No, “we” didn’t make you do it
Those who know me and my views best are probably those people who read my blog. I don't write everything that crosses my mind, not quite, but I do write a good amount of it.
Blogs everywhere, like newspapers and TV reports everywhere, are devoting a lot of time to the VA Tech massacre. I probably won't do any more than this one post and a few comments here and there.
In the package he sent to NBC on the morning of his crazed shooting spree, Cho Seung-hui said (among other things):
"You had a hundred billion chances and ways to have avoided today. But you decided to spill my blood. You forced me into a corner and gave me only one option. The decision was yours. Now you have blood on your hands that will never wash off.
"Your Mercedes wasn't enough, you brats. Your golden necklaces weren't enough, you snobs. Your trust funds wasn't enough. Your vodka and cognac wasn't enough. All your debaucheries weren't enough. Those weren't enough to fulfill your hedonistic needs. You had everything.
"You have vandalized my heart, raped my soul and torched my conscience. You thought it was one pathetic boy's life you were extinguishing. Thanks to you, I die like Jesus Christ, to inspire generations of the weak and the defenseless people.
"I didn't have to do this. I could have left. I could have fled. But no, I will no longer run. [...] When the time came I did it. I had to."
The truth is, though, despite all the shit you think was inflicted upon you, Cho, by some nameless assailant, you were just a dumb fuck who couldn't handle the day-to-day stuff that we all have to deal with at some point.
You think you're the only person who ever got bullied? The only one who ever felt alienated? The only one who ever wanted to kick the shit out of someone? The only who ever felt dejected, rejected, unloved?
You know who else was oppressed? Liviu Librescu. This 76-year-old man who taught at VA Tech lived through the Holocaust. Yeah, I don't think that was much fun. Spending time in a labour camp under the Nazis. Maybe he could teach you a little about oppression, do you think?
But that wasn't enough. After the war, Librescu was for many years disallowed from leaving Romania under that country's Communist regime. Is that oppression enough for you? Does that compare with your inability to fit in with the cool boys?
And then in his twilight years, Librescu it seems was diagnosed with cancer. Reports say that he was over the worst...
Until you came along.
I thought you might like to know this, though, Cho: For me, you will not be the person I remember in all this. For me, yours will not be the face that comes to mind when I think of the damage you wrought.
I will think of Liviu Librescu. A man who lived through the Holocaust, who lived through oppressive Communism, who lived through cancer. A man who spent his retirement years teaching kids in a free country...
... only to be shot down while blocking a doorway so his students could escape from you and your arsenal.
Blogs everywhere, like newspapers and TV reports everywhere, are devoting a lot of time to the VA Tech massacre. I probably won't do any more than this one post and a few comments here and there.
In the package he sent to NBC on the morning of his crazed shooting spree, Cho Seung-hui said (among other things):
"You had a hundred billion chances and ways to have avoided today. But you decided to spill my blood. You forced me into a corner and gave me only one option. The decision was yours. Now you have blood on your hands that will never wash off.
"Your Mercedes wasn't enough, you brats. Your golden necklaces weren't enough, you snobs. Your trust funds wasn't enough. Your vodka and cognac wasn't enough. All your debaucheries weren't enough. Those weren't enough to fulfill your hedonistic needs. You had everything.
"You have vandalized my heart, raped my soul and torched my conscience. You thought it was one pathetic boy's life you were extinguishing. Thanks to you, I die like Jesus Christ, to inspire generations of the weak and the defenseless people.
"I didn't have to do this. I could have left. I could have fled. But no, I will no longer run. [...] When the time came I did it. I had to."
The truth is, though, despite all the shit you think was inflicted upon you, Cho, by some nameless assailant, you were just a dumb fuck who couldn't handle the day-to-day stuff that we all have to deal with at some point.
You think you're the only person who ever got bullied? The only one who ever felt alienated? The only one who ever wanted to kick the shit out of someone? The only who ever felt dejected, rejected, unloved?
You know who else was oppressed? Liviu Librescu. This 76-year-old man who taught at VA Tech lived through the Holocaust. Yeah, I don't think that was much fun. Spending time in a labour camp under the Nazis. Maybe he could teach you a little about oppression, do you think? But that wasn't enough. After the war, Librescu was for many years disallowed from leaving Romania under that country's Communist regime. Is that oppression enough for you? Does that compare with your inability to fit in with the cool boys?
And then in his twilight years, Librescu it seems was diagnosed with cancer. Reports say that he was over the worst...
Until you came along.
I thought you might like to know this, though, Cho: For me, you will not be the person I remember in all this. For me, yours will not be the face that comes to mind when I think of the damage you wrought.
I will think of Liviu Librescu. A man who lived through the Holocaust, who lived through oppressive Communism, who lived through cancer. A man who spent his retirement years teaching kids in a free country...
... only to be shot down while blocking a doorway so his students could escape from you and your arsenal.
Labels: cho seung-hui, holocaust, liviu librescu, va tech
permalink posted by * (asterisk) at 9:51 AM
30 Comments:
Jesus, *(A), you nailed that one. I am so with you. Librescu's story is the one that really gets me. An awesome human being who showed extraordinary spirit throughout his life, murdered by a coward who hid behind a gun and shot himself to avoid facing the consequences of his actions. That Cho's got some karma to deal with next time around.
Puss
A very poignant post and I agree with Puss - I couldnt have said it better myself *(A). A self centred coward of the most evil and vile nature.
*nods* I have nothing further to add to that, it was spot on.
What a cunt.
we humans are so crazy..
that man was a moron..a selfish, self absorbed asshole.
great post *..
I like your post *A. I have linked to it and I hope you don't mind that I have added my thoughts to it (in my own blog, of course).
That was spot on, Asterisk*. Really. Can't say more than that.
Well done sir on another excellent post. One of the reasons that I keep coming back here is the variety and the quality.
The sad thing as well is that it is probably only a matter of time until this happens again somewhere.
Thanks for that poignant post...the spirit of those lives he wasted will live on in the hearts of others...
Peace
Very well said! I was just watching the news so saw the video, and like you I was struck by the difference between Liviu Librescu and the arse wipe who killed him.
I've been avoiding blogs on this subject since the event. I never know what to say and can't express myself in a comment.
But, this post was fabulous.
Librescu was a true hero, a man above.
I will think of him, and the others who lost their lives as well.
I only hope that from this, we can all live each day a little more for those who no longer have a tomorrow.
Cho wasn't the most enigmatic card in the pack was he?
I can see why he had trouble getting the girls.
But yes. Yes and yes. Life is hard. School is hard. Being a misfit is hard.
Just grow up and get on with things.
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I posted soemthing ehre this morning but I guess it didn't work. OOPs, I keep losing my messages sorry I'll try again...
Great post *.
The man Librescu is a hero and what a fascinating profile of his life. Even his name seems to allude to freedom.
I think another hero in this story is Lucinda Roy. Seung-Hui came to her attention TWO years ago...his Creative Writing prof said his stories frightened the other students and revealed a dangerous person with illness...Roy interviewed Seung-Hui and went to the police.
He had allegations of stalking against him as well, but the police couldn't do anything because there was no direct threat made by Seung-Hui.
Lucinda Roy actually began tutoring him because the class was afraid of him...and she tried to protect her students.
It is amazing to me that a Creative Writing class and teacher could recognizehis mental illness.
Something has to be done to make people aware of signs of anti-social and sociopath behaviour in children. I don't think there is a cure...but there is treatemtn and behaviour modifcation parents and community can do with a young child.
Seung-Hui was not American and this amazed me that a non-American could buy a gun in America.
School shootings are incentive for teachers, profs to be trained in recgonizing dangerous behaviour...the thing is...common sense and these people at VTECH DID recognize him a s a dangerous person. Very sad no one was able to help them, and Seung-Hui TWO YEARS AGO!
What is wrong with North America that we have these school masacres...?
candy, you have the right to bear arms. simple as. which in simple terms means that any dumb fuckwit with enough money can legally purchase a gun. yes there are strict checks that have to be done, but somehow these idiots always seem to get by them. this is one perfect example.
the laughable bit is the texan who stated "if they let the students carry guns, someone would have shot him before it got out of hand"
what the fuck? typical redneck reaction. this from someone living in a state in which you can carry a concealed weapon. legally. and have open liquor in your vehicle.
america needs to take a damn good look at itself. these shootings aren't an accident, they are the end result of years of indoctrination of a gun culture, and a government that does't, or won't, change it to try at least to protect the next generation from growing up thinking that this kind of behaviour is not only normal, but to be expected.
and before anyone says anything, i am not anti american, just think something serious needs to be done.
sorry *, for having a rant here.
the guy WAS a cunt.
one more thing before i go, how long did the american tv company plan on keeping that information before it handed it over? i can bet it means more newsworthy items that they can broadcast all day round! i can't believe that no-one thought "hold on, better get this handed over to the authorities before some sort of shit kicks off!"
another classic quote, "the videos, photos and e-mails are now in the hands of the authorities."
NOW? shutting the gate after the horse has bolted springs to mind!
my deepest sympathies to ANY family who has lost loved ones.
Well Cappy yes, I am very much pro-gun control...
Have you ever seen Bowling For Columbine though> Michael Moore makes an interesting observation...Cananda has the same amount of guns per capita as America...yet there are so many less gun deaths...
I think you are spot on with the gun conrol issue...but there is something else going on too...?
candy. yes i have seen it. and i do think there is more going on, too much to go over here.
i have just read another post on another site that i really want to share with you...
anticrapatalist's view
What a cunt.
(Cho Seung-Hui, not Librescu.)
God. I've just calmed down myself after frantic angry posting. Its sad and wrong but of all the people who died that day its going to be his name the media always remembers.
Such is the sickness of our society.
These people who were nobody in real life, only achieve any recognition at all after their worthless murderous lives are over.
Well put, as usual. I can't help but continue to feel for his parents too, providing they weren't the reason he was so completely unhinged. Can't quite figure out how this kid thought he was dying like Jesus Christ. Utter delusion.
Very powerful. * you are a very eloquent and to the point. I like where you are coming from with this.
Indeed very eloquent... I wanted to write something myself... but I guess I'll just link to your post mate. I will not be able to write anything better for sure.
There is something in Candy's comment that got to me (the same thing that cappy picked on actually)
"Seung-Hui was not American and this amazed me that a non-American could buy a gun in America."
euuuh... what does that mean? Americans should be able to buy guns, and non-Americans shouldn't be able to? Why is that? What’s the difference? Profiling again? Do we need more profiling? Are Americans less impulsive and less stupid than foreign students or immigrants?
The dude has been in the United States since 1992 (if I am not mistaken)… He is American alright; or at least Americanized.
NO ONE should be able to carry guns. You carry a gun, you’re probably going to use it at some point… and you are most likely to die by a gun.
It’s a good thing the dude was South Korean (USA’s friend), and not North Korean… otherwise a war would have erupted. This is all bullshit, turning into a media scoop.
South Korea is feeling responsible now, and wants to apologize to Americans!!! WHAT!!! No one is responsible for this cunt’s actions but his pathetic self.
I am also reading that this was a rage crime or a jealousy thing. The first victim to go was his girlfriend, and then he went on looking for someone in particular… the others were collateral damage… and the dude was shooting to kill. He had hate written all over him.
Candy, Canada is relatively safe, because we are prone to less stress I think, and the general attitude here, lacks the aggressiveness, the hate, and the mentality of fear that is predominant in the U.S. But that did not exclude carnage: we also had a shooting at Dawson College a couple of months back, and that was very painful too… It was here in downtown Montréal. The same suburban kid, the same lame excuses… anger, need of attention… stupidity…
No place is safe when you can buy guns just like that.
I don’t know it is just very saddening. And the annoying thing is that because of the media, and the attention each shooting is getting, another fucked-up kid, in need of attention, will go on shooting again… and probably soon, because the span between each massacre is diminishing.
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This is my hometown where my family still lives and my sister goes to school. Its a heavy blow. your words are right and hit the head of the nail getting me fired up about Cho and the actions he took. I want to say more but not much more to say at this point.
Well...I was misinformed on Cho's status anamaerican citizen Z. I think he was in fact a citizen.
why do I choose to care...no I don't think I should be able to go to Italy and buy a gun...or Canada, or USA...if I don't even becoem a citizen...but that is another story...because I made a mistake in misunderstanding his citizenship in america.
Listen...I've been thinking about this...why in America ya know? And I've kind of been wonderingg...actually, abused children, with chemical imabalances happen around the world...but the manifestation of their disenfranchisement occurs differently.
The nihilism of Cho's mental health...could amnifest in another country as a mafia a gang participant, a terrorist, a suicide bomber,
This guy was likely part autistic, and definately bi-polar witha psychotic lean, and had been bullied asa kid.
I'm not saying this lets him off, and yes, on one level he is still a cunt...but it's more than that.
Bully's have become an epidemic, a potential bomb...cooking and scarring children years alter they get revenge.
This guy should have had intervention...but because we have such misunderstandings about mental health...about how environment and nutrition and chemicals affect mental health...a touchy feely university system...that may actually care more about getting their grubby hands on tuition money than making sure students are prepared for school...
Well then parents who do not deal with treating their kids menatal helth, quite likely antagonizing it...by not being loving and seeking medical help for a child who by the sound of it threw off red flags from a young age.
We need to understand mental illness and the signs of nihilsim and disenfranchisement if we ever want to predict a suicide bomber or a mentally ill young person who may be a danger to himself and others.
This totally could have been treated and cared for ten 15 years ago.
And Z, I am sorry if my feeling that no one should buy a gun in a country they aren't a citizen in bothered you. I am a massive gun control advocate...and feel there should be all kinds f internation gun control laws on many levels. Sorry to upset you.
I also believe in profiling children who are anti-social and exhibiting disenfranchized attitudes, they need to be intervened and compassionately helped and treated. Sorry. I feel we will have "lost boys" forever till we accept this community responsibilty. You and I, Z, will have to agree to disagree.
guys..i just read your comments and i agree that this is a tragedy and that the whole incident is horrific. how do you tell a parent that their kid dies for no reason at all?? how do you get past the fact that talented young people full of life should be forced to die so horribly?
but guys- the shooter was mentally ill. he was autistic, he was depressed, and he needed medical attention. his anger and his paranoia and his actions were not within his control. you all watched the video and you could clearly see that something was not right there.
ofcourse it is normal to get angry. but try to put things into perspective. i dont think that cho is the only one to blame here. the problem lies in how could he have been allowed to have access to guns and ammunition when he was in that state of mind? there is a major flaw here- the government should protect the mentally ill themselves from getting out of control and ruining the lives of innocent people.
Candy... I wasn't offended, not the least. You and I, we don't totally disagree, our goal is one (NO GUNS), it is just the means to getting there we are arguing.
To “TRY” and answer your question to “why only in North America when there are the same mentally ill cases all around the world”:
1-Media these things may happen all around the world but American media uses propaganda like no other.
2-North American Society we have become such an individualistic society, where nobody cares for anybody, and psychopaths pass unnoticed, or uncared for. In my part of the world (originally), where they have less resources, less money and no “system”, this dude would have been taken care of by his family, his relatives, his friends, his neighbors, heck the whole city would have intervened, before he would reach his nihilism.
Here are vast lands; the stress level is at its peak. The suburban expansion and sprawl add to that breach, and the gap is widened everyday. People are too self absorbed, and they have a lot to deal with in their everyday life.
As you said, the boy was throwing red alerts left and right. The system didn’t catch him in time, because truly, very rare are the ones who care.
When I first moved to North America, I lived in a tall apt. building for about 2.5 years; I did not know anyone… not even by face. I sometimes say hello in the elevator, but never got any reply. I once heard a lot of commotion coming from my neighbor’s apartment. I went knocking at the door shouting “are you ok?”
I get one answer: “leave me the fuck alone”… I went back in.
Later, when I finished m studies, I moved elsewhere, another apt. building (not a house). My apt. was broken into, the door left ajar, the place a mess… nothing… nada… nobody called the cops, and nobody asked if I needed anything.
I call the cops on Thursday; they show up the next Tuesday at 6:30am.
I learnt to keep to myself, and just… not care. Don’t open up, unless they open up to you… (A totally different culture… a culture that I really miss)
What I am trying to say, is that we’ve grown too much apart… us as human beings. I am not preaching utopia, or a socialist community. I am just asking for a more humane one.
If we were still close to one another… this would not have happened.
People should start caring again.
Well, Z, I completely agree with you.
I say hi to people all the time...I think it drives my boyfriend crazy he calls me "canuck!". He and his family think I am a total dreamer...in Canada it's all flowers and hugs and gay people are friends with straights and people fall in love with anyone even if their skin color is different...oh my god...
It's not a dream...it's Canada!!!! With laws for tolerance and universal health care:
And Laila, you're right...this guy needed medication and talk therapy. It's amazing to think, that with a couple of pills and maybe someone who would listen to him...32 lives would have been saved.
p.s. well, Canada has school shootings too...frankly...really *....I'm amazed there aren't WAY more school shootings, always have been.
so well said... as usual.
wow. my heart is filling with hatred for this coward-boy. but i don't like to hate. so instead i'll join you in concentrating on those who died needlessly. what an amazing man (librescu, i mean).
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