically received more help.

Another difficult reality is that he would not have had any access to guns in Korea to strike out at society as he did in the U.S.

The 2nd Amendment to the Constitution protects "the right of the people to keep and bear arms." This is a key liberty afforded to all Americans and should be protected. The difficulty with such freedoms is denying them to the criminal and the mentally ill. The tragedy in West Virginia should prompt a reexamination over how someone who had contact with the mental health system and had been considered capable of violence and "suicidal" could have legally acquired these weapons (if that's what he did).

[Kiwon]

Oh my gosh, I just saw the photos and stuff this guy sent to NBC News after the first killings and before the second deadly spree. They really inspire anger at this killer and his brazenness.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18169776

I'm afraid this is going to motivate some to retaliate against Koreans or other Asians in the U.S. I hate to say this but this is my prediction.

Another disturbing part of this is that this guy's photos will be downloaded and he will be idolized by other anti-social types.

Really bad news......

[Freak Out]

The US Health/Mental Health care system makes it as difficult as possible to get good care while we make it very easy to get the weapons we need to kill each other.

[BallHawk]

Just saw the video he sent to NBC on yahoo.com. This guy was one f*cked up kid.

He says "You just love crucifying me. You put cancer in my head, tortured my heart, and raped my soul..

He goes on to say, "I didn't have to do this, I could of ran. But I'm doing this for my children, my brothers, and all the innocents that you fucked."

He also says, "You thought I would be just one guy. Thanks to you, I die like Jesus Christ, to inspire a generation to fight back, the weak and defenseless.

[BallHawk]

This kid fancies himself as a martyr, dying to hope to inspire a generation of violence and bloodshed. Unfortunately, I think he will accomplish his goal. This will appeal to those who feel like him. Kids that have been ostracized and exiled from society. I pray this doesn't happen, but things like this don't go unnoticed.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Don't give the psycho that much credit. This is going to inspire anything. It may spawn a copycat or two--like other serial killers have. Other than that, he's just a crazy fuck. I don't think people are going to go after Asians or Asian-Americans. Might be an isolated incident here and there from people who were looking for something like this, but no more. The reaction from the Korean community may, in fact, help people realize what kind of people they are.